About Stretched Ears & Sizes
Ear lobe stretching is a popular form of body modification that can be done at home. Stretching is the widening of a healed piercing hole to accommodate a larger piece of body jewelry. Stretching is also known as "gauging" or "tunneling." Does this Spark an idea?
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Common Method
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Tapering is the most common method of stretching ear lobes. A taper is a metal or acrylic device that is the size of your current gauge, tapering to the desired gauge, and is inserted into your piercing.
Sizes
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A 16 gauge (16ga) piece is approximately the size of a regular earring. This is the smallest size. The numbers then decrease as the size increases. So the next larger piece is a 14ga. After 000ga (7/16"), jewelry is measured exclusively in inches or millimeters. See Reference 2 for a detailed chart.
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Jewelry
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Ear lobe jewelry is made of many different materials, such as glass, metal, wood, or acrylic. It comes in a variety of different shapes and designs to reflect an individual's personal taste.
Care
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It is necessary to properly wash and clean your stretched ear lobe to prevent infection. Be sure to wait at least one month before attempting to stretch your lobe further so the fistula, or "skin tunnel," can properly heal.
Warnings
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There is no specific gauge from which the ear lobe will not return to normal if the piercing is taken out. The general belief, however, is that 4ga is the largest size from which a lobe will fully return to normal.
Stretching should never be painful; if you feel pain, stop stretching. Consult a piercing or medical professional if you experience excessive pain or bleeding.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Gabriele
