[ Home | FAQ-Related Q&As | General Q&As | Answered Questions ]

Search the Q&A Archives

if you gauge your ears up to a zero gauge. how long will it...

<< Back to: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry

Answer by Aimee E.
Submitted on 5/18/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
shrug A friend of mine had his ears either at 0g or 00g [cannot remember which] and they shrank almost completely within weeks. Zoe, right now you are at a 20g or 18g. DO NOT even attempt to put a 12g in. If you do, you are taking a VERY big risk of tearing or causing a blow out in your lobes. Trust me, it ISN'T fun. Start at a 16g at the BIGGEST. From there wait at least 1-2 months between each stretch. Piercing studios do not charge much to stretch a piercing [at least not the ones here; they're only about between $5 and $10]. The cost of jewelry on the other hand, though, is a different matter. If you don't want to get it done professionally, get some first aid tape and add one revolution of tape on your earrings. Every couple of days add another revolution until you get to the next size. I realize that you may be impatient to stretch your ears, but trust me, it is better to wait and have it done properly than to jump into it and possibly do permanent damage to your ears.

Answer by steve-o
Submitted on 11/24/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Ok I have something to say first off the right way to gauge your ears properly is to put heavy earring's in and play with them til they go to the next size on their own and so on that way the scar tissue in side the ear doesnt get to thick to heal.So just using weight will guage them or you can usa a taper or spike but can do more damage.Now on this subject of no return I know someone who had 2 1/2 inch gauges and left them out for 3 years and they went all the way back to an 8 you just have to do it right I am currently at 1/2 inch gauges in both ears and i have been working on them for about a year so I would just say do what you want you can take more time with it or do it fast and maybe cause problems but just go for it.PeAcE

Answer by Koval
Submitted on 12/4/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
don't go too fast like i did or you'll regret it. TRUST ME! i went WAY too fast. i put in safety pins then went to a 14 to 10 to 6 to 4 to 2 to 0 to 00 to 1/2" and finally to 5/8" so far. i only waited a few days in between. they prob. won't close up. if u want them to close up, don't go past 1/2" (or a 2 ga. to be on the safe side) if u take your time it'll be easier to go back due to less scar tissue. take it slow, it'll make your destiny that much sweet when u get there. i ignored it and now i'mhere for the rest of my life and i'monly 17. i know how you'll feel, i felt the same way. u think, "it'll never happen to me. not me. maybe you or that guy. but not me. i'llbe able to go back and close them up." but you won't!!

Answer by SMPLCTY
Submitted on 1/2/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i dont know if you people post in here still or what not, but from what ive read there is a lot of ignorance. everybody has their own point of no return. ive had a frend at quite the large gauge and her ears did what one person said, if you forceyour ears to a larger siZe then take out the jewlrry, your ears will shrink a lot faster. my ears are currently at 1" and ui dont plan on going smaller. i think if you are going to go through the effort and pain of stretching them, only to know that you are going to take them out in a short while, whats the point, i feel that body modifications are a self expression and a stateof mind. you shouldnt let society make you stop in fear of not succeeding in the future.

Answer by ST1LLET0
Submitted on 1/2/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
To Zoe, I am an apprentice piercer. My ears are now at a mere 00g, but the trick is to rub neosporn or some other greasy anti-biotic onto the earing before you put it in, you should be able to easily put in a 10. Gauging hurts because of friction, not so much the stretching, that is one reason it is so easy to gauge a toungue, saliva acts as a lubricant, plus that, the neosporan should also help your piercing heal right, a good piecring shouldn't have much scar tissue, there are a lot of kids out there that have very bad looking gauges, mostly scar tissue, that makes it hard to gauge later, if your planning on going big, like my buddy with a 2 in. then you don't want to develop much scar tissue, I also recommend witch hazel as an anti-biotic, it is a great disinfectant and it won't turn it into a scar.

Answer by LAUREN.
Submitted on 3/15/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
zoe, you should definitely use a taper (one taper ranges from about 4-8 dollars) to get to a 12. if you go from a 20 to a 12 you are going to be in so much pain and you could permanently damage your earlobes. i just finished plugging my ears, they are at a 2, and it costed me about 60 dollars for everything i needed. plugging your ears really isn't all that cheap if you do it the correct way.. my ears have been at a 2 for about a week now, and i wasn't planning on closing them for at least a year. i was just wondering if anyone personally has had plugs at a 2 or 0 or even 00 for OVER a year and managed to have them close back to an 18 or 20 within time. i'm just nervous that they'll never shrink back to normal if i keep them stretched for too long..

