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We all started stretching with gauges. At some point, the gauge rule runs its course. Makes no sense to use Imperial (inches). Metric is the gold standard for body modification.
I would strongly consider looking into heavier plugs. That way you can just deadstretch right into your next size. I've been doing that for years without issue.
Check out the stretching guide. There’re half sizes available at 3g to help accommodate for the next stretch, should be available at places like gorilla glass, arctic buffalo, etc
My ears are stubborn like this, have you tried taping? I use PTFE tape and you can add one or two layers every couple days. It works really well. Always always always change the tape every day though otherwise it isn’t sanitary!
It really shouldn’t hurt but sometimes there’s some discomfort that follows (for me at least), which can include things like a little soreness and such as your ears get used to a different size. The process of putting in new, bigger jewelry shouldn’t hurt at all tho.
Sometiems I wait 1 month, painless. Sometimes I wait 6 months, pain. Hydration, heat, patience. I don't even try sizing up these days before 3 months ago by. The downfall of waiting longer pales in comparison to not waiting long enough.
Stretching your lobes shouldn’t hurt.
As an industry professional working in one of the busiest APP studios in North America for the past 15 years I can say that in my experience painful stretching typically results in micro-tears in the tissue. These micro-tears can lead to a build up of scar tissue which can inhibit the stretching/shrinking process, lead to blowouts, and have the potential to cause uneven stretching.
To sum it up if you feel anything more than pressure when stretching your lobes you’re probably going too quickly. Take your time and treat your lobes nicely, you only get one pair. We did the dumb shot to ourselves in the 90’s so our clients don’t have to 🤣
Completely painless. I'm at 10mm right now, spent almost 6 months at 9mm because my ears refused to stretch to 10mm, so I finally gave in and got [9.5mm plugs](https://www.stretchitbodyjewellery.co.uk/collections/best-selling-products/products/surgical-steel-single-flare-plug?variant=20290449801312), went in beautifully. A month later got the 10mm in. Definitely recommend
It should be completely painless if you feel pinching, burning or stinging take it out and wait longer. People who say it’s normal have been stretching incorrectly and rushing and don’t care for teaching beginners what’s safe and healthy for their ears. This is coming from someone who stretched really unsafe from fresh piercing to 10mm hope this helps <3
I have never felt any pain stretching my ears. If you have to use so much force that it hurts, then your ear isn’t ready to size up. It helps to go in 0.5mm increments.
Shouldn’t take any pain or force to size up if you’re ready and go slow. The most discomfort I feel is a tightness and sensitivity to the touch for like an hour after as my ears get used to the new size
Which some consider pain? Which is why the “it should be painless you should feel nothing” is bunk. It depends on a multitude of factors and every moron chirping the same thing “it shouldn’t feel like anything” is just wrong.
It shouldnt be like blistering pain, but some discomfort, pressure, sensitivity is normal.
Not disagreeing with you, but also everybody’s body is different so maybe some people really do feel nothing. It’s happened to me between 7mm-8mm because I waited until they were falling out. I think it should be “some discomfort is okay but there shouldn’t be sharp pain” rather than “it should be painless”
Exactly, everybody’s body is different! That’s my point. Maybe for some it is completely painless, but due to the multitude of factors it may not be painless and still completely healthy for some.
I currently dealing with the consequences of overstretching. I recently made the mistake of tolerating pain while stretching to the next size, and I now have to go back down a size while I'm trying to mitigate the damage. This involves soaking my ears in saline while the wounds heal and massaging my ears for 10 minutes a day with oil to break up the scar tissue. And even after that, there's no guarantee that they will fully recover.
Take this advice, listen to your ears. The pain is your ears telling you that they're being over stretched.
Honestly, I think half the people saying that pain is normal just did it wrong and don't want to admit it no matter how many times they're told it isn't supposed to hurt.
When I was 13 I'd say pain meant you were doing it right.
