Pre-Care and Aftercare Instructions for Gauges & Stretching

Pre-Care For A Stretch

Stretch ONLY healed piercings!!

Always wash your hands well before you touch your piercing. Two weeks before your first stretch, apply Emu oil around the perimeter of the piercing you want to stretch. Apply one drop of oil to the front and back of the piercing twice daily and massage into skin.

When you are ready to insert the stretching taper (after the two weeks of using Emu oil daily), apply a warm (NOT hot) compress to the piercing for several minutes. Wash the area to be stretched with glycerin soap and rinse well. Pat the area dry. Apply a generous amount (3-5 drops) of Jojoba oil to the front and back of the piercing.

GENTLY slide stretching taper into the piercing until you experience MILD discomfort. If your skin turns white around the jewelry, back the jewelry up slightly. That white ring of skin is your danger signal… you’re stretching too far too fast! When you are satisfied with your stretch, slide a smaller o-ring onto the stretching taper, stopping just before the o-ring touches your skin.

Your piercing may be uncomfortable for a few days. (It might feel like it did just after you had it pierced for the first time.) You might experience throbbing pain, itching, or swelling. DON’T stretch to the point of bleeding!!

After each stretch is completely healed, give your body a minimum of two more weeks to heal and regenerate the area. This length of time allows your body to heal completely by growing new cells and getting rid of the cells that it no longer needs. Waiting longer is always better! You want to make sure your ears are completely healed before stretching again. The taper should be inserted from front to back on one stretch, and then back to front on the next stretch to keep both sides of the hole the same size. Alternating also helps prevent blow-outs.

If you are still getting crusty discharge after two weeks, give your piercing several more days (or weeks if needed) to heal completely before you attempt another stretch.

Aftercare For A Stretch

• Wash your newly stretched piercing twice daily with glycerin soap. This will help remove the crusties and keep your piercing clean. Remember not to let anyone else use your soap!
• Soak your piercing twice daily for three to five minutes in a warm sea salt solution. Use 1/4 teaspoon sea salt with one cup of warm water. The water should be just warm enough to dissolve the salt, but not so warm that it turns your skin red.
• Apply two to three drops of Jojoba oil to the area around the stretched piercing twice daily after the sea salt soak and massage gently. Remember, a little oil goes a long way!
• Don’t touch your piercing unless you’ve washed your hands, and remember — see a doctor if you think your piercing has become infected.