Answer by Joe
Submitted on 4/26/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Only about 2 of of you have actualy writen proper answers that will actualy help anyone. 1) the people going "ZOE SHOVE BIGGER JEWELLRY THROUGH" are pricks. you have no idea how much damage she could have done to her ears. she needs to go up 0.8mm to 1mm at a time using a taper. stretching should NOT hurt..so saying "TAKE THE PAIN" and "don't be scared" is just stupid. you should feel some stinging or burning once the taper is 3/4 of the way through, that is all. no ripping or bleeding otherwise you have just damaged your ear for life. Its not clever to just ram jewellry through a piercing. nor will it help you to get a perfect stretch. unless you really want stretch marks or scar tissue hanging out of your ear? 2) There is no real point of no return. there are only averages. it ranges from 8mm all the way up to 16mm...maybe even more. it depends on the person and their healing rate.

Answer by Annapolisguitar
Submitted on 4/27/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
hate to tell you all but it seems to me hardly any of you know what your talking about.im at 3/4 of an inch an it takes time but will go back down.the best way is to take it slow.the whole shoving it in an taking it like a man.or a strong women thing is way out of wack.If you try to put something bigger then it is supposed to go you could tear the skin which causes scar tissue.if it scars up like what happen to mine in the early process of gaging.When that happens it makes it hard to put any bigger.The best way i think is to put tape as they said above.it will help stretch it out little by little.it could be a long process but is worth it. as i said if you go to fast your ears could be shot. then it would make it almost impossible to heal back down.

Answer by QUIETMUMBLES
Submitted on 8/8/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I STARTED WITH 18GAUGE 8YRS AGO AND ON THE AVERAGE HAVE JUMPED A SIZE EVERY SIX MONTH OR SO I'VE GOT THEM STRETCHED TO 5/8INCH AND GETTING READY TO GO TO 3/4. BUT I HAVE TAKEN THEM OUT AND PRACTICALLY HAD TO START ALL OVER. I STARTED DATING A GIRL WHO JUST COULDN'T STOMACH THE HUGE HOLE IN MY EAR SO I TOOK THEM OUT THE KEY TO GETTING THEM TO CLOSE UP IS #1 DON;T STRETCH TO FAST IF YOU BUST THE CARTILAGE YOUR SCREWED #2 WHEN YOU DECIDE YOU WANT THEM TO CLOSE UP TAKE THE NEXT SIZE UP AND JAM THEM BAD BOYS THROUGH LEAVE THEM IN FRO ABOUT 6-8 HOURS AND TAKE THEM OUT LET THEM BREATH AND THEY WILL SEEM TO GET INFECTED BUT THIS IS GOOD BECAUSE IT WILL CREATE LIKE A SCAB AND I GUARANTEE FROM EXPERIENCE THEY WILL CLOSE UP SO TIGHT IT'LL BE LIKE POPPING A CHERRY JUST TO GET SON 16'S OR 14'S THREW THOSE HOLES. I DROPPED THE GIRL WHO DIDN'T LIKE THE GAUGES AND HAD TO START FROM SCRATCH. THANK GOODNESS I HAVE SAVED EVERYSIZE AND LIKE I SAID I'M AT 5/8" RIGHT NOW. NO SIZE IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN AS LONG AS YOU STRETCH SLOWLY AND ALLOW YOU BODY TO ADJUST AND DON'T TRAUMATIZE YOU EARS #1 AND MOST IMPORTANT STRETCH SLOW, I HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE F*@K THEIR EARS UP.

Answer by Sarah
Submitted on 8/26/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Yeah, if you use tape or even safety pins and paper clips, you can slowly work up and save dinero. I started with normal piercings, but the holes closed; I repierced them with large safety pins. I was still wearing normal earrings then, and I was around a sixteen gauge. I found some plastic-coated paper clips and put them in, and moved up to about a fourteen gauge. Those are great to start gauging with, by the by, because they don't get infected. Period. After that, I bought a ten gauge pair and those went in okay (of course, I'd been sticking random things through the holes all week, and they were a bit torn). Now it's about two months later or so and I just bought a pair of six gauge, which went in great. I think it might get easier after the initial jump. =) Just use small stuff, if you're starting out...you'd be surprised the number of things that work, like regular hardware nails (which, of course, must be oil-free and clean and suchlike so that you don't get infected).

