Ear Stretchers.

[Illuminate]

My ears keep getting infected!
It's totally annoying now!
I have to take my stretcher out and wait for it to heal and then start all over again.
How can I stop it getting infected? :/

[Thirteen]

Well, are these new piercings that get infected, or are they getting infected after you stretch them?

If it's an infection from the initial piercing, try using jewelry for sensitive ears. However, if it's infection due to the stretching, there are a few things you should do, if you haven't done them already.

- Disinfect your jewelry you're using for stretching
- Make sure your hands are clean
- Stretch SLOWLY, taking care of a tiny bit at a time
- Try to avoid touching your jewelry, ESPECIALLY when your hands have not been washed beforehand

If you have any questions about stretching, feel free to even PM me. I've stretched my ears, and even helped my one friend stretch hers.

[Illuminate]

That's really good advice! Thanks so much Julz

What can I use for disinfecting? And does going in the shower help the stretcher to go in easier? <3

[Thirteen]

Charli, you could use hydrogen peroxide to clean the jewelry, just soak it in there. Make sure to rinse it with water after, though. Hydrogen peroxide cleans jewelry, but shouldn't be applied to a healing piercing.

Don't go in the shower to force it through more. If your ear doesn't want to stretch any more without hurting, leave it to heal for a bit. I say, AT LEAST a day or two before trying to stretch it more. To give you a rough idea, it took me a couple months to get from a 14 gauge to a 6 gauge. I think in the UK, you use mm, so here's a conversion chart!

You have to be VERY careful to stretch slowly, and comfortably, to avoid things such as infections, lack of proper healing, keloids, scar tissue (making it very difficult to continue to stretch), etc.

I highly suggest you look for a good source of information about stretching, like a guide, if you're unsure still.

[Illuminate]

Yay! Thanks so much for all the tips and advice!
I'll definitely be careful to stretch my ears slowly <3