Lobe Stretching Mistakes to Avoid for Better Experience

Lobe piercings are quite complicated and take up a lot of your time and money. You should know the mistakes people often make when stretching their lobes, as there is a right way and a wrong way for everything.

Stretched lobe jewellery is a fun way to experiment with piercings, and a small wrong move can ruin your experience. So, here we have all the ways that you can turn this bold modification into a disaster.

Avoid Improper Stretching Techniques

Here are some techniques that can cause problems. You can avoid them easily to have a better experience.

• Don't stretch too fast, and give one piece of jewellery some time to heal, which is at least 6 to 8 weeks.
• Jump to gauges in a sequence; don't instantly go to 14 gauge from 8 gauge.
• Tapers are for stretching, not for keeping in. Switch to proper jewellery after you've stretched to avoid uneven pressure.
• Dirty hands and tools can lead to infections. Always wash your hands before touching the piercing.
• Watch jewellery weights and don't quickly go to bigger sizes.  

Don't Use Silicon Plugs to Stretch

Silicon plugs and expanders are a comfortable option for your stretched lobe, especially when you want to rest on a size. They are not great, however, for stretching. The jewellery is soft and can delay the process of size increase, so you need to go with thicker, more robust options like wood, surgical steel or titanium.

Silicon also has a slight tendency to hold in bacteria that can harm your piercing and are bad for a new wound. To speed up the initial lobe healing, go for other options, as this does not allow the skin to breathe. You could wind up with a weepy, crust and red situation on your hands.     

Taping Can Go Wrong  

Taping, a go-to method for stretching your lobes, can turn into a nightmare if you don't do it right. This involves wrapping tape around your jewellery to slowly make it bigger.

But, heads up, using the wrong kind of tape, like electrical or duct tape, is a big no-no. These tapes have chemicals that can mess with your skin, leading to nasty allergic reactions or infections.

Even with the good stuff, like PTFE or bondage tape, if you're not careful, you can end up putting uneven pressure on your lobe. This can cause discomfort, tiny tears, or even make your stretch uneven. Keep a close eye on your lobes, take it slow to avoid any drama, and keep your stretching journey smooth.

Problems of Ear Weights

Using ear weights to stretch your lobes can seem like a cool and effortless way to get those big, dangly holes, but it's easy to mess up. One major mistake is wearing weights for too long.

Your ears need a break, and overdoing it can cause thinning or even tearing of the lobe. Think of it like a workout; you wouldn't lift heavy weights all day, every day, right?

Another common slip-up is starting with weights that are too heavy. This can lead to uneven stretching and put too much strain on your lobes, causing them to stretch in weird, unintended ways.

It's important to start light and gradually increase the weight. And always keep an eye on your ears. If they start looking red or feeling sore, give them a break. Stretching should be a steady journey, not a race to the finish line.

Tapers

Spiral and straight tapers might look cool, but they're not the best for stretching your ears. Using them can make your lobes stretch too quickly, leading to tears and painful blowouts. This can seriously mess up your stretching progress and, in the worst cases, even result in a broken earlobe.

Most tapers are made from acrylic, which can't be properly sanitized and might cause infections. And remember, even though acrylic tapers often come with O-rings, they should not be worn as jewellery.

Now that you know what not to do, with the right jewellery, proper technique, and a bit of patience, you'll be rocking those awesome ear expanders and plugs in no time.