Answer by ash fo rizzle
Submitted on 9/26/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i have 9/16ths in both ears right now and a 10 gauge in my cartalage. ive met them close a bunch of times, you just need to take them out and then re strech them, then take them out, and so on and so on. it also depends on the person, it all varies. and to put the ear ring in, try putting some vasaline on your ear and the gauge and shove it in, it will hurt and bleed(thats how they normally react at first unless you wore long dangally earrings for a long period of time) if you still cant take the paint use the electrical tape trick, just roll a peice of tape on the earring and shove it in, and repeat everyday. before you know it, youll be able to get your gauges in! i hope i answered some of your questions, if you have any more you can contact me though aim at BluEyedRXBandit -Ashley

Answer by milenko
Submitted on 10/11/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
u guys are all right in all ways. everyones is different i took mine from an 18 to an 8 in like four or five days. then i went from an 8 to a 2 in two days now I'm at a 2/5 and my brothers is the same, but he went to jail for like 2 weeks and when he came out his ear was at an 8 again, now when i went for a month and a half i only went down one size everyone is different but if you really want it to heal painlessly take out your gauge and leave it alone it will eventually heal, or if you want it healed fast gauge it a size bigger then what u got then take the stick out hold a towel on it until it stops bleeding then leave it alone it'll scab up and eventually heal, it does leave a weird looking hole in all cases I've seen either way the hole looks different and will always be a little stretchy but thats all i got to say peace out all

Answer by the nuge
Submitted on 11/11/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
ok heres the deal. i got both of my ears done at a 14g, sadly due to my lack of patience i got both ears down to 7/16ths within one month. not only is this extremely painful but it is also extreamly dangerous. not only are you tearing your lobe by going up each gauge so quickly, you are also opening your ears up to a world of infections. big ears are something that requires dedication.now i will address the issues of shrinking back. guaging your ears is something that will stay with your for the rest of your life. everyones body is different so when stretching your ears you must accept the risk of the hole never closing even if you only do go down to about a 2g.

Answer by deedee
Submitted on 11/16/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i started with an 18ga. then i started utting forgein objects in my lobes. like paper clips. that, was like...16ga and then i hopped down to a 10. yeah, just like that. all it took was a friend who had some good strength. we stood in her bathroom and POP! went the weasle. now im at 2's and i dont plan on getting bigger. it was honestly really easy to get where i am. it was realyl easy stratching my ears until i got to twos. word of advice, use tapered stuff. my 10s were not tapered. everything else afterwards, was. i even made my own tapers. like comb ends and stuff. what i did was take bigger tapers and only slide it in so much and have it in for like 5 mintues then stick the actual plug or item of the size you want and switch it really fast. as for my ears now, i take it out for like a minute, annd my 2's are already kinda hard to put it. my ears close up really fast. i estimate if i took them out for a day, i'd be back to like a 8 or 10 by the end of the day. butttt. im having one problem. my right ear has been itching like crazy and i found two huge lumps in em. i figured it was from the puss n crap so i cleaned it with peircing solution stuff. any idea whats causing this?

Answer by kirk
Submitted on 12/5/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
When you are just starting out stretching, this SUCKS to hear... but here goes: You can NOT skip gauges. It might work now but when you start getting into fractions (2ga to 0ga is the first jump in fractions) it'll start to catch up to you. If your size wont go in smoothly with lubricant, then it is not your size. Jumping sizes causes unneccesary stress to your lobes (the pressure of which will create tears) and cause your ear to bleed, blow out, and, worst of all, scar up. If you plan on going big, scars are a problem. They don't stretch nicely like the fatty tissue of your lobe. If you plan on going big (I'm at 1 and 1/4 ga right now), you need to do it slowly. It's taken me two years. If you don't think it's worth it to wait that long, then you probably won't have your gauges in for long anyway, so don't even bother stretching. The surgery is expensive ($4,000) and only has a 40% chance of giving your lobes a "normal" appearance. Think before you start stretching.... and for God's sake take it slow or you'll reach a point, probably between 000ga and 1/2ga, when the scar tissue that you've created will not stretch any more. -Kirk

