Does this mean it's "ready" or it's already the right gauge?

Forum rules
NO SPAM

by Holly12 » Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:12 am

Heya!! Kinda' long but I want to give all the info.

So........ I had regular bellybutton barbells in my ear lobes. Decided recently to stretch. Googled and saw that most belly button barbells are 14g.
So, when my kit arrives, I insert the 14g taper just to be sure. It slides right through. Ok. So, let's try 12g. Taper slides right through.
Ok................... um.......... let's try the 10? The 10g stung. Not horribly, but it definitely stung.

My question is, if the 12g taper slid right through, does that mean my piercing holes are actually already at a 12g? (Wondering because I heard stretching shouldn't hurt and the 10g hurt. I was scared so I put the 12g tunnels in just in case.) Do I just take my time and slowly put the 10g tunnels in now and then wait 2 months or longer before going to 8? Or, do I leave them at 12 and then in a month or so go to 10? (My goal is between 4g and 0g. I do want to eventually shrink them back to "normal" or at least a 12g to 14g so that I can wear regular earrings again.... but not for a loooooooooooong time.)
I have a horrible habit of playing with and pulling on my lobes so I wouldn't be surprised if they are actually at a 12g rather than a 14g.

Also, my stretching kit came with stainless steel tunnels but also acrylic plugs. I love the white acrylic plugs but now I'm terrified to use them because I read that they can leech toxins into your body. (I know not to use them for a few weeks after stretching because they can harbour bacteria and you don't want to infect your ears, but they should be ok after a few weeks, yes?) Or is it just a no because they are toxic? I've done lots of googling and get mixed answers, both on the acrylic issue and if I should go to the 10g now or wait.

I have Holy Buttr as a lubricant and moisturizer as well.
User avatar
Holly12
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:06 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

by Holly12 » Sun Mar 03, 2019 7:20 pm

Hey there!!

Just wondering if this forum is still used? I can see my posts have been read by some people but there aren't any answers.... does everyone just not know the answers? I really want to make sure I'm doing this the right way and could really use some advice.
Piercings: 3 in each lobe, cartilage, tragus, nostril, tongue, side lip
Retired Piercings: CVH, bellybutton, eyebrow, anti tragus, transverse lobe, industrial
Upcoming Piercings: Septum
Current Gauge: 12g
Stretching Goal: 4g to 0g.
Tattoos: 17
User avatar
Holly12
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:06 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

by TPerfectStorm » Fri May 10, 2019 11:30 pm

Stretching does hurt especially when using tapers. It's the same thing people say about tattoos "they don't hurt" bs. It does sting however it should go through with minimal effort and definitely not forced. Once you get to large gauges it's much easier to stretch. Yes you can stretch with no pain, it does take a while though. I've not used tapers for a long time, since 0g they have naturally stretched to the next level. It's taken me 3 years to get to 14mm but I left it a long time between.
TPerfectStorm
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 11:24 pm


Return to New To Stretching

cron