A taper is a cone or spike shaped piece of jewelry that is used to stretch a piercing up a size. The shape of the taper allows the piercing to stretch smoothly as the taper is pushed through the ear. Certain tapers can also be worn as jewelry. Tapers are very helpful in stretching up the sizes between 14 and 0 gauge.
Considering this, what size ear taper should I start with?
What size do you stretch to first? When you start stretching your ears, you will most commonly get a 14 gauge piercing size. Once you decide on stretching you’ll then increase to a size 12 gauge (2mm) taper. If you’ve had pierced ears for some time you may find that you’ve already stretched your ears slightly.
Accordingly, how do you heal an infected gauged ear?
Treating the infection at home
- Wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing.
- Clean around the piercing with a saltwater rinse three times a day. …
- Don’t use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibiotic ointments. …
- Don’t remove the piercing. …
- Clean the piercing on both sides of your earlobe.
Can you use Vaseline to gauge your ears?
Stretching Process (taper method)
Lubricant will make the taper super slick, so it will slide through easy. Lubricants make a stretch easier. While you’re out getting a new taper, get some Jojoba oil, Vitamin E oil or GaugeGear Stretching Balm (Neosporin and Vaseline are not good lubes for ear stretching).
Is olive oil good for stretched ears?
Lubricant: You’ll also want a lubricant. Olive oil is one of my favorites (it’s cheap and softens the skin). … Lastly, unscented vitamin E oil is also a great option (just go with olive oil or jojoba oil).
Why shouldn’t you wear tapers as jewelry?
Why shouldn’t I wear tapers as every day ear jewelry? Most tapers are designed to be used as ear stretching tools, not as pieces to be worn on a regular basis. Doing so can easily put uneven pressure on your healing ears, leading to unnecessary damage.
Why do my gauges feel wet?
Wet Ear. While uncommon, stretching with non-porous materials (typically glass) can occasionally result in a condition some piercers refer to as “wet ear.” This is where the skin in contact with the jewelry secretes too much fluid, creating a sticky, moist, “sweaty” layer between the ear and the jewelry.
How do you know if you blew out your ear gauge?
The development of a blowout causes a ring of skin to form behind the piercing. This ring is usually red, irritated, and painful. A blowout may give the piercing the appearance of turning inside out.
How do I stop my stretched ears from smelling?
We would recommend taking your plugs out and washing them every day, the shower is the most ideal place to do so. Rinse your ear with warm water and clean with an anti-bacterial soap if possible, once washed your ear should be dried thoroughly to prevent moisture build up.
How much can you stretch your ears before its irreversible?
What size can I stretch up to without permanent damage? There are a lot of different opinions on this topic, but the majority of professionals in the body modification industry recommend never going any larger than 2 – 0 gauge if you want your ears to totally close up where you can‘t see through them.
