Your options are endless when it comes to finding a unique piece for ear stretching. With so many bold piercing jewellery options, you can always have a new design when bored with your precious jewellery. Ear stretching is a technique that involves gradually adding bigger pieces of jewellery to increase the hole in your ear lobe. It looks really cool and trendy. You can play with different gauges, designs and jewellery materials for this purpose.
Though the history of ear stretching comes from tribal culture, it still exists and is now trendier than ever. Many celebrities flaunt their style through ear stretching jewellery. It is the passion of millions around the world, with people being all head over heels with this look.
With a gothic tattoo and premium ear plug piercing, it looks incredible, but if you try it without the bold gothic looks, these jewellery pieces are still your style statement. So here we are with some of the many ear expander options out there. You can pick your favrouite and rock it this season.
Straight Taper
Tapers are often used in body modification culture, particularly in the piercing community, where people like to customize their appearance. Imagine a little stick made of either strong metal or clear plastic. It’s skinny on one end and wider on the other. When you put this stick into your piercing, it makes the hole bigger. These small rubber rings are usually included to keep your piercing in place on the stick. This helps you move up to a bigger size when you’re ready.
Eco-friendly and sustainable materials like bamboo or glass are gaining traction as alternatives to traditional steel or acrylic tapers.
Screw Fit
Famous for stretching piercings like an earlobe, screw fits are plugs and tunnels featuring a hollow tube or a solid piece of jewellery. Instead of being fixed in place, it has ends that can be screwed off. This makes it easier to put in your piercing. They come in various materials and designs, and some prefer this because it’s less hassle, especially if they’re trying out a new size or thickness.
As for threading, there are two types: internal threading, where the threads are on the inside of the jewellery, and external threading, where the threads are on the outside. Internal threading is generally smoother and less likely to irritate your stretched lobes.
Tunnel, Flesh Tunnel, Eyelet
A tunnel, also known as a flesh tunnel or eyelet, is jewellery that looks like a hollow tube. If you have a stretched or scalpelled piercing, you can see right through it. But if your piercing is more petite, you won’t be able to see through it as well. Some prefer wearing flesh tunnels over solid plugs because they’re lighter. As your piercing gets more extensive, you’ll notice more weight difference. You can even put other jewellery, like a captive bead ring, through the tunnel to add style.
Spiral Taper, Buffalo Tapers
Spiral Tapers, also known as Buffalo Tapers, have a dual purpose. They’re used as both jewellery and stretching tools. They’re different from straight tapers because they are curved or spiral. Buffalo Tapers, or crescents, are unique as they’re shaped like crescent moons with tapered ends on both sides. Spirals, as the name suggests, are spiral-shaped with two tapered ends, but they’re more decorative than practical for stretching.
Ear Hanger
Ear hangers are like spiral tapers, but they’re primarily for decoration. They start small on one side and get bigger on the other like straight tapers. Instead of having simple O-ring-like straight tapers, the bigger side of the ear hangers usually has a fancy design attached to them.
Saddle Plugs
Flares on these ear accessories have a smooth, curved shape that blends nicely with the part you wear. They’re kind of like double flare styles, but the flared ends are more gentle and not as big, making them easier to put in. This design detail is catching on because it makes inserting them into your piercing a breeze, adding a touch of comfort to your trendy look.
No Flare, Straight Plug
This plug probably has bands on both sides that you can take off to keep it in your ear. It doesn’t have flared ends like other plugs or tunnels. This is great for folks who are new to stretching their piercings because there are no flares to worry about. This style is becoming popular among beginners for its simplicity and easy wear, making it a trendy choice for anyone starting their stretching journey.