Answer by somebodyovertherainbow
Submitted on 2/8/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Hey, zoe, here's a nice little story for you: I got my ears pierced at the mall a few years ago. About 6 months ago, I decided to stretch my ears to a larger gauge. I tried to fit my friend's 16 in, and my ear hole bled. A damn 16. imagine what a 12 would have done? I went out and bought 18-4 gauges, and stuck the 18s in. I left them in for a week, and tried the 16s. they went in, and then the next day i put in 14s, and the next day the 12s. By this time they were hurting, so I left them in for a week. I got impatient and skipped 10 and went to and 8. I took them out for cleaning the next day, and was amazed at how much the ear lobe can bleed. Now i'mup to a 4, and I tried shrinking (out of curiosity) and couldn't go smaller than 8. If I were you, I would be patient.

Answer by jp
Submitted on 2/20/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
People That Need Help With Gauging peole say that you can't shrink after sertain sizes but i just had both my ears to 5'8s 2 sizes bigger then half inch 2 sizes lower then a inch and i just took one ear out cus it got peirced to low andi didn't want blow out blow out is when your ear lobe ripps so when you first pierce your ear make sure you pierce it perfect and not low or you will have to start over and i was at 5'8s and my gauged do 0 already in bout 5 hours showers really help shrinking gauges also, but skipping sizes are normal bleeding and getting crustys are normal and if its really sore it will go away bout a day or 2 so don't worry and you can jump sizes its normal it will hrut yes i jump from 2 to 7'16s and yes it hurt like hell but it was alot faster way to get big holes in my ears,i'vealways liked the way they look well theres abunch of anser read it if u need help.

Answer by meghann
Submitted on 3/8/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i got my ears peirced wen i was 2 weeks old. i went from 18 to 12. then from 12 to about a 4. i used tappers and the process took less than 10 minutes, by my freind. it hurt but no the worse ive ever felt.but yeah, i was wondering if i did that right? there are some scabs and if i scrath em the bleed alot. one ear was has had the earing in for about 3 or 4 weeks i think. and now has very light scabs not even, and is alil gooie and the left ear has had the tapper in for about a week or 2. and its scaby and bleeds. did i cause permament damage to my ear? omg wat happened? can i fix it or is there anything i should do? or did i not do anything wrong? pplllzzz teeelllll mmmmeee!!!!

Answer by criteria
Submitted on 6/17/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
And another thing. I would highly suggest you go into the nearest piercing specialized shop to get some ointment for your ears as you gauge up. Might I suggest ordering some stretching oils at: http://onetribe.nu Also, make sure you massage your ear lobes frequently as to create circulation to increase healing time. And if at anytime you experience any blow-out; it is a good idea to take out your jewelry or down size immediately! Blow out is nearly impossible to get rid of. Once your lobe is healed try stretching again, it may be a little easier this time. Just don't damage your ears! Also, take it slow. You're not in a hurry - you are probably young and have several years ahead of you to stretch your lobes. The faster you go the more chances are you're going to seriously damage or ruin your ears. They'll either tear, you'll get keloids, you'll have significant scar tissue (they won't be attractive at all), infection may develop, or they'll start stretching awkwardly. I am 3/4 inch and it took 2 years and they're perfect...so take your time.

Answer by Ouch...
Submitted on 9/28/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
If you want to gauge your ears... DO IT SLOWLY!!! I've had my ears pierced since I was 13 months old and wore a lot of dangly, heavy earrings. Because of that, I was able to start gauging at a 14. After that, I took it one size at a time, letting my ears heal completely before moving up. I am now at a 2g and I don't think I want to go any bigger, since I have my lobes pierced twice and going any bigger wouldn't look good. If you do it correctly and don't tear your ears, you will have better chances of them shrinking when you are ready for them to go back to normal (which you most likely will). As for how to move up to the next size... a taper works well, but if you want to do the tape method, make sure you use medical tape. GOOD LUCK!!

