Ear stretching kit: Cost, precautions, and more details explored

Ear stretching kits are ideal accessories for those interested in body modification or fancy an equal amount of jewelry and other related items.

They usually consist of rows and rows of tapers and jewelry of increasing size with the aim that they will cause one's earlobes to enlarge until one can use even bigger-gagged earrings, plugging, tunneling, curving, cartilage-splitting, dilation, earlobe tabs, tunnel rings, etc.

Here, we look at cost, safety, timeframes for progression, jewelry of increasing size, yet more increasing size jewelry and a bit more increasing size jewelry, restraints, preference for free-balling, and the complex physical and psychological dependencies one can expect and ignore as a journey to increased earlobe real estate unfolds.

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Unveiling the cost, precautions, and more for ear stretching

Cost

The price of an ear stretching kit can vary significantly depending on the number of tapers that it offers, the kind of material the jewelry is made from and who the brand manufacturer is.

An entry-level kit can go from $10 to $30 with maybe two or three sizes of tapers and plugs, to more extensive kits containing a gauge range of 10 stretchers, plugs and ‘healers’ etc for up to $50 or more.

Precautions

Ear stretching should be done with caution to prevent ear tears, blowouts or infections.

Start with clean, healed piercings, and ensure that one stays slower than two sizes every three months, ideally every six months. Before every stretching session, clean the ear with a cotton swab, and wash the hands with antibacterial soap.

If one is planning to stretch with tapers, use a water-based lubricant like KY Jelly to make it easier and more comfortable. Use quality materials, like surgical steel, titanium or glass, to avoid any problems, like irritation or allergic reactions.

Procedure

Insert the taper into the ear piercing very slowly until it reaches the length one desire.

Insert a plug or a tunnel of the same size into the stretched piercing, and stop. Listen to one's body. If one feels sharp pain, it's normal, but if one feels too much pain, excessive bleeding or is unable to insert it, stop. Do not force it.

Aftercare

After ear stretching, stretches should be diligent about aftercare to help their new piercing heal properly and prevent complications, like blowouts.

That involves cleaning the newly stretched hole with either saline solution or gentle antibacterial soap and avoiding touching or playing with the jewelry too much. Stretches also need to regularly moisten the stretched earlobe to keep the new skin hydrated (just make sure it’s the earlobe, not the jewelry).

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Consultation

Always consult with a trusted piercer or healthcare provider before one starts stretching – especially if one has any particular concerns about their ears or a history of ear issues.

They can help one decide if and how one can stretch safely and appropriately for a particular set of circumstances.

In summary, ear stretching kits make the therapeutic process much easier to achieve and can be customized to accommodate the stretching of ear piercings for larger gauge jewelry.

However, it's important to take care when ear stretching, use the correct procedure and aftercare, and if one has concerns, always ask a professional for advise.