Earstretching.net

I don't know what kinda jewelery to buy, i wanted to stretch up using silicone tunnels but the risks aren't really worth it are they? Any ideas?
Btw i dislike the taping method
Also what lube/lotions/oils are safe and you personally like.

EDIT:
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR ANSWERS GUYS <3
I AM NOW AT 9/16TH USING DEAD STRETCHING AND LUBE.
YOUR HELP WAS AWESOME

this may be upsetting, but tape method is what i have heard. i made a post a few weeks ago about silicones, do not stretch with them.

i just read from somewhere that you could POSSIBLY stretch up to 000g , or 7/16, with a taper.

as for the oil question, i dont use oil, but i am at 0g.

im sorry if i didnt give a helpful answer.

000g answer:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 557AAGwrvB

Gotta tell you man, I sized up to 7/16 using silicone and I regret it 100%.
Blew out my right ear really badly, along with the pain.
I would personally use tapers.
A friend actually just gave me 3/4 tapes.
You can also use medical tape by wrapping it around your current plugs, and go that way.
In my opinion though, just deal with tapers and use single flares after 3-4 days

im sorry about your ear dude. that sucks

I didnt know you could use medical tape with the tape up method. Can you use electrical tape? thats what i heard that works.

You can stretch up using silicone tunnels? O_O.

Um, I heard that it was bad to stretch using tapers once you've gone to a high size, but I always assumed that it would be bad to use tapers for sizes above 1/2", like 9/16" and higher.

I don't know. I just stretched up to 7/16" last/this Saturday and Sunday with acrylic tapers from Hot Topic. I'd recommend just using tapers, but if you're really sketched out about it, use stainless steel/metal tapers instead of acrylics, which aren't as good for your ears anyway. (But I use, because I'm always dead broke.)

I took out the 7/16" tapers yesterday or the day before yesterday and popped in single-flared plugs, and I usually have to wait two weeks after my new stretch before switching out the jewellery, so I think it'll be safe for you to stretch and then switch out the next day or so.

Use Vitamin E oil! If you live in America, Trader Joe's stocks a decently sized bottle for a fair price. I just used that on Sunday. Just take a long hot shower and massage your lobes with non-alcohol based soap or sensitive care soap (I used Johnson & Johnson's Vanilla Oatmeal baby wash because I love the smell), and then rinse before dabbing a few drops of the oil on your ear and popping in the new (CLEAN) taper.

Some/most specialty health stores like The Vitamin Shoppe and Lifestyles also have smaller bottles of Vitamin E oil for a more expensive price, but you can guarantee it's probably high quality, and some bottles have Jojoba added, which is great for stretching.

Some people use Vaseline but I find it too greasy and thick, so I just stick to Jojoba Oil with Vitamin E added, and then dab it off gently with a cloth meant for cleaning eyeglasses, because they do not gather lint or leave stuff on your earlobes like tissues would.

Hope I was helpful! (:

You can ask 99% of the top active posters on this site what the best method is and they will all tell you the taping method. Tapers really aren't a very good way to go once you get past 00, but I'm not gonna tell you not to do it cause I used them through 5/8" and then taped up to 3/4" DO NOT USE SILICONE!!!! Because it's such a porous material your skin could fuse to it. Don't put silicone near your ears till at least a month at the very minimum, preferably 2 months after you're stretched. If you're taping properly you really shouldn't have nay issues. Add a layer or two of tape every few days to couple weeks. Don't force it in. If it hurts or bleeds you're doing it wrong. Do daily jojoba, vitamin e, or emu oil massages and you should be fine. Just as a side note, don't wear tapers as jewerly. The uneven weight can really screw up your ears. If you absolutely have to use tapers just get some single flared plugs or regular tunnels and follow those after the taper. Happy stretching.

i'm about to have to start using the taping method as well. but you can go a couple more sizes with tapers. i just went from 1/2 inch to 9/16 and i didn't use tapers or anything. but the reason i could do this is because i was at 1/2 inch for 3 + months and i was able to slide the 9/16 plugs in without forcing them at all. i was wondering what the best tape is and where i can get it the cheapest. i was gonna see if BAF has it because they normally have really good prices.

PTFE (Plumber's Tape) and Bondage Tape are the 2 best to use for taping.
The cheapest is PTFE, it's only like $1 for a roll of tape at any local hardware store, or any kind of store that has a D.I.Y. section (like Big W, Walmart etc).

my post about silicones, i repeat DO NOT STRETCH WITH THEM!

http://www.earstretching.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1069

I do not like using tapers or the tape method. I have been stretching my ears for a total of almost 6 years now. I originally stretched my ears to a 0G when I was in high school using the taper method the entire time. I took them out and they healed to about a 16 but never completely closed, but I never gave them the chance either. I began stretching them again 3 years ago and I'm at a 00G (really 10.5mm) now. Since I began stretching again I tried doing it differently. I wait 2-3 months between stretches and massage my lobes every night. They have become so "strechy" that I can just take a nice hot shower, then right after I put a couple drops of emu oil on my ears and slide the next size single flare plugs in. the next couple of days I will do salt water soaks but I really don't like how much it dries my ears. So far I have not had any redness or swelling, and not a single drop of blood. I now only wear double flares but I can easily take in and out my earrings without any problem. I also try never to take them out without oil.
As for silicone, I would also not recommend using it for stretching. I know most people say to use surgical steel when stretching, but I have been using glass and it has worked really well with me. etsy.com has just about every size single flare glass plugs. I really would try to stay away from going more than a mm at a time.