Answer by T.RAS PUNCHING BABIES
Submitted on 10/5/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I started at a ten in both of my ears. I waited about a month in one of them and continued to stretch that one to a four by just putting it in slowly until it finally was in the entire way through. I let that sit in my ear over night an my ear adjusted. With my other ear I put in a 10g and then about an hour later after putting in the ten i put in my other 4. It hurt a lot but again after waiting about a day my ear adjusted. Now in my left ear (that I put the fours in about a month later) I put a pen through it to stretch it to 0. That hurt a lot more then putting in the fours but it still did not hurt that much. Nothing has torne at all. Its all a matter of how much pain tolerance you have and how your ears react to this type of thing. Everyone is diff.

Answer by schukle dawwg
Submitted on 10/12/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
oh and, word of the wise: NEVER get your ear peirced at claire'sor whatever. the people have no training, the pericings usually come out crooked, and the solution they give you is crap. go to a professional who uses a hollow needle of some sort. those type of people have been through years of training to peirce ears for a living. obviously they'll know what they're doing. finally, if say you stretch to like a 00 and then unstreatch it back to a 18 and then back again, it's unlikely that it will colse up a second time. my friend streatched hers to a 0 three times, and now it's permenantly a 0. to CowGod: TAPER not tape. it's acrylic and it's like the "talons" or the "horns" i described in above comment except it's cheaper and straight.

Answer by jcpokinatcha
Submitted on 10/20/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
gauging is a very simple process.. but a slow one if done properly.. i started with at 18 (pierced at the mall).. i would recommed going to a real piercer though... move up on size at a time.. never jump sizes... you will cause scarring and keloids.. not cool... if you stretch one gauge at a time.. and wait a month or so in between sizes, come time when you want them to shrink back down a bit, it will happen... if you've created scar tissue, it will never shrink down right... but again... all of this depends on elasticity of the skin.. if you are someone who is prone to stretch marks on your body, your piercings will likely never shrink down like you may want them too in the future... think wisely as you do everything.... dont go for the quick fix... quick fixes will be painful and cause more problems than its worth... im at 0g now.. moving up to a 00g when i get my jewerly in a few days... do it slow... there will be little to no pain.. and the resluts are way better...

Answer by Doug
Submitted on 11/18/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Taper.. not tape. Tapering is the most effective way to stretch your ears with minimal stress. To taper your lobes, you first need to procure a taper (a metal or acrylic device that tapers from your ending gauge down to your starting gauge - for example, the large end would be a 10 gauge & the small end would be around a 12 gauge). Once you have the taper, lube it up with some water-based lubricant such as KY Jelly and slide it through your ear in one fluid motion. When you get to the end of the taper, butt your jewelry up against the end of the taper so that it looks like an extension of the taper, and push the taper the rest of the way through with the jewelry. This entire process should not take more than a few minutes at longest, and is usually just a few seconds.

Answer by scz
Submitted on 12/8/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
The real answer to the original post: There is no "point of no return". It all depends on how you started. If you jumped sizes and caused the skin to tear (even microscopicly) then scar tissue forms. Scar tissue has a much harder time shrinking back to normal size because it has less turgor (elasticity) than skin does. So if you guaged up one size every 2-3 months like you're supposed to then your skin should have no problem shrinking back. Skin doesn't permanently stretch out unless you're about 70 years old. Then yes, sadly there is no return if you want it. I'm a medical professional specializing in skin/wound treatment. I have much experience with body art and have my own ears gauged. Take it from me. Good Luck. SCZ, RN, CRNA

Answer by erin
Submitted on 1/31/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Alright, I know there's a lot of misinformation out there about stretching. But here's the deal: it's true that everybody's body is different. It is usually accepted that once you reach a 0ga, the tissue in your lobes can drastically change into a form that is much less malleable and therefore have less of a chance of closing. Also, when you're reaching the larger gauges of 4 and up, you DO need to wait at least a month between stretching. Trust me, blowouts and tears are NOT fun. The best way to get something to close up is remove all jewelry and massage your lobes with vitamin e, jojoba oil, or anything of the sort daily to maintain elasticity and improve blood flow. Happy stretching!

Answer by educated
Submitted on 2/13/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
wtf. some of you people give extremely retarded advice. i have my ears stretched to 5/8s. DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT RUSH THE EAR STRETCHING PROCESSS! unless you would like your ear to blow outlook it up. If your at an 18g, the average "mall piercing size" DO NOT force the 12g in "as fast as you can" that will only cause pain, and who knows you might even rip your ear. Follow the stretching chart. If your an 18, dont get a 12, get the next size down from an 18 which is a 16. And about the ear closing up issue.. actually there IS NO universal easy close size. ITS A PERSONAL HEALING PROCESS. For some people it takes a few days, for some people months. If your so worried about your ears not closing up, my best advice would be to not stretch at all. Dont chance it if you dont want a perminate thing.

