10 Risks Ear Stretching: Troubleshooting Stretching Issues & Complications
Unhealthy stretched ears (Ear Stretching Problems) are complications ranging from mild issues to serious issues which can affect the aesthetics and overall health of the earlobe. Problems occur with improper ear stretching practices which carry potential risks that must be taken into consideration, and avoided.
Knowing the risks ahead of time can help you prevent potential complications-- especially if you might be predisposed to certain types of risks, according to researchers at the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. Researchers Jaimee Holbrook, Julia Minocha, and Anne Laumann stated, “When it comes to piercing complications, prevention is the key. Body piercers should take a complete medical and social history to identify conditions that may predispose an individual to complications.” Increased vulnerability to infection and taking certain medications (e.g. anticoagulant medications) raise the risk of complications for people with body piercings.
As a result, questions arise regarding what to know starting ear stretching. For the preservation of both health and appearance, we evaluate the 10 common complications that can occur when stretching ears and ways known to prevent them. Understanding these potential problems is crucial for maintaining the health and aesthetics of your ears stretching. To avoid the risk of having your earlobes dangling off your head like shredded gristle, avoid the common pitfalls while stretching. Ultimately, the buck stops with you as it concerns your ear health.
With the Plug Your Holes Brand selling quality body jewelry since 2006, we've seen our share of ear plug horror stories and our perspective is reflected throughout this analysis. We want you and your ears to be healthy so you can rock more premium stretching jewelry because when you look good, we all look good.
What are 10 common complications with ear stretching?
The common complications with stretching range from serious issues such as ear blowouts to mild issues such as minor discomfort that can be relieved with a trip to your local pharmacy.
For example, earlobe infections are typically mild, and most can be effectively treated with remedies like warm/cold packs and over-the-counter antibiotic ointments. However, various more serious problems can arise if ear stretching is not done properly.
To ensure a safe and successful journey, take precautions to avoid these problems:
Prevent ear stretching complications>>
Characteristics of Healthy Stretched Ears>>
Remind yourself to be mindful of your ear health - it is essential. Follow these precautions to enjoy your ear stretching journey.
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Prevent Blowouts and Tears During Ear Stretching
Ouch, skin of the ear grows over the jewelry with some ear blowouts while other blowouts look like you could just grab the skin of the earlobe like the skin of a chicken drumstick. In cases of a bad ear blowout, the deformity from the plug can leave a red ring around the piercing hole, or break-off detaching entirely from the head as stretched skin can only be stretched, when aching, to a certain point.
Tears and blowouts are painful complications that can happen when stretching and here's what to look out for:
| Blowout Damage | Blowout Signs | Healing Blowouts |
| Lobe tears resulting in blowouts can become a major or minor blowout | Formation of extra skin behind the piercing site, troubles with ear pain, bloody pus mucus ear drainage, nausea and vertigo are all signs of ear blowouts | A blowout heal approach can be taken independently with use of ice packs, reduce touching the piercing site or downsizing if irritation persists |
It's important to stretch safely to avoid painful complications like blowouts and tears. It's well-known in the community that ear stretching blowout issues can cause serious damage to your earlobe tissue and even lead to permanent deformity if not addressed promptly.
The severity of an ear stretching tear can range from micro tears requiring a bit of healing time using over-the-counter ointments, to as extreme as split ear lobes which may require medical care to restore to their original condition.
Ear injuries, including lacerations and earring tears, should be promptly cleaned, repaired, and potentially re-pierced after healing. The tables below detail earlobe injury recovery along with details for overcoming tears and blowouts.
| Ear Lobe Injury | Healing the Injury |
| laceration or earring tear | clean wounds and repair within 12 to 24 hours if this occurs |
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Tears and Blowouts | Stretching ear too quickly, earlobe infection or damaged fistula | throbbing pain, itchy, red and/or irritated | Don't increase the size of jewelry too quickly | Clean piercing with saltwater rinse, Disinfect hands and use lube to massage |
To prevent blowouts and tears, it's crucial to take your time and stretch gradually over a lengthy timeframe. Don't rush the process or make large jumps in size all at once. Patience is key when it comes to ear stretching.
