Anyone else stretching their ear lobes?

[Midwitch]

(Very unsure of whether this is the right place to post... ? )

Is anyone else here stretching their ear lobes? My search only came up with very old posts, so thought I'd start a new thread.

If you do have stretched lobes- what made to decide to do so? Does it hold any meaning for you, except looking good?

I grew up in Africa and since I was 8 years old and met the Maasai and Samburu tribes for the first time, I absolutely fell in love with stretched lobes. For me, stretching my lobes is a rather spiritual thing... although I can't really descibe why. It somehow, probably beacuse it is so connected to indiginous tribes, connects me to Nature and my ancestors.

And, as with my dreadlocks, it's also about patience and enjoying the moment, rather than chasing some end result.

I was recently very (pleasantly) surprised to find out that Ötzi the Iceman (5300 years old natural mummy) also had his ear stretched. (and had tatoos).

[Pogo0685]

I am stretching mine right now, for me its just because I like how it looks. My DH's ears are stretched to 1 inch, mine are right now at 7/16th as a bottom hole - goal is 1/2 inch, and my next hole up is at 4g - my goal is 7/16ths or 5/8ths. The next hole up I will leave at probably 14g because I think it will hurt to bad to try and get it any bigger (it was at 2g until I had my son and the nurses made me take them all out before my c-section).

[JesKace]

I have mine done.  They are a 00.  I don't know what the measurement on a ruler would be.  I did mine 12 or so years ago when I was 16-ish.  I keep stainless flesh tunnels in them with captive bead rings through them.  I did them originally just because I liked the look of them.  I also had multiple other facial piercings at the time.

The only thing I don't like about them, is if I don't clean them really good, they get really really stinky.

[kawa kamuri]

I stretched my lobes to 1" a decade + ago. They're currently at 3/4". I don't assign any meaning to the body modifications that I have or have had. 
 

Originally Posted by JesKace 

The only thing I don't like about them, is if I don't clean them really good, they get really really stinky.

If you wear wood they won't get this way. 

[A_Random_Phrase]

Okay, I have a question for you. I got my ears pierced a long time ago, but they keep closing on me. I thought that I'd like my ear lobes stretched just a little bit so they wouldn't close so easily. How would one go about doing this? How do you gradually make your holes bigger?

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by A_Random_Phrase 

Okay, I have a question for you. I got my ears pierced a long time ago, but they keep closing on me. I thought that I'd like my ear lobes stretched just a little bit so they wouldn't close so easily. How would one go about doing this? How do you gradually make your holes bigger?

http://onetribe.nu/faqs/11

I stretched from gun pierced lobes using teflon tape, vit e oil and glasswear studios single flares

https://www.glasswearstudios.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=00UK

[ShadowMoon]

I am. But I'm going slow. I started a few years ago and they are still at a 4g. I don't have a plan in mind.....just going with it

I have piercings all over and stretching is just something I liked. I get them sized up at my piercing place since I can never seem to do it on my own. I wear wood or surgical grade steel and that's it. I clean them regularly and haven't had a problem with "stink."

[A_Random_Phrase]

kawa kamuri, thank you and thank you for the links.

[Brendalee]

Mine are already stretched. :)  They are at 1/2" and have been for about 12 years or so.

I tried going bigger, but it made my ears stick out in a way I didn't find attractive, so I went back down. There's been no stink/frommage since I switched to wood plugs.  I would like to get wooden flesh tunnels, as I like that look better.

I just did it because I found it attractive.  Like a PP, I attach no real meaning to my various body mods. :)

[SamiPolizzi]

Mine are 7/16" and have been for quite a while. I want to go up to 1/2" but I love my current plugs so much, I hate the idea of not being able to wear them any more. I'm so torn. 

[simplyc]

Originally Posted by SamiPolizzi 

Mine are 7/16" and have been for quite a while. I want to go up to 1/2" but I love my current plugs so much, I hate the idea of not being able to wear them any more. I'm so torn. 

I'm the same way!  I'm currently a 00 and want to stretch to a 1/2" but love my plugs.  When I get to 'the size' I want to invest in some nice wooden earrings.

I started stretching maybe 6 years ago because I liked the look.  Now I usually stretch once a year because I like seeing the change in the shape of my ear, since I have bigger ears I actually think the plugs help to make them look proportional.  I don't really plan on going beyond 1 "...but who knows!

[princesstutu]

You know, I think stretched lobes are gorgeous!  Research has led me to think I wouldn't enjoy the experience. 

What were you all's experiences?  How bad was the itching, bleeding, etc.?

[simplyc]

Originally Posted by princesstutu 

You know, I think stretched lobes are gorgeous!  Research has led me to think I wouldn't enjoy the experience. 

What were you all's experiences?  How bad was the itching, bleeding, etc.?

I've never bled from stretching, though there sometimes is dried blood on the plug when I clean them the first time.  I really don't find the stretching all that painful if you use a taper with lots of oil or lube, and if you go up only one size at a time....sometimes I skipped sizes to save money and time and it still wasn't too painful.

They do itch sometimes initially but that's a sign to me that they need to be cleaned!  After cleaning with rubbing alcohol the itching stops immediately.

I've stretched my ears twice actually - First I went up to a 6 gauge and took them out, my ears went right back in a few days and I wore "regular" earring again.  So I guess if you don't like the look or experience, you CAN go back.

[kawa kamuri]

It's a terrible idea to stretch your lobes with a false sense that they'll shrink back. They might but very likely will not. 

If you bleed or hurt overmuch you're stretching too fast! 

[Midwitch]

If you stretch correctly, there is no pain or blood- if there is, then it's a sign you're going too fast! (and could end up with seriously damaged ears that require surgery to correct or just look plain gross).

This is a very good site, here's a link to their stretching guide:

http://forums.bodyartforms.com/showthread.php?25448-How-do-I-stretch-my-piercing

[justamama]

Mine are at a 2 right now, and I have the 0's, just doing some more tugging and pulling to get the lobes ready to stretch before I move up. I just like the way it looks. 00 is likely as high as I'll go, but I'm not sure. My navel is at 14ga, but after the baby is here, I plan to get my navel redone at the 8ga it was at...but may just have him do it with a 6 initially since that was my original goal there. I use a LOT of coconut oil and go slow! And once they're healed, I take the plugs out in the shower and let them dry thoroughly before putting them back in to cut down on the stink factor.

[MadameFancyPants]

Originally Posted by A_Random_Phrase 

Okay, I have a question for you. I got my ears pierced a long time ago, but they keep closing on me. I thought that I'd like my ear lobes stretched just a little bit so they wouldn't close so easily. How would one go about doing this? How do you gradually make your holes bigger?

I stretched mine my freshman year of college.  They've since gone back to their original size because I didn't maintain them.

What I did was buy a few sets of hook style earrings that were simple.  Just a bead or two that hung down from the hook.  After my shower one morning, I put two earrings in each hole rather than just one.  They stayed there for a week or so then I added a diamond stud to the group in each ear.  It actually looked really cute.  After another week I could fit my 14g (I think) hoops into the holes.  I only got to 12 or 10 before I stopped. 

[tatangel19]

I am at 1/2 inch, and I think they'll prob stay that way. I have been working on it for almost 15 years, but I did take them out during my pregancy last time 5 1/2 years ago, and they shrank back to 6 G pretty quickly.