Answer by Scott
Submitted on 2/16/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I've just recently begun stretching my ears, and I'm currently at a 12g. My goal is probably to get down to a 0g. DO NOT under any circumstances skip more than 1 gauge at a time. Even WITH a taper. I went directly from an 18g to a 12g, and it didn't hurt, just a bit of burning, but it DID start to bleed. If your ear starts bleeding, you have gone too fast. You need to take out the jewelry and go backward one gauge immediately, or you risk tears, or blowouts. I went backward to a 14g, waited, then moved back up to the 12g. The best kinds of jewelry to use for the actual stretching are tapers or pinchers, not plugs. You want something with a gradual change in thickness, the more gradual the change, the better. Use a lubricant such as KY Jelly or just some liquid soap to slide the taper or pincher in. If you feel any kind of pain, stop and wait to see how far you're in. If you're pretty near the end, you could finish, but if you're in the middle or farther back, you should go down a size. The best kinds of jewely materials for stretching are glass, metal, or organics such as stone. Metals have a tendency to get a smell or "ear cheese" over time though. NEVER use acrylic jewelry. There's medical grade plastic or teflon jewelry that's fine, but acrylic is VERY dangerous. Over time, it releases hazardous materials into your ear, and can cause irritations and/or infections. You should give your fresh stretching soaks in a salt water solution daily, several times a day. Massaging in the shower with the heat and steam also helps along the healing process. Despite a few minor risks, stretching your ears can be a very rewarding experience. Just do it for yourself, not because anyone pressures you into it. Hopefully this will help some people out on this topic.

Answer by jessica
Submitted on 2/20/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I went from regular peircings to 6 g in 2 days, i just shuved em in, im not that tuff when it comes to pain, and i could handle it no prob. I used the swirl ones so that one end was skinnier than the other so i just pushed them further whenever the pain would stop. I took them out for a few months, and then put another pair of 6s back in, and they pretty much slid right in, so it seems like for me it would take a while to shrink back to a regular starting hole. But i have heard of people taking weeks, so everyones different, i dont think i would go to a smaller gauge than 6 though, even though theyve got some awesome designs out there, i hate seeing people with huge gaping floppy earlobes, never mind the ouch factor.

Answer by PunkChick4Life
Submitted on 3/12/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I had my ears pierced since I was 2 months.. the standard 18. When I turned about 14 yrs old I started putting navel piercings (14g earrings) so when I started to gauge 12 gauge slide in very easily. That was strange but it was because the navel rings were heavey so not only was i stretching them manually but they were stretching from the weight. The question should not be if they are going to hurt...it will but you will live. The question is if you want to take that step. Some peoples ears heal some don't. When i gauge I coat the earring in bacitracin or another anti-bacterial cream. It helps the earring slid in and, for me, it keeps my ears from tearing and getting infected. I haven't had a problem with them. I am at a 2 gauge. Problem my favorite pair of earrings are 4 gauge and they don't make them in larger sizes. So what I am gonna do it find flesh tunnel earrings and hang the earrings from them. It's gonna rock. Good luck.... I'm not done stretching so wish me luck also. LOL Most importantly have fun and pride in your new friends, or should i say what once was there.

FAQS.ORG makes no guarantees as to the accuracy of the posts. Each post is the personal opinion of the poster. These posts are not intended to substitute for medical, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. FAQS.ORG does not endorse any opinion or any product or service mentioned mentioned in these posts.

<< Back to: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry

[ Home | FAQ-Related Q&As | General Q&As | Answered Questions ]

Question by chad
Submitted on 1/18/2004
Related FAQ: rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ 2E--Genital Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry
Rating:	Rate this question:
if you gauge your ears up to a zero gauge. how long will it take for them to shrink back to an 18 if at all possible?

Answer by Lex
Submitted on 2/13/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
I read about some girl who went up to a 7/16. She a realized she looked funny with such a big gauge so she took the jewelery out. 4 months later she only went down to a 0 gauge. 2 years past and she only went down between a 2 and 4 gauge. They say once you go down to about a 2 gauge it's difficult for your lobes to shrink down to a smaller size.