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Avoid Stretching Issues
Most stretching issues can be avoided entirely.Common stretching issues to avoid include over-stretching and improper stretching. The table below shows more details on overcoming these types of issues:
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Over-stretching | stretching too quickly, stretching too much | Blowouts, Tears, Tissue Damage | Take more time, use appropriate jewelry | Avoid applying excessive pressure on the earlobe, check for signs of redness, swelling or pain |
| Improper Stretching | Not cleaning properly, not following best practices for stretching | Ear Lobe Pain | Use proper ear stretching techniques | Work on building healthy earlobe tissue to avoid complications |
Overstretching is a common problem and it occurs when the earlobe is stretched too quickly or excessively, leading to complications such as blowouts, tears, or tissue damage.
Improper Stretching is caused as an effect of not cleaning properly or not following best practices for stretching which, unfortunately, often results in undue pain and costly mistakes for the stretcher.
To avoid these issues, use the proper ear stretching techniques to save time, money and get better healthy earlobe tissue results while avoiding these complications.
Using appropriate insertion tools like tapers or plugs help ensure a smooth transition from one size to another. Remember, healthy earlobes are happy earlobes.
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Fix Uneven Stretching with Proper Jewelry
Fix uneven stretches promptly. Lobes don't have to be perfectly circular -- a little wrinkling, depending on your stage of stretching, doesn't mean you have "cat butt". The way the piercing holes stretch may be circular, oval, or oblong when comparing the holes. However, when comparing the holes' diameter sizes, you should notice whether the holes are uneven, requiring different sized pieces of jewelry rather than the typical same-sized set.
Avoid size discrepancies between lobes by using consistent pressure and symmetrical tools and jewelry for that even stretch throughout the stretching process.
While uneven stretching may seem like just another hurdle on your path towards achieving those desired gauge sizes - remember that with proper care and attention (and perhaps some help from us), it's entirely preventable. Check out the table below for details overcoming this common issue.
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Uneven Stretching with Jewelry | Improperly using ear weights/hangers, improper use of tapers, sometimes intentionally | Occurs when one earlobe stretches more than the other, imbalance in size and appearance | Avoid applying excessive force that could damage your lobes | Consistently stretch both ears lobes at the same rate and size |
Stretching uneven ear piercings requires reviewing the ear gauge measurement of each earlobe to determine sizes larger for one size compared to the other. Alter the gauge stretch and gauge level for the bigger sized lobe so the smaller sized piercing hole can catch up, known as the gauge side effect, during the stretch even-ing process. If applicable, you might consider allowing earlobes to close-up on their own and re-piercing for re-stretching.
To manage uneven stretching effectively, here are some tips:
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Maintain consistency: Make sure you stretch both ears at the same rate and to the same size.
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Use symmetrical tools: Using identical tools, like tapers, for each ear to help maintain balance during the process. Fix jewelry sizing discrepancies upfront by comparing the stretching ear sizes chart to your current piercings.
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Monitor progress regularly: Regularly check your ears for any signs of asymmetry or discomfort. If you notice anything unusual, it might be time to consult a professional piercer.
Beyond these steps, selecting high-quality jewelry also plays a significant role in preventing complications such as thinning or tearing of tissue due to weight imbalance. Quality ear gauging plugs are used to help take your original piercing to the desired jewelry size. At PlugYourHoles.com, we offer an extensive range of safe and stylish plugs designed specifically for stretching your ears.
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Avoid Allergic Reactions to Jewelry Materials
Avoid some jewelry materials that can cause allergic reactions. Allergic reactions may occur due to certain materials used in jewelry pieces like nickel or brass. Opt for hypoallergenic options when stretching.
When choosing your jewelry, be mindful of the materials contained within the product by referencing the table below:
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Allergic Reactions to Jewelry | low-quality jewelry materials, certain types of metal or other materials | redness, itching, swelling, and discomfort | selecting hypoallergenic jewelry such as surgical stainless steel, titanium, or glass | Choose your jewelry wisely |
Generally, acceptable materials for the stretching phase are using non-porous materials. These types of body-safe materials, of all of the best materials for ear stretching available in our body jewelry are less likely to cause irritation or allergies due to the quality of materials chosen in the collections. Though, a bit of redness around after a day of wearing acrylics can be normal, so don't sweat the small stuff.
Remember, your stretching sessions should be a fun and exciting experience, not a painful one. If you don't have a known allergy to certain jewelry materials, but are still experiencing some discomfort, it's important to address how to relieve inflammation or infection is the best way possible.
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Reduce Inflammation and Infection
It's important to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation during the stretching process. Poor hygiene practices during the stretching process might lead to infections causing swelling and pain around the piercing site so keep it clean.
