Earstretching.net

For a long time now I have been considering getting my ears pierced so that I can start gauging them. I've been talking with some friends and they have suggested going ahead and piercing right at an 8G. I was just looking for some advice, pointers, and even some information on the risks and possible hurdles I might face in the aftercare process. The goal currently is to have them at a 0G. I know a few friends that have done this process so that they could progress towards a larger gauge faster. The problem is they don't seem to have much in regards to what possible problems I might encounter, just care advice. Can anyone throw some pointers out please?

It will probably never close up, thats actually a huge chunk your taking out of your ear. Also risk of infection and healing time ar increased, but not by much, solely because of the more surface area for the wound. But if your happy with moding yourself forever getting pierced at a bigger gauge is great and speedy.

Personally I would stretch from a regular piercing. A small piercing is going to heal faster and as you stretch you have more material to work with = thicker lobes. But I have met plenty of people you have been pierced at a larger gauge and it's worked out fine for them. If you think you might possibly stretch beyond your goal size you want as much lobe thickness as possible.

As far as complications. Since it is your initial piercing you are going to have to wait a long time for it to heal. Keeping it clean and not touching it too much. I have read people recommend waiting 6 months from the initial pierce to stretching. I imagine that an 8g punch is more traumatic to the ear than a regular 18G needle so that 6months may not be enough time.

Figuring out if you are healed enough it a bit tricky. It is better to play it safe. The outside of the ear may be fully healed but it is the tissue underneath that you can't see also needs to be healed.

These are recommended wait times for reference.
Fresh piercing to first stretch: Approx 5 to 6 months
16g to 14g - 1 month
14g to 12g - 1 month
12g to 10g - 1.5 months
10g to 8g - 2 months
8g to 6g - 3 months
6g to 4g - 3 month
4g to 2g - 3 months
2g to 0g - 4 months
0g to 00g - 4 months

^ I think you guys are both thinking of dermal punches, not piercings. There are 8G piercing needles, and they do not remove any tissue. An 8G piercing, in most cases, will not take longer to heal than a "regular" piercing. It is less likely to close up, though.

You should wait 6 months after a piercing to begin stretching no matter what size you start at. I think getting pierced at a larger gauge is a great idea because you can already wear plugs/other jewelry for stretched ears so it's easier to wait. Also, you don't have to worry about tiny sizes.

I am not familiar with a dermal punch, but if you look up 8G piercing needle on google you can see that it is a hollow needle, that would remove some flesh. I am a bit of a chicken so it kind of makes me nervous.

As far as healing goes. Your probably right 6months should be enough time. In general the larger the healing area the longer it takes to heal. I got my ears pierced when I was a kid and it felt like it took them FOREVER to heal. Also I was a kid so any kind of wait felt like forever. lol

All piercing needles are hollow. I got pierced at 10G and the needles didn't remove any tissue. Also, they didn't take any longer to heal than, say, a 16G piercing would.

This is a dermal punch:

This is a piercing needle:

The punch is like a cookie cutter that just takes out a chunk of skin. The piercing needle has a sharp point that pierces the flesh and the tapered shape expands it/pushes it to the side. That's why large gauge piercings done with needles sometimes leave a crescent shape.

well there you go... see what I know. Thanks Corazon

No problem. Sorry if it seemed like I was going out of my way to correct you or anything. It's just kinda hard to explain how piercing needles don't remove tissue because it's really confusing, haha.

Yeah totally my bad on that one Anyway get it pierced at whatever size just keep it clean thats all I have to say.