Answer by nshane
Submitted on 2/18/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
The trick to closing large gauge piercings is to stretch them slightly and then put in smaller jewelry. Example: you have 8ga, stretch almost to a 6ga and put in 10ga rings/plugs/etc. After 2-3 months repeat process. Stretch almost to 8ga and put in 10ga. The idea is to cause enough irritation to trick the body into thinking its a new piercing. Aftercare is just like a new piercing and watch for keloids.

Answer by hovx248
Submitted on 2/29/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
2g is the point of no return. jump in!

Answer by Ron
Submitted on 3/16/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
it is easy to let them close you just keep your earing out and it will close my ear now is almost at a 1/2 inch and when it was at zero i took it out for a day and in shrunk to a 2 or 4 gauge and i had to push a zero back through but if you just keep your earing out it will close give it time!

Answer by palenque
Submitted on 3/25/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
i have 10g plugs and I'm trying to go to an 8 but i am having a difficult time putting the 8g plugs in, what is the best way to do it ?

Answer by TV
Submitted on 3/26/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
whoever wrote that 2g is the point of no return is wrong.ITs OOg. I had mine stretched to a Og and then after about 6 months i took them out and they are now closed to a 18g.

Answer by Zoe
Submitted on 4/30/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
I am at a a regular "pierce you ears at the mall" size whatever that is, I just bought some 12g horseshoes and can't get them in to well, what should I do (that doesn't cost a lot) so the 12g fit?

Answer by VooDoo SKA
Submitted on 5/3/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
to Zoe you need to shove those 12z in as fast as u can. I to had my ears peirced at the mall and went from there to a 12g you just need to bare the pain and shove them in. It worked for me im at 0g in both ears

Answer by big wholes in ears
Submitted on 5/6/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
I have 7/16 wholes and i took them out 2 days ago and i can barely get a 2 gauge in now...what does that tell you?

Answer by ian
Submitted on 5/12/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
everyones body is different. some peoples ears will close all the way from large gauges, and some peoples wont. i say just do what you want who cares.

Answer by justin
Submitted on 5/16/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
they say dont gage your ear too fast or ull mess it up but i went from a 8 to a 6 to a 4 in less than a week so jus go for it dont be scared

Answer by hamby03
Submitted on 6/1/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
I've have my ear at a 000 (7/16)for about a year and I took it out recently. It closed up almost completely. I'm actually thinking about going up to a 9/16 but not sure when I'll reach my own point of no return. Anyone gone up to a 1/2 inch or larger and gone back to a closed hole.

Answer by crissy52
Submitted on 6/26/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
ZOE! i had regular piercing, like an 18 gauge. i bought sum 14 guage rings and got them thru. DO NOT shove them thru fast. i did mine somewhat slowly and even still they teared a bit. i would recommend starting at a gauge a bit small, like 14, not 12. then if it tears, wait until it is healed b4 u put in the next gauge. GOOD LUCK

Answer by KimmY
Submitted on 7/3/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
hey, at the beginin of the school year I bought these loop ear rings that have a ball and say 69 on the ball they costed 21 bucks .. I thought they were on sell for 14 .. lol but anyway... there 14 guage and i had them in and now they wont go in at all and i've had my ears peirced since i was like 3months old.. and i thought 14 was standard can some one help? lol thanks.

Answer by clint o
Submitted on 7/7/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
listen to me if you got it done at the mall it was probabley done with the gun right? well that meens it is probabley an 18g so you should go bigger gradually thats what i did and now i am at a 00g go up either to a 16g or you probabley can shove in a 14g ... but all you need to do is go for it

Answer by big johnson
Submitted on 7/16/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
i stared at a 10 gauge and it did not hurt that was one ear now it is at a 8 my right ear is a 2 thats what i stared out with

Answer by big johnson
Submitted on 7/17/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
hey ZOE just go buy a taper and git it to a 6 or a 8 and u will be fine but dont be scared it will hurt a little but tuff it out

Answer by big johnson
Submitted on 7/20/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
hey Zoe i was just seen if u had done what everybody is telling u to do but dont be scared

