Earstretching.net

There are so many different kinds, such as glass, acrylic, wood, stainless steel, etc. But I'm wondering, which is the best? As in, which would be easier for putting in, less infections, and stuff of the like.

I'm wanting to get gauges someday, and I would like to know best with what I should go with. Thanks :D

from reading all the previous posts on this site... I have learned glass or stainless steel.

It kinda depends on what you want to use it for. If you're stretching the hole some people say not to use acrylic but that's what I've always used simply because it's cheapest. In a fresh stretch use stainless or preferably glass or stone. After a couple weeks-a month anything's fair game provided you don't have any tears or allergies to any certain materials.

In a fresh stretch- glass, steel or titanium. NOT stone (sorry WL), because stone has a very porous surface, so like acrylic it will greatly increase the risk of infection and irritation

In a healed stretch- anything you want.

Quality glass plugs are better to heal with. They are not as porous so they will have less places that bacteria can get trapped. Your skin is less likely to heal to the surface of the plugs. Steel plugs are good too but there are varying degrees in metal quality. They should be implant grade surgical stainless steel. they will cost a few dollars more but your ears will be happier. For a smaller gauge plug, I would go with the steel instead of glass because they will be less brittle. Good luck and happy stretching. How big are you thinking about going.

BehindAcidShadows wrote:I'm wanting to get gauges someday, and I would like to know best with what I should go with. Thanks

And not to nit pick but gauge is a unit of measurement. Plugs are what you wear.

I want to thank everybody, this really helped alot :)

And...

ireland896 wrote: How big are you thinking about going.

My goal is to get to 4. Right now, I have the gauge size of a regular piercing (I believe that's an 18 or 16) So yea...

Acacia wrote:In a fresh stretch- glass, steel or titanium. NOT stone (sorry WL), because stone has a very porous surface, so like acrylic it will greatly increase the risk of infection and irritation

In a healed stretch- anything you want.

Makes sense, hadn't thought about that.

BehindAcidShadows wrote:

ireland896 wrote: How big are you thinking about going.

My goal is to get to 4. Right now, I have the gauge size of a regular piercing (I believe that's an 18 or 16) So yea...

A regular piercing is 22gauge if I remember right.

20g, but an 18g slid right in on me once the initial swelling went down.

Hybrid wrote:20g, but an 18g slid right in on me once the initial swelling went down.

same for me x4

In healed stretches, speaking solely from experience, silicone is THE BEST for sleeping and sports. SS, glass and acrylic are absolutely awful for anything where you're running and get knocked about. Wood isn't too bad, but if you have the money for a pair of plugs just for sports and running, its all about silicone.

For every day wear, I know most people recommend SS or glass, but I definitely don't! Don't be afraid of porous materials once you're all healed up - they eliminate the dreaded ear-funk. When your ears smell, you know, your dog will know and most importantly, anyone you get *giggity* close to is gonna know.

And sometimes your partner may want to...well...when a man and a woman (or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman or two women and a man) really care for each other... ...and when that happens, you don't want your stinky ears to ruin an otherwise great threesome. Moment. I meant moment. Damnit.