around 5 years ago, the piercer at the shop where I apprenticed pierced both my earlobes with a 12g (I think). After awhile, I started to move up a size every month or so. No problems, no tears, bleeding, etc. Just some hotness, redness, and pulse beating in the lobes (you know). So I stayed at a 2g for years. Last week, I threw in some heavy 2g rings I had. I also put in (with the rings) whatever other smaller gauge rings I had around...to get a little weight on there. I did this for 2 nights or so. Last weekend, I picked up a pair of single flared glass tunnels in a 0g. I took out the old rings and slipped the 0g tunnels in. Absolutely no pain at all. I didn't even use any lube at all. They were wet with alcohol, that's it. Went right in.

In your opinions, will I be able to repeat the same process to go to 00g? I know that different folks advise different waiting times beteween stretches...2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, etc. But I didn't really do a traditional stretch. There was no irritation, and therefor it seems that there really will be no "healing time". So what do you think? Wait awhile? How long?

Thanks.

 you need to wait. i'd shoot for a couple of months.

 Why were your ears wet with alcohol? That's very drying which is the last thing you want when you're stretching.

thanks. a couple months? even though there was no real stretch involved?

wet with alcohol because the jewelry had soaked in alcohol.

 there was a stretch......didnt you just say you used the weight of the ring to stretch? there is still new pressure on your ear that wasnt there before. i would say 2 or 3 months. my 00g just slipped in when i tried but i have tried to stretch to 7/16 and it didnt work because my ears arent ready(its been a year) everybody is different but at least wait a little while.

alcohol is bad your ears dont use it, wash your jewlery with soap and water nothing more. your ears also, dont put alcohol on them. they will thank you

 Most likely not. It was probably so easy to get to 0g already being at 2g for years. Like those who simply wait for their ears to self stretch.With the time you waited at 2g, your lobes might be stretched to a little larger than 0g right now. So 0g - 00g might not be as large a stretch, therefore perhaps the waiting time will be less. I would still reccomend waiting a few months, better safe than sorry.

 Ears can self stretch through a lot of time, but I advice you not to repeat the process with the weights though 'cause they're not recommended for stretching. If you are trying to stretch "fast", you can try taping.

Other than that, 3+ months is recommended.

You should also dry the alcohol on the jewelry, and insert it with lube(jojoba, emu oil;etc.)