Answer by CowGod
Submitted on 7/21/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
I started at a 14 gauge and went to a 12 to a 8 to a 6 then bak to the 8 bak to the 14 bak to the normal bak to the 14 now and bout to stretch it bak out, my left ear hole closed real good just normal but my right one has a lil line \| insteard of a o but whats the tape thing? u put tape on ur earring daily and it stretches it out? god that would have saved me alooooooooot of money

Answer by big johnson
Submitted on 8/2/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
hey

Answer by twiTch
Submitted on 8/5/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i had i 0taper in my ear, then it fell out and it started to close RAPIDLY. the only other earing i had was a 00, so i shoved that through. it took awhile, and bled a lil. it is a little blown out, but doesn't that go away in a month or so? oh, and it hurt for about a day! but its okay, and its not infected or anything. i want to gauge it to 1/2 inch

Answer by Lauren
Submitted on 8/18/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
K now im scared...i want my ears to shrink back...but (nervous laughter) i stretched then from an 18 guage to an 8 guage in one foul swoop....:S im scared...someone help me with this...will they close?! (please say yes lol jk)

Answer by steve
Submitted on 8/19/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
ok... i was at a 16 gauge, i put a 8g in it within a week and had absolutely no problems. i am now at a 3/8". don't use any kind of rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, none of that stuff... it causes prolonged healing time which can lead to infection and scarring. wash your hands and ear with ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP, then lube up the ring or w/e you have with the soap, the SLOWLY slip it in. don't mess with it without cleaning your hands first, when using the phone, use the other ear, try not to let anything touch it (this includes cosmetic stuff). just be careful about it. happy gauging :D

Answer by ThinkiN
Submitted on 8/24/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I am at a 10 g and I want to go a lil bit higher...I first started out with the regular old earrings and then shoved a 14g through. Now its boring and I want to go bigger. Do I do it myself or do I get someone to do it for me? Give me advice on what size I should go to...

Answer by big boy .com
Submitted on 8/25/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i was at 31 and droped to a 25 and then my ear fell off

Answer by DontKNOWyet
Submitted on 8/25/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I went from an 18 to a 12 to a 10 to a 4. I recentley tried putting in a OO and I took it out and it was bleeding real bad. I've tried putting straws in to strecth it out and its worked but it also cut the inside of my ear. It heald with time but now im a 4 trying to get a two, but can't find any 2's anywhere...All the places that have them are to much money.. Help me

Answer by sk8ter722
Submitted on 8/26/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I don't know i went from a 18 to 12 and then to a 4 in about a month and i haven't had any problems.all i did was tough it out and it was all good.

Answer by BulletTurtle
Submitted on 8/28/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
well... i just got my ears done like 4 days ago, and the lady that did them started me out with 14s, so i have 2 questions 1) how long do i have to wait till i can start streching? (ive heard between 6 weeks and 3 months) 2)whats the next size i should strech to when i can?

Answer by gothickitten
Submitted on 8/29/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i want to start gauging my ears, right now they're just pierced by one of those piercing guns at the mall. What would be the best way to start gauging my ears?

Answer by Devi
Submitted on 9/4/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Dudes... i got some 14g earrings and shoved them through a regular "got 'em done at the mall" piercing and they didnt rip or tear or even bleed. Everyone is different jus try it out and if it rips then o well suck it up.

Answer by khona52
Submitted on 9/5/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i heard that if you rip the inside of the hole while gauging your ears to the next size bigger that it won't grow back to normal size. is that true?

Answer by 8 gauge
Submitted on 9/8/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
i had 18s so I bought 8 guage horns and pushed them in gradually every other day. This by far is the best method there is no pain involved. every once and a while give it a little push and by the end of the week your ear will go from a 18 to an 8....well mine did

Answer by Freezing Hot
Submitted on 9/9/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
An easy and cheap way to gauge your ears is just use one of those jelly bracelets that everyone has. Start by cutting a piece off of it and cut it so it has a spiked point on it then put it through your ears. It will take a little bit but it goes through (use a smaller size of the bracelet). then, whenever you can twist it easily, take it out then put a layer of black electrical tape on it. just repeat until you have the size you want. good luck

Answer by Silenced_Kries
Submitted on 9/12/2004
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
NO, they are reffering to a 'TAPPER' its like a spike with one end the guage side and the other side tappers into a point so that you can slide it through your ear easier.