How do I know when my ears are ready to stretch?

[Lainey233]

So, a couple weeks ago, I had tried to stretch from 14 to 12, after about six or seven weeks. It was a long time. My ears were totally ready to stretch, and it didn't hurt, felt no resistance, etc (when I stretched to 14.) When I went to 12, I didn't feel any resistance or anything. After a couple days, my ears started to hurt and I had catbutt on one ear, so I downsized. My ears currently feel awesome and stretchy and painless, like they did before I stretched to 14 and 12 for the first time. How will I know when to re-stretch?

[dmd1125]

you will know when your ears feel good, when you can easily pull on the jewelry and you have space you can try to stretch, but when you went to 12g did you use steel or glass jewelry? if you used acrylic your ears may have gotten an infection, you usually dont get or see catt butt in a 12g piercing

[Lainey233]

I used steel.. I tried to stretch a couple weeks ago...about three days later, they were hurting really badly again, even after washing, sea-salt soaks, blahblahblah. So...now I have naked lobes for a while. I'm going to start taping from scratch once my ears re-heal.
Also, I have small lobes already, I mean, not stretched at all, but the actual lobe is small. Detached, though. Could that make a difference?