How Long Should People With Ear Gauges Go Between Stretches?

Boosting in popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, ear gauges, typically referred to as stretched ears, are often associated with edgy, rebellious vibes. The extensive process normally starts with being pierced with a needle typical to regular ear piercings, then are replaced with bigger and bigger jewelry, known as tapers (via Healthline). These "gauges" can go up to astronomically large sizes, and according to The Guinness Book of World Records, the largest verified stretched ears come in at a whopping 4.13 inches (about the size of a teacup)! 

However, this accomplishment certainly did not happen overnight. Like many forms of body modification, many view the stretched earlobe aesthetic as the ultimate sign of resilience and toughness, and want to go as big as possible themselves as soon as they can. However, there are a few important things to note before making this leap. If you have ear gauges, here's how long you should go between stretches.

Although you may be eager to get holes in your ear up to the size of a soda can as quickly as possible, doing so too quickly can wreak havoc on your lobes. There is a such thing called "ear blowout," according to Healthline, and rushing stretches can result in scar tissue with sharp pain and inflammation with a risk of infection. In order to prevent this, you should make sure that your ear stretching journey is a slow and gradual process. 

Bustle recommended waiting at least eight to 10 weeks before sizing up, to "ensure that the tissue has recovered enough from the previous stretch, to support going bigger without causing any tears to the tissue," said piercer Ashley, from Venus by Maria Tash in New York City. It is also important to go to the next size up without skipping a gauge, as this can also result in unpleasant tears that can only be treated with expensive surgery. But if you make sure that you have the healthy amount of patience, you can enjoy and flaunt your stretched lobes to your heart's desire.