Step 3: Start Stretching
Let’s begin the stretching process! One of the best times to stretch is right after a hot shower, when your skin is most elastic and pliable as well as freshly cleaned.
Begin by getting your new jewelry and taper ready and washing and drying your hands. Massage a few drops of the oil/lubricant into your ear lobes for about 15-30 seconds, then wash the oil off of your fingers.Put the small end of the taper in your ear from the front and start pushing it through your ear. Pay attention to how your ear feels! You should expect some light resistance and a slight discomfort while stretching, but you should never feel sharp pain, and there shouldn’t be any bleeding. If you encounter any type of pain, blood, or strong resistance, stop immediately! This is a sign that your ears are not ready to stretch, and you could cause damage by continuing to try. You should always listen to your body and be patient. You may need to wait for your ears to heal more if they were pierced recently, or if they have been healed for a while, you may want to go to a professional piercing shop for advice if they won’t stretch easily after a few tries.
If your ear is stretching easily, push the taper through until the large end is flush with the front of your ear, then align your jewelry with the large end of the taper (as if it were an extension of the taper itself). Finish pushing the taper through your ear with the jewelry, and you're done! Repeat this process with the other ear. You may find that one of your ears stretches more easily than the other, but don't risk hurting one ear because the other has already been stretched! It's fine to stretch each ear at different speeds or to temporarily downsize one ear until the other has caught up.
Once you get to larger sizes, you can switch to a different method of stretching, called taping. The taping method involves wrapping your plugs with small layers of Teflon, PTFE, or bondage tape to gradually increase the diameter of the plug, allowing for a safe and comfortable stretching process.
This method is mostly recommended for stretching to sizes 6g and larger, as the process is much more difficult with smaller jewelry. However, you can begin taping anytime you feel comfortable with it!
Now that your ears are stretched, keep them clean and make sure you are doing the right kinds of aftercare.