An ear stretching infection can occur with surface piercings, such as ear lobe piercings, as they are prone to minor infections by their nature. Stretched ear infection treatment focuses on healing piercing site to treat the minor infection promptly. Reference the table below for more details.
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Inflammation | Depending on the stage of your journey, inflammation is a natural reaction to piercing or due to stretching | redness and swelling | Use warm/cold presses, apply lubricant to lobes when stretching, and gentle massage | Use recommended aftercare products |
| Infection | improper technique, unhygienic practices, or using low-quality jewelry | discomfort, redness, swelling or discharge around your stretched ears | sterilized tools and jewelry, proper hygiene | Don't panic: just don't ignore these symptoms but instead seek prompt treatment. |
The ear gauge infection cure involves immediately caring for infected piercing site using the guidance above.
To manage inflammation and infection with stretching, clean the area thoroughly with saline solution (never use alcohol), apply topical antibiotic ointments if recommended by a healthcare professional and remove any problematic jewelry until healing occurs.
Keep things clean and sterile during every step of the ear stretching process - from initial piercing through gradual size increases - this helps ensure healthy lobes free from painful infections and inflammation.
Earrings can be replaced if complications arise and ears can be re-pierced 6 to 8 weeks after swelling subsides, if you're just beginning to stretch piercings.
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Prevent Hematoma and Bleeding During Ear Stretching
Avoid bleeding and hematoma risks during the stretching process unless you enjoy the warmth of blood flowing down the neck -- or worse. Hematoma leads to blood pooling under the skin surface forming clots, in extreme cases. Hematomas are related to bleeding tendencies, and can be influenced by factors like hematoma volume and growth, and involve coagulation cascades. Since earlobe tissue can be considered an extrinsic factor with these types of cascades, it's important to be keep these pathways to problems in check.
The table below helps to manage these issues before they become a bloody mess.
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Hematoma | uneven blood flow, Microscopic tears in the blood vessels, disorders or thin skin | Buildup of blood resembling cauliflower ear | use sterilized tools, avoid overstretching, and maintain good hygiene | sterilize equipment and jewelry, reduce stretching until subsides, avoid touching site with hands unnecessarily |
| Bleeding | Varies: tears, infections, trauma | pain, unsightly | Apply lubricant while stretching to prevent tears | Use proper aftercare products and apply lubricant, be gentle when stretching |
Regular check-ups with a professional piercer can also help detect signs of potential complications early on so they can be addressed promptly before they become more serious issues.
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Stop Scarring and Keloid Formation
Improper aftercare practices might result in scar formation and raised growths known as keloids. These are issues that can ruin the aesthetic appeal of your stretched lobes. So what exactly are they? The table below shows how to manage this type of complication.
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Scarring | improper stretching techniques, inadequate aftercare | excessive or unsightly scar tissue | cleanliness to prevent scarring originating from infections | Allow enough time between stretches for complete healing before proceeding with further expansion |
| Keloids | overgrowth of collagen | discomfort such as itchiness and the lobes feeling tender, raised wounds that grow larger than the original wound | use appropriate aftercare products to avoid irritation to skin | requiring various treatment options to overcome |
The formation of scar tissue while stretching can be problematic. Stretching ears with scar tissue can be done after the skin tissue has thickened before being traumatized again with stretching so it's recommended to wait 3x the time it took to heal before continuing to stretch.
Keloids rarely go away on their own and can often grow back, even after removal. Avoid leloid scars during the stretching process by using proper stretching methods.
In case you notice signs of abnormal scarring or keloid formation despite taking precautions, consider seeking professional guidance from an experienced piercer who can provide personalized advice based on your specific situation.
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Prevent Thinning of the Earlobe Tissue & Improve Loss of Earlobe Elasticity
Thinning of the earlobe tissue is characterized by a decrease in thickness and strength, making it more prone to tears. Your earlobe elasticity is crucial for comfortable and successful ear stretching. It allows your lobes to accommodate larger sizes without tearing or discomfort. But, if you lose this flexibility, downsizing can become challenging. The table below helps to overcome this challenge when stretching:
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Thinning of the Earlobe Tissue | stretching improperly or too quickly | asymmetrical changes in thickness or texture | monitor your earlobe tissue regularly | Gently pinch your lobes between your fingers and observe any changes in thickness or texture. |
| Loss of Earlobe Elasticity | Rushing through sizes can cause tears, scarring, and ultimately lead to reduced elasticity | aging, deflated, saggy earlobes | Don't overstretch |
Follow each stretch with anadequate healing period before moving on to the next size |
Continuous stress, over time, could make your lobe lose its natural elasticity making it difficult for them to shrink back down, if desired, after removing plugs.