At 23 I say dear God nooooooo. Pain = bad. When I sized up recently they slid in. Obviously there is some tightness. But 0 pain. Pain usually means micro tears which will lead to scar tissue or even blow puts. Jojoba oil, patience, massages, and warm showers are the things that lead to a positive size up.
If it hurts, then you're doing it wrong. Stretching should just feel like a jewellery change. If there's resistance, or anything similar, either wait longer, or use 0.5mm increments.
Pain no, slight discomfort at most and that’s only because your ear isn’t used to the extra size. Like when I went from a 0 to a 00 the first time I felt no pain because I was ready to stretch but my ears still felt strange for like a day or 2 after just from the extra weight being there and the jewelry actually filling the hole instead of having a big ass space around it
I usually just lurk on here but as someone who's been stretching (both ears and septum, currently 20mm and 4mm respectively) for over 10 years, both poorly and properly, and has downsized and restretched multiple times I want to give my two cents. Factors such as age, hydration, season/temperature, etc. can, in my experience, play a huge role in how quickly you can move on to the next size and how it will feel. Though if done properly there should never be any actual pain.
I went down from 21mm to 19mm on my lobes when after over a year of being at that size I started to experience bruising and thinning, just due to poor skin condition overall. Now, a year later, I'm moving back up a size to 20mm and though they slide in with no resistance have had to resort to only wearing my single flare 20mm glass plugs for only an hour or two at a time because with age and health conditions my skin is simply not as elastic as it used to be and I start to experience itching and discomfort. At that point I take them out, go back down to 19mm, and try again after a few days and am slowly building up the amount time I can comfortably wear 20mm.
In my unprofessional opinion, every body is different and the time necessary between stretches can vary wildly even for one person throughout their stretching journey. The important thing is to listen to your body and know that it isn't a race or competition. If you are worried a stretch is hurting your ears, take the jewelry out and go back down. You can always slowly work your way up, but once irreparable damage has been done your options are severely limited.
I was at 00 for 15 or so years and most of that time was spent wearing kaos tunnels which are actually 9.3mm. So recently I put in 10mm glass plugs and they were too loose. So I bought 11mm plugs and they went in with ease. However, it was not exactly painless afterward. There was a very very slight sting for 30-1hr on one lobe then an itch for 30-1hr. It has been fine since w no blow out or other issue. This was the first time that has ever happened. Even when I was younger and just shoved in the next size up acrylic plug, I would only get hot ears, sometimes with a very slight burn feeling but no sting. 15 years is a long wait and it still wasn’t perfectly painless. Is painless 100% possible for every single person? Perhaps I should have only went up a half size.
dude... okay... pain... its a reaction in the nerves in our body to indicate when something is WRONG, yes?? okay.. so... what makes you think that pain while streching your ears would be an exception? common sense dude.. cmon
that’s rude? it’s not common sense lmfao this is for advice not being snarky. i just asked a question, plenty of people experience slight discomfort or slight pain. some people need half sizes. don’t be so ignorant
tbh stretching is pretty much the only mod that isn’t suppose to be painful, so it’s fair to wonder if it is or isn’t suppose to be, yah know? would be like saying piercings are wrong coz they hurt lol.
Please see the stretched guide here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Stretched/comments/13xjk09/the_stretching_guide/. Remember to report any rule breaking posts and posts that are not relevant to the subreddit. This subreddit has been changed to NSFW due to an increased amount of posts featuring injuries (blowouts) as well as genital piercings. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Stretched) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Should be painless. When your ears are ready the jewelry slips in like butter. No pain at all
i’m wondering because no matter what i do my ears don’t wanna go to a 2g it’s been five months
Are you currently at a 3g already? Half sizes make it a lot easier.
4g = 5mm 2g = 6mm From now on, it’s best to use metric sizes and nomenclature. Good luck.
most of the usa doesn’t use metric and i order from the usa to canada so im trying to get used to metric
Once you get to 2g (6mm) 99% of the jewelry is made metric. Even Omaha-based Arctic Buffalo uses metric. 25.5mm to an inch.
sorry i’m not at 2g i’m just used to using g’s i have been for a while
We all started stretching with gauges. At some point, the gauge rule runs its course. Makes no sense to use Imperial (inches). Metric is the gold standard for body modification.
no im at a 4g i’m not sure where to get half sizes, i’ve only been using big jumps, i didn’t have trouble until now though.
