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So some of you stretch your ears, or other piercings, correct? But many people don't know how to do this correctly and instead they use stretching tools that can damage their skin. This article will teach you how to stretch your earlobes with tapers. This is considered appropriate for 00g and smaller. Beyond that, the taping method is recommended.

  1. Vitamin E oil (jar or pill form), jojoba oil, olive oil, or emu oil are commonly used. This assures a smooth painless insertion of jewelry. Do not, under ANY circumstances, use Vaseline.
  2. (316L steel is a very low grade of steel. When looking for jewelry, look for 316LVM. Surgical Steel does not mean implant grade, and should be avoided.)
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  3. Once that is done, some recommend taking a hot shower to open the pores of your skin and increase blood circulation in the area to aid elasticity.
  4. Careful! We don't want to tear it. Be aware as this is where most blowouts occur; the fistula is being pushed out to the opposite side of insertion. If a blowout does happen to appear at any point of tapering, an upgrade to taping may be the way to go. If you don't want to do the taping method, you must downsize to the size that you were beforehand.
  5. ) is clean and at hand. (Autoclave is the safest way because the micro tears in your skin make you vulnerable to microbes.) Do not leave tapers in for any amount of time as it will result in uneven weight distribution, greatly increasing the chances of a blowout.
  6. Listen to your body. While some discomfort is expected and a mild stinging, it should be easy, not painful.
  7. Allow plenty of time to heal properly with warm saline solution (or sea salt soak) twice daily then follow with oil massages, and wait before you stretch again. Apart from listening to your body, this is the next best thing you can do. Bleeding stretches are a sign of tearing somewhere in the fistula; if not healed properly, this can create a blowout during future stretches.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Is a 10 g the smallest size, or are there some smaller?
    Community Answer
    They go much smaller! Standard earrings are 20 or 18 g, while nose piercings are often 22 g. Plugs and tunnels start at a size 14, but make sure to not skip 16!
  • Question
    How long should I leave the taper in?
    Community Answer
    Not long. You should push the taper in and then replace it with your plug/tunnel shortly after.
  • Question
    Why is it not recommended to use Vaseline?
    Community Answer
    Vaseline is very thick. It will not allow your ears to breathe properly and there is the potential for a buildup of bacteria.
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      Tips

      • You should wait at least twice the period of time it took your piercings to heal before you start stretching them.
      • Don't rush it, take it slow to prevent blowouts.
      • Once inserting the jewelry, don't push it in quickly. Take it slowly so it is completely comfortable.
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      Warnings

      • If you do get a blowout, do not freak out. Just take out the current size jewelry and insert a smaller size. Massage them everyday with jojoba oil, emu oil, or Vitamin E oil to reduce the size of the blowout.
      • Do a sea salt soak twice a day around the area and follow with an oil massage until the earlobe is tender and warm; this is a sign of increased blood circulation.
      • When your ears have completely healed and are supple once again, your ears are good to go!
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      Things You'll Need

      • A taper one size up from your current size
      • Jewellery (tunnels, plugs, earrings, etc.)
      • Skin appropriate lubricant
      • Warm water (optional)

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 178,185 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Ky Doherty

        Jun 16, 2016

        "This post has helped me a lot, since I actually have used Vaseline before and water based lube. Now I know to try ..." more
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