Earstretching.net

I'm getting my ears stretched either Thursday or Friday. I was wondering what size is best to start with? I plan on stretching to a 0 gauge or 00 gauge. I've heard that you could go to a 4 gauge as your first piercing, even a 2 gauge. Is it safe to go that big? I just want to make sure before I take the plunge. Thank you!

you are getting pierced at a larger size and not stretching and existing piercing?

People I have talked to have had good luck getting pierced at a larger size. Personally I wouldn't get pierced larger than 6g but there are a lot of people who are completely comfortable getting pierced larger. Just know it isn't going to shrink the same way a stretched piercing will. And your hole will look more like an ellipse instead of a circle.

No sir! This will be my first piercing. Why would my holes be elliptical? I'm assuming you're against piercing at a larger size?

I've often wondered myself about piercing w/a larger size;some seem to say it's better,some say it's bad.I've never asked if they do that at the piercing place I go to;they're so strict with everything there,that if it's the least bit controversial,I wouldn't be surprised of they didn't do it.But I've heard all different answers to how big of a needle they can pierce you with,I've even heard of people saying they can do it at a 0g.I don't know if at that point they'd do a punch,or if they just have very thick needles,but it'd be interesting to find out.

well if you are %100 percent sure you want to stretch, getting pierced at a larger size can save you a lot of time and money. The process of stretching up to 6g could take you an entire year. 6months for your initial healing and then 2-3 months per size. But it won't shrink back down the same way so as I understand it is more permanent.

Getting dermal punched is not usually recommended. That is for a cartilage piercing, for your soft lobe tissue you want to keep as much of that tissue as possible so that you can have thick healthy lobes. The large gauge piercing needles do not actually remove flesh. I am not an expert here since I was pierced as a kid. There are a couple threads on here explaining how these needles work.

This is not controversial at all and any good piercing studio should have this as an option. They may have a maximum size they are comfortable piercing you at. I am not against this in any way even though it wasn't what I chose to do to my ears.

Thank you so much for your advice!!!

I decided to be pierced at a 10 gauge. The piercer told me that being pierced at a larger gauge will increase blow-outs, cat butts, and your lobes won't look the same when your plugs are absent. The advantage of being pierced at a smaller gauge, according to my piercer, is that you're able to keep a healthier hole.

Nonetheless, thank you for your advice!

caralhogrande wrote:Thank you so much for your advice!!!

I decided to be pierced at a 10 gauge. The piercer told me that being pierced at a larger gauge will increase blow-outs, cat butts, and your lobes won't look the same when your plugs are absent. The advantage of being pierced at a smaller gauge, according to my piercer, is that you're able to keep a healthier hole.

Nonetheless, thank you for your advice!

I don't agree with your piercer on the blow outs and cat butts. It is impatient stretching that causes that. But 10g is a lovely size to start out out at. Do you like spirals? a bunch of sweet spirals start at 10g. Your lobe can be healthy.

I never had spirals, nor have I seen any. I would like to try some, once my ears have healed of course haha.

I agree, getting pierced at a large gauge will absolutely not increase your risk for blowouts and cat butt. You can get pierced at very large sizes but most piercers only have needles up to about 4G.
I got pierced at 10G and I'm glad I did because I didn't have to worry about tiny sizes. My holes aren't crescent-shaped (I've actually heard people say all stretched piercings will be crescent-shaped if they're done with a needle at any size instead of a gun) but the left one's kind of oval shaped.

If you get 10G piercings don't let them use rings. That was all my piercer had in that size and I was too impatient to wait for her to order other jewelry. So I was stuck with these big heavy rings for a few weeks until I got plugs and they really slowed down the healing process.

I have glass plugs and they feel fantastic! Thank you!