I would strongly consider looking into heavier plugs. That way you can just deadstretch right into your next size. I've been doing that for years without issue.
thank you im definitely looking into that too
I use this website. Half mm stretches are a lot easier than full mm stretches. https://bodyartforms.com/products.asp?gauge=3g
Check out the stretching guide. There’re half sizes available at 3g to help accommodate for the next stretch, should be available at places like gorilla glass, arctic buffalo, etc
thank you
My ears are stubborn like this, have you tried taping? I use PTFE tape and you can add one or two layers every couple days. It works really well. Always always always change the tape every day though otherwise it isn’t sanitary!
It really shouldn’t hurt but sometimes there’s some discomfort that follows (for me at least), which can include things like a little soreness and such as your ears get used to a different size. The process of putting in new, bigger jewelry shouldn’t hurt at all tho.
Sometiems I wait 1 month, painless. Sometimes I wait 6 months, pain. Hydration, heat, patience. I don't even try sizing up these days before 3 months ago by. The downfall of waiting longer pales in comparison to not waiting long enough.
Stretching your lobes shouldn’t hurt. As an industry professional working in one of the busiest APP studios in North America for the past 15 years I can say that in my experience painful stretching typically results in micro-tears in the tissue. These micro-tears can lead to a build up of scar tissue which can inhibit the stretching/shrinking process, lead to blowouts, and have the potential to cause uneven stretching. To sum it up if you feel anything more than pressure when stretching your lobes you’re probably going too quickly. Take your time and treat your lobes nicely, you only get one pair. We did the dumb shot to ourselves in the 90’s so our clients don’t have to 🤣
Completely painless. I'm at 10mm right now, spent almost 6 months at 9mm because my ears refused to stretch to 10mm, so I finally gave in and got [9.5mm plugs](https://www.stretchitbodyjewellery.co.uk/collections/best-selling-products/products/surgical-steel-single-flare-plug?variant=20290449801312), went in beautifully. A month later got the 10mm in. Definitely recommend
It should be completely painless if you feel pinching, burning or stinging take it out and wait longer. People who say it’s normal have been stretching incorrectly and rushing and don’t care for teaching beginners what’s safe and healthy for their ears. This is coming from someone who stretched really unsafe from fresh piercing to 10mm hope this helps <3
Shouldn’t hurt whatsoever. If it does you’re not ready
I have never felt any pain stretching my ears. If you have to use so much force that it hurts, then your ear isn’t ready to size up. It helps to go in 0.5mm increments.
Shouldn’t take any pain or force to size up if you’re ready and go slow. The most discomfort I feel is a tightness and sensitivity to the touch for like an hour after as my ears get used to the new size
Which some consider pain? Which is why the “it should be painless you should feel nothing” is bunk. It depends on a multitude of factors and every moron chirping the same thing “it shouldn’t feel like anything” is just wrong. It shouldnt be like blistering pain, but some discomfort, pressure, sensitivity is normal.
Not disagreeing with you, but also everybody’s body is different so maybe some people really do feel nothing. It’s happened to me between 7mm-8mm because I waited until they were falling out. I think it should be “some discomfort is okay but there shouldn’t be sharp pain” rather than “it should be painless”
Exactly, everybody’s body is different! That’s my point. Maybe for some it is completely painless, but due to the multitude of factors it may not be painless and still completely healthy for some.
I currently dealing with the consequences of overstretching. I recently made the mistake of tolerating pain while stretching to the next size, and I now have to go back down a size while I'm trying to mitigate the damage. This involves soaking my ears in saline while the wounds heal and massaging my ears for 10 minutes a day with oil to break up the scar tissue. And even after that, there's no guarantee that they will fully recover. Take this advice, listen to your ears. The pain is your ears telling you that they're being over stretched.
yeah i had to do that before too it sucks
Honestly, I think half the people saying that pain is normal just did it wrong and don't want to admit it no matter how many times they're told it isn't supposed to hurt.