If you notice any signs of thinning or weakness in elasticity, consider taking more breaks between stretches, use specific types of jewelry materials that are less likely to cause irritation or damage, as well as use certain aftercare products for promoting healthy skin regeneration.
To maintain healthy earlobe tissue during the stretching process, consult with a professional piercer when necessary, and reference ear care information to monitor your lobes regularly.
Using an ear stretching lubricant, too, is something to do along with proper ear stretching care for helping to preserve the elasticity in your stretched lobes:
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Lubrication protects against friction that could harm delicate lobe tissues while wearing plugs or tunnels. High-quality ear stretching lubricant oils like Jojoba Oil, vitamin E oil or coconut oil are ideal as they mimic natural body oils closely, reducing chances of irritation or allergic reactions. Ear Butter is preferred over the rest, though.
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Avoid petroleum-based products as they may clog pores, leading to complications such as acne or cysts around piercing sites. Using clean hands when applying lubricant helps prevent introducing bacteria into newly stretched holes, which could result in infection.
With careful attention paid towards maintaining healthy elastic lobes throughout the journey towards achieving the desired gauge size, you can enjoy benefits without worrying over potential downsides associated with loss of elasticity.
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Treat Prolonged Pain and Discomfort
Whether it's throbbing earlobes or soreness that hurts to the touch, or something more serious, then you're going to want to learn more for how to avoid everyday pains and discomfort with stretching.
Swollen stretched ears can appear red and crusty and be due to an infection or tear due to improper stretching. Get an assessment by your medical professional for severe cases lasting beyond 2 weeks.
Everyone's body is unique, so what works for one person may not be suitable for another. The table below shows how to address painful issues.
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Pain/Discomfort | stretching too quickly, improper techniques or complications that arise during the stretching process | sharp pain or soreness, redness, itchy, crusty lobes | Avoid applying excessive force that could damage your lobes, use sterile equipment made from body-safe materials | Over-the-counter pain relief medications, Cold compresses, massage stretched skin - but avoid touching freshly stretched lobes with dirty hands |
To alleviate any discomfort caused by ear stretching, follow correct procedures such as using tapers designed specifically for this purpose rather than makeshift objects like straws or pen caps which can cause damage. Additionally, ensure that you are stretching at a slow pace, allowing ample healing time between each size increase.
Giving yourself plenty of time in-between stretches allows your skin cells enough time to regenerate properly, preventing tears in your lobe tissue which leads to scarring over time.
Your body needs adequate rest periods, which can be perceived as a slow process, in order for new skin cells to grow back stronger before attempting the next size up - typically about 6 weeks per gauge increment depending upon individual health factors. Give your healing extra time by reviewing the ear stretching timelines more information on the time-intervals and best-practice wait times in-between stretches.
How long should ears hurt after stretching?
Ears can hurt 2 hours to 24 hours after stretching without immediate concerns. If your ears continue to hurt after a day, then seek additional guidance to alleviate the pain.
How to heal infected stretched ears without downsizing?
Heal ears without downsizing by soaking earlobes with salt water solution followed by moisturizing with recommended earlobe lubricants. Prevent future infections by applying proper aftercare techniques.
Re stretching ears, though not usually desired, might be necessary, in some cases.
Earlobe stretching repair might be necessary, in some cases, requiring ear stretching surgery. Ear stretching reversal surgery can be a costly mistake with stretching if ear gauge repair is deemed necessary by a medical professional.
If you're experiencing prolonged pain or discomfort from ear stretching, don't ignore these symptoms as they could indicate an infection or other serious problem such as requiring surgical repair. Instead, consider seeking advice from a professional piercer who can guide you on how best to manage these issues.
10. Reduce Smelling Odors from Ear Holes
Ew. Are your ears starting to smell like a funky cheese platter? Don't worry, it's just a buildup of sebum and dead skin cells. But if you want to get rid of the stench behind your ears, regular cleaning is key.
The platter table below details more about the ear cheese problem and how to correct:
| Issue | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Guidance |
| Ear Cheese | odor of a mixture of natural oils and dead skin cells that accumulate on your body jewelry over time. | emitting an unpleasant smell | Remove your plugs or tunnels and wash them with warm water and mild soap. Then, clean your piercing hole | try using an antibacterial cleanser. |
Why do ear gauges smell?
