How to Change a Gauged Hoop

Gauged earrings are popular fashion jewelry, especially for teens.

Gauged earrings are a type of earring that slowly stretch the hole of the ear larger and larger over time through the use of continually bigger, or gauged, earrings. Gauged earrings are typified by a gauge number. Normal earrings are sized as a gauge 20. As the gauge number goes down, the earring becomes larger. Changing a gauged hoop requires using stretching tapers that will gradually and safely stretch your ears so they can sport a lower gauge of earring.

Instructions

1. Wait until the ear is fully healed from either the original piercing or the last gauge upgrade. When you take out your earring, the ear should not be red, bleeding or sore to the touch. Wash the ear with anti-bacterial soap, as well as your hands and the taper that you will be using.

2. Insert the cleaned taper into the hole of the pierced ear, slowly pushing the small end of the taper through the hole, forcing the hole to a larger size. You should only go down one gauge size at a time. If you are going from a standard earring hole to a gauge, you should use a gauge 18 taper. Push the taper into your ear until it stops moving smoothly. Then, give the taper one last twist and push. The ear will be uncomfortable and turn red, but it should not bleed or become painful.

3. Leave the taper in the ear until your ear feels normal. This could be a couple hours or a day. Everyone's body is different, so only proceed when it feels appropriate. Once the ear returns to a normal sensation, continue to push the taper in slowly. Never push to the point of pain. It may take a couple of sessions to get the whole taper into the hole, but it is better to work slowly than damage your ear. If inserting the taper takes a couple of days, make sure you remove the taper on occasion to clean the ear.

4. Keep the taper in your ear for one day after you have fully inserted it. This will allow the ear to heal further before replacing your gauged hoop earring. Once you have waited a day and the ear feels well, you can remove the taper and quickly replace it with your gauged earring. Wait at least four or five weeks before going down another gauge level.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't stretch your ears too quickly or too much. This can cause bleeding, scar tissue and even infection.

References

• Arka: How to stretch your ears
• Ear-gauges.com: How Do I Start To Stretch My Ears?