Hey,

I have just regular old pierced ears, that I have had since I was 12. Yeh, of course they were done with a gun :p

Anyway, I am wanting to stretch my lobes to a 2g or 0g. I really dont want to start from the damn 20g or whatever these holes are now, so I was going to get them pierced at 10g then stretch from there.

Is there any problems with piercing over the top of the existing holes (which do have the normal small amount of scar tissue through them)?

I know I could just get them pierced bigger to start, but I would like to go through the long process of stretching them myself.

Also, how long would I keep the 10g in to start with? And then, how long between each stretch? I know it is a looooong process, so Im prepared for the answers!

Im not sure if you could get it poierced with a 10G because wouldnt it be the same as going from 18 to a 10G? You have to let it heal over first. It honestly doesnt tkae a long time to go from really small to about a 12 or 10. If you had it that long just keep getting one size bigger jewelery and go bigger every 2 weeks or something like that. In my experience you dont have to wait as long between stretches if you are that small to start with. Once you go bigger and bigger and the stretches are harder and bigger to make than you need more time between stretches. It may not even take 2 weeks between 18 to 16 or 16 to 14. I know for me it was like 4 or 5 days. Just use your judgement and whenever your ears dont feel sore anymore.

It is possible to be pierced at a larger gauge. That's what I intend to do. I've heard that it will hurt a bit more, but pain is so relative.

It's not uncommon for a piercer to pierce with a ten-gauge needle, then immediately stretch to six or eight gauge with a taper. After that, you'd want to wait for them to heal fully before stretching again. I believe the heal time on a lobe is generally six to eight weeks, so I'd wait two months to be safe. After that, you can generally stretch every six weeks or so.

I've done pretty much what you want to, I went from a fashion jewllery 20ga, cleaned up my old piercing studs and used them to stretch to about 16ga, that stung, then about a week or 2 later went up to a 14ga CBR. From there I bought a 3mm plug, 4mm plug, 5mm plug, 6mm tunnel, 7mm tunnel (which is my fave piece of ear metal), and an 8mm (0ga) plug. It's taken a while to get to 0ga, but it's worth it.


So the holes have grown over? I don't think there'd be any problem piercing there at about 10ga...

No what I meant is piercing a 20G or 18G piercing with a 10G needle is basically like stretching it WAY too fast isnt it? Unless of course she heals it over first.

I know what you mean, but I think she already HAS let them heal over, so it should be ok.

I think :s

The needle is very sharp, so it will make a new hole rather than stretching the existing hole.

If she has an old hole, and if they pierce in the same spot, the needle will cleanly cut the hole to be bigger. Which is better that ripping the hole by stretching too fast.

Why not just get pierced at 4 and stretch to 2? Then you're done.

honestly, if you've had them a good long while you just might be surprised. My ears are all at 20 g....or i'd thought they were. I wasn't paying attention one day and while i was on the phone slid in a 16g ring. Once i noticed that it really was what was in there, I decide to try a 14g...and that worked too. Now, if thats the case with you, honestly, I think its less trauma to the area to perhaps go that way? I could be wrong. I just seem to think stretching something thats healed, is less process than perhaps repiercing and dealing with initial healing all over again? It might be worth seeing just what your ears would do now. I know I was surpsied what fit in mine, but then I wear a LOT of heavy costume jewelry in my ears, and figure they just stretched over the years. You may luck up :p