Earlobes smell from gauged ears because it's from the odor of a mixture of natural oils and dead skin cells that accumulate on your body jewelry over time. Yes, "ear cheese" is a thing. Gross, but normal.
If the smell persists, don't let the cheese take over.
How to prevent ear stretching complications?
Stretching is cool, but not when it leads to complications. Here's 7 precautions how to avoid them:
- Take your time: wait enough time to assess the affect of your current stretched size before considering going up a size with larger jewelry
- Keep clean ears: reduce 80% of the chances of infection leading to irritations by sterilizing jewelry and stretching accessories, rinsing ears with saline solution to reduce risks of irritation and keep piercing site clean along with clean hands to minimize risks
- Use proper jewelry: With properly sized jewelry made of hypoallergic body-safe materials, you can reduce persistent risk possibilities from the jewelry perspective
- Massage Ears with Moisturizer: Reduction of scarring risks using coconut oil have been suggested in some studies, and the use of moisturizers help with lobe elasticity and smooth transitions to larger sizes which keeps your lobes in a better condition throughout the stretching process
- Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Stay away from alcohol-based cleaners and hydrogen peroxide. They can dry out your skin and make things worse. Use gentle cleansers made specifically for pierced skin instead
- Recognize Warning Signs: Know the signs of potential complications, like prolonged pain, redness, swelling, discharge, and foul smells.
- Seek Professional Help If Needed: If all else fails, don't be afraid to reach out for assistance. Untreated infections can lead to serious conditions.
Always follow aftercare instructions and don't be a hero -- if it hurts, stop.
Maintain safe stretching practices and monitor progress closely to prevent complications and get the healthy ears you desire.
* Body piercings can lead to various adverse effects for some people, including: infection, pain, bleeding, hematoma formation, cyst formation, allergic reactions, hypertrophic scarring and keloid formation.
- Body piercing can lead to infections ranging from mild to severe. Potential severe infections include osteomyelitis, toxic shock syndrome, and bacteremia.
- Warnings of potential health risks and complications of body piercings have happened since the ‘90s. For instance, experts Samantha M. Tweeten and Leland S. Rickman stated, “With the increase in the number of piercings, it is likely that health care providers may see an increase in the complications resulting from these piercings,” because they found, “Body piercing appears to be gaining in popularity and social acceptance,” published in Clinical Infectious Diseases titled “Infectious Complications of Body Piercing” (1998).
- Despite a lack of reliable data on body piercing complications, we know problems occur for some people when stretching. That’s confirmed too by the article from American Academy of Pediatrics, where researchers stated, “No reliable estimates are available regarding people who have experienced complications related to body piercing,” which was researched by the Committee on Adolescence which included contributors: Cora C. Breuner, MD, David A. Levine, MD, Cora C. Breuner, MD, Elizabeth M. Alderman, MD, Robert Garofalo, MD, Laura K. Grubb, MD, Makia E. Powers, MD, Krishna K. Upadhya, MD, and Stephenie B. Wallace, MD.
Stretching your ears can be a rewarding form of self-expression, but it's not without its challenges. Express yourself with stretched lobes, but don't forget to take precautions to avoid risks and complications. Stretching can be risky. Remember, safety first!
What are the Characteristics of Healthy Stretched Ears?
Healthy ears are qualitatively different in appearance and performance compared to unhealthy ears. When you do safely stretch the earlobes, then you benefit in the following ways:
- Knowing you're getting the right kind of attention with healthy looking, and healthy feeling earlobes
- Getting the kind of jewelry you want to wear because you paid the price to stretch properly and have the strong lobes you want to show-off
The long term health benefits of healthy ears outweighs the risks when you're committed to stretching right. Start with your current piercing size and follow the Healthy Ear Stretching 101 Guide (free information) to help size-up to the next gauge size, with minimal risks, and proven tactics throughout the process. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions that we can answer about the type of body jewelry you're choosing.
Disclaimer: Any statements made within this website are based on a combination of vast professional experience, common sense, along with extensive research and practice. No products produced, manufactured, marketed, or distributed are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be misconstrued as medical advice. If you suspect a medical emergency, seek professional attention. Consult your physician before beginning any piercing stretching, if you suspect any concern based on personal circumstances.