Enlarging the hole in your earlobe is not only a way to wear larger earrings, but also to understand how elastic the skin on your earlobe is. This practice is often referred to as "gauging", and although this is not the correct definition, it is used very often by those approaching this system for the first time. This article explains how to do it yourself, which for many is less painful than having someone else do it.
Steps
Step 1. Get your earlobe punctured
If you don't have your earlobe already pierced, take action. The gun system is not all that recommendable, especially if practiced by an inexperienced person. Go to someone experienced in earlobe puncture and have it done with a needle. Before starting to widen the hole, you should wait at least five months for the micro wound to heal completely.
Having your earlobe pierced with a needle by a professional is the safest way; in addition, they can make a larger hole than one made with the gun
Step 2. Check the diameter of your earrings
Pistol holes are usually made with a 20 or 22 gauge. With the needle you can start with 16 or 14, but you can also get bigger holes. Wearing heavy, dangling earrings for years and "stretching" the earlobe may help you widen the hole more. Professional piercers can measure your ear and determine your current size.
Step 3. Decide where to stop
In general, it is not something that you can do easily, it becomes something of a habit and you may decide to go further later. But for now, roughly decide on an upper limit. This way you will be able to buy only what you need.
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Here, in order of diameter, the measurements for the tools for drilling. It starts with a 20 gauge, gradually increasing in size.
Stretch an Ear Lobe Piercing Step 4 - Caliber 20 - 0.8mm
- Caliber 18 - 1 mm
- Caliber 16 - 1.2mm
- Caliber 14 - 1.6mm
- Caliber 12 - 2 mm
- Caliber 10 - 2.5 mm
- Caliber 8 - 3, 2 mm
- Caliber 6 - 4 mm
- Caliber 4 - 5 mm
- Caliber 2 - 6 mm
- Caliber 1 - 7 mm
- Caliber 0 - 8 mm
- 9 mm
- Caliber 00 - 10 mm
- 7/16 inch - 22 mm
- 15/16 inch - 24 mm
- 1 inch - 25 mm
- 1 inch and 1/16 - 28 mm
- 1 inch and 1/8 - 30 mm
- 1 inch and ¼ - 32 mm
- 1 inch and 3/8 - 35 mm
- 1 1/2 inch - 38 mm
- 1 inch and 5/8 - 41 mm
- 1 inch and 3/4 - 44 mm
- 1 inch and 7/8 - 47 mm
- 2 inches - 50 mm
- Sizes larger than two inches can be obtained, but usually this is the maximum gauge.
Step 4. Buy wedges and earrings
A wedge is a cone-shaped stick, which allows you to increase the diameter of the hole at the earlobe, but the first few times you will only be able to insert it. However these wedges are not decorative, and you will only have to use them to bring the hole to the diameter you want, and then put the plug / tunnel. There are other ways to dilate the lobe hole, such as so-called "dead stretching" and "taping". With dead stretching you will only have to wait until your hole naturally expands enough to move to the next size wedge. Taping consists of putting a silicone strip around the earring you already wear, and putting it on again after having lubricated it well. By adding more strips every 3-4 days, you will quickly get to a larger size.
- When you begin to dilate the hole in your earlobe, it is advisable to wear hook earrings and avoid those with a butterfly clasp. Keep in mind that dilating the hole is like repeating the puncture practice again, so a hook closure will be less annoying when the typical swelling of the lobe begins to appear.
- Lubricants facilitate the expansion operation. When you put on a new wedge, apply jojoba oil, emu oil, vitamin E, or other lubricant to it. Neosporin and Vaseline are excellent ointments, but if you check their indications it is not recommended to use them in case of cuts or wounds (as in the case of your piercing).
Step 5. Dilate the hole in your lobes
Choose a time when you will have the bathroom all to yourself and put the wedge. When you have succeeded in introducing it, let the ear rest for a while and then put the earring on. Don't forget to lubricate the wedge and earlobe. Many people recommend taking a hot shower first to make the skin softer, and then massaging the earlobe to improve circulation.
When you put the wedges, start introducing them first anteriorly, then move to the back of the lobe, then back to the front and so on. This will help prevent scar tissue from forming and also make introduction easier
Step 6. Keep it clean
Make salt water compresses (1/8 tablespoon of sea salt dissolved in a cup of warm water) twice a day for the first week. Use an ear cleaning solution to remove scabs and cuticles that form around the hole. This is the time when it is best to use hook earrings.
Step 7. Prepare for the upper measurement
Here is a table with the waiting times between one measurement and another:
- From c. 16 to c. 18 - 1 month
- From c. 14 to c. 12 - 1 month
- From c. 12 to c. 10 - 1, 5 months
- From c. 10 to c. 8 - 2 months
- From c. 8 to c. 6 - 3 months
- From c. 6 to c. 4 - 3 months
- From c. 4 to c. 2 - 3 months
- From c. 2 to c. 0 - 4 months
- From c. 0 to c. 0 - 4 months
Step 8. Using the Teflon tape and applying it in the earring could shorten the time and make dilation easier, but in this case complications from bacteria could arise resulting in infections
Step 9. Know when to stop
If you don't do things properly, and you find yourself with swollen or thinned lobes, go back, and do some oil massages to thicken the lobe. If you see any swelling, go back to the lower diameter and introduce a flared dilator from the back to go back.
Advice
- Avoid showering with wooden rugs in the lobes. With the steam from the shower, the wood could deform and crack, creating small habitats ideal for bacteria. You may then end up with an ear infection.
- Don't skip the gauges when you want to dilate the holes. You could cause the skin around the hole to break and get unwanted effects, such as an infection or a deformed hole. Proceed step by step, moving from 18 gauge to 16 gauge, then 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 0, 00, etc.
- Try to avoid using silicone plugs.
- Avoid heavy earrings, as these would put more pressure on the bottom of the hole, leading to a ruptured earlobe.
- As you proceed with the mini surgery, take vitamins and / or natural supplements. Vitamins C, E, and the vitamin B complex, antioxidants and echinacea help the skin heal faster, thus reducing the risk of infections.
- Use only tools made of steel, titanium or glass. Wood and other organic materials can only be used when the hole is healed. Do not use acrylic, as it promotes the growth of bacteria and can cause infections. Acrylic jewelry can only be used when the hole is completely healed.
- Although they are easier to introduce because they are soft and rubbery, they will definitely ruin your earlobes.
- Make sure you search the web by reading other people's experiences. One recommended site is bme.com and another is bodyjewelleryshop.com.
Warnings
- If the lobe begins to swell, you should resize the hole, and not continue to dilate it, as this could lead to a ruptured lobe or noticeable scarring.
- You shouldn't have any bleeding or pain during the operation. If this happens, stop, put on the earrings you used before and continue to make compresses with salt water. Allow at least a couple of weeks before starting over.
