Hey guys.

I have to write an essay for English class and the form is "Process Analysis". So I chose "How to stretch an earlobe piercing."

 Keep in mind this is NOT an in-depth howto to be considered a bible of stretching.. just someone to explain to someone who has never heard of stretching what it is..

Feedback is welcome.

How To Stretch An Earlobe Piercing

The process to stretch an earlobe piercing is very simple, but requires a lot of time and care. The

first thing you need to know is that each size of jewelery is represented by increments of millimeters

called “gauges.” The larger the number of the gauge, the smaller the diameter is going to be. Most

people's initial piercing is going to be about an eighteen gauge (around one millimeter).

You should always wait at least six months after your initial piercing before beginning the

stretching process. It is very important to allow your ear to heal from the piercing experience. If you do

not you are more likely to encounter problems with your ears later on.

The tools needed to stretch your earlobe piercing varies depending on the method you choose to

use. The most common method is to use tapers to reach the next gauge. A taper is simply a spike of

various lengths and materials which begin very small and eventually end at desired gauge. To use a

taper you must first remove your current jewelry. Next you will need to apply lubricant of some sort to

the taper. I recommend using emu oil or vitamin e oil as they are naturally good for your skin. After

lubricating the taper you can now slowly slide the small end of the taper into your ear and keep going

until you you reach the end. If you encounter any pain beyond a slight sting, stop immediately as this

could mean you are tearing your ear. However, if the taper slid through with no pain, you can simply

slide in your new jewelery.

The second method you can use to stretch your piercing is apply tape to the circumference of

the jewelry you are already wearing. This method has a few benefits over using tapers. It is a more gradual process and introduces less trauma to your ears. In addition, it is usually cheaper to apply tape

than to buy a set of tapers. The key to successfully stretching with the tape method is to be patient and

not apply too many layers at a time. Applying too many layers can lead to tearing and other serious

problems.

Now that your piercing is at the new gauge, treat your piercing as a new piercing. Clean it with

antibacterial solutions and never alcohol or peroxide. These types of solutions are too harsh for

piercings and can actually prevent healing from occuring. Also, wait at least a month before attempting

your next stretch. You should never skip gauges. Doing so increases your chances of having a tear

occur during the stretching process.

Should your stretching lead to a tear, immediately downsize your jewelry and keep the piercing

clean. Do not attempt to stretch again for at least six months. Attempting a stretch before the six month

period has a much higher risk of tearing your piercing.

 This honestly sounds like you cribbed information from places around the web.

Not saying you did...but it just sounds very much like many of the streching guides I have read.

I suppose there are not very many different ways to describe the process but I would ask you this: Does the tone of this essay match the tone of your other writing?  If it does not.. you can be sure your instructor will think you have plagiarized. 

I am not sure how much creative room you have here but if you have any, you might consider writing this in a more first person experience voice...  You can describe your process for stretching your ears and analyze the ways in which is has worked for you, along with the techinical guidelines.

good luck

 Wow, that's kind of a weird reply..good in a way I suppose.

I wrote this in its entirety this afternoon without reading any other sources. Just going on conversations I've had with other stretchers and personal experiences.

I would do it from a first person voice, but when I do the professor gets overly critical. He prefers a more cookie cutter type of essay. My creative writing is what landed me a C- with him before.. now that I'm handing in "defacto" material I'm making A's. :/

 Seems pretty good, I'd include more about blowouts, catbutt effect, and the risks that come with unsafe stretching and wearing unsafe materials etc like household objects or fimo jewelry directly in your lobes. 

kwaniesiam:

 Seems pretty good, I'd include more about blowouts, catbutt effect, and the risks that come with unsafe stretching and wearing unsafe materials etc like household objects or fimo jewelry directly in your lobes. 

I definitely wanted to.. but the essay is only 300-500 words. :(

I might expand it and release it as a more in depth tutorial though.. (complete with pictures..)

 Well.. weird is sometimes what you get when you ask the opinion of strangers. 

good luck

Ok, first I want to say that it looks as though you put a lot of effort into this and I can see that you spent time really choosing your words carefully. If this is the clear cut, no frills writing that your teacher prefers then I think you have a really good start. I just wrote a few suggestions below because you asked for help and a fresh pair of eyes can really help the editing process along. Sorry for the odd font, it happened when I cut and pasted.

Change "each size of jewelery is represented by increments of millimeters

called 'gauges'". to "each size of jewelry is represented by increments of millimeters and gauges"

Also change "If you do not you are more likely to encounter problems with your ears later on" to perhaps "...you are more likely to encounter problems with your ears both immediatly and in the future"

 When you describe a taper, try not to describe it as a "spike" a metal rod would probably be better word choice. Also they don't always start really small, a lot of higher-end tapers start just one gauge below the desired gauge. As far as the taping you may want to clarify that it's PTFE tape and not like scotch tape or anything and it should be wrapped around single or no flared jewelry. When youdescribe the cleaning process you use "antibacterial solutions" then add on to never use peroxide or alcochol then use the term "solutions" to describe the peroxide and alcohol, which can be a little confusing. Also you don't need to clean your healing stretch with anti-bacterial anything and sea salt soaks are usually fine. You don't want to irritate it. Hope it helped!

 Thank you! I changed the essay around a few minutes ago and re-saved it to my thumb drive. :)

  Here --> "The tools needed to stretch your earlobe piercing varies", change varies to vary. 

 Minor, I know. ;) Good job though!

a process analysis thats 300-500 words? the process analysis i wrote for my senior research paper was 9 pages

even though it's so short, you might want to consider a better hook in the beginning. going right into stretching doesnt leave much for the imagination.

 A senior research paper is more involved than a freshman English essay.:P