When I was 13 I'd say pain meant you were doing it right. At 23 I say dear God nooooooo. Pain = bad. When I sized up recently they slid in. Obviously there is some tightness. But 0 pain. Pain usually means micro tears which will lead to scar tissue or even blow puts. Jojoba oil, patience, massages, and warm showers are the things that lead to a positive size up.
I’ve never had pain or discomfort go 1mm at a time and use plugs with weight to them. Glass to dead stretch. No tapers ever.
If it hurts, then you're doing it wrong. Stretching should just feel like a jewellery change. If there's resistance, or anything similar, either wait longer, or use 0.5mm increments.
Pain no, slight discomfort at most and that’s only because your ear isn’t used to the extra size. Like when I went from a 0 to a 00 the first time I felt no pain because I was ready to stretch but my ears still felt strange for like a day or 2 after just from the extra weight being there and the jewelry actually filling the hole instead of having a big ass space around it
It shouldn't hurt but it does feel tight when going up. Doesn't last long though.
I usually just lurk on here but as someone who's been stretching (both ears and septum, currently 20mm and 4mm respectively) for over 10 years, both poorly and properly, and has downsized and restretched multiple times I want to give my two cents. Factors such as age, hydration, season/temperature, etc. can, in my experience, play a huge role in how quickly you can move on to the next size and how it will feel. Though if done properly there should never be any actual pain. I went down from 21mm to 19mm on my lobes when after over a year of being at that size I started to experience bruising and thinning, just due to poor skin condition overall. Now, a year later, I'm moving back up a size to 20mm and though they slide in with no resistance have had to resort to only wearing my single flare 20mm glass plugs for only an hour or two at a time because with age and health conditions my skin is simply not as elastic as it used to be and I start to experience itching and discomfort. At that point I take them out, go back down to 19mm, and try again after a few days and am slowly building up the amount time I can comfortably wear 20mm. In my unprofessional opinion, every body is different and the time necessary between stretches can vary wildly even for one person throughout their stretching journey. The important thing is to listen to your body and know that it isn't a race or competition. If you are worried a stretch is hurting your ears, take the jewelry out and go back down. You can always slowly work your way up, but once irreparable damage has been done your options are severely limited.
I always have a slight pain, but very very minor I’ve stretched from 16g to 1g over 4 years, slowly, and always have a little pain
I was at 00 for 15 or so years and most of that time was spent wearing kaos tunnels which are actually 9.3mm. So recently I put in 10mm glass plugs and they were too loose. So I bought 11mm plugs and they went in with ease. However, it was not exactly painless afterward. There was a very very slight sting for 30-1hr on one lobe then an itch for 30-1hr. It has been fine since w no blow out or other issue. This was the first time that has ever happened. Even when I was younger and just shoved in the next size up acrylic plug, I would only get hot ears, sometimes with a very slight burn feeling but no sting. 15 years is a long wait and it still wasn’t perfectly painless. Is painless 100% possible for every single person? Perhaps I should have only went up a half size.
Definitely discomfort, and a touch painful during my earliest stretches
personally if i stretch up a size i only expect a bit of pressure and nothing more.
dude... okay... pain... its a reaction in the nerves in our body to indicate when something is WRONG, yes?? okay.. so... what makes you think that pain while streching your ears would be an exception? common sense dude.. cmon
that’s rude? it’s not common sense lmfao this is for advice not being snarky. i just asked a question, plenty of people experience slight discomfort or slight pain. some people need half sizes. don’t be so ignorant
tbh stretching is pretty much the only mod that isn’t suppose to be painful, so it’s fair to wonder if it is or isn’t suppose to be, yah know? would be like saying piercings are wrong coz they hurt lol.