I have been contemplating getting my ears pierced at a larger size instead of all of the waiting of stretching. I got off the phone with a shop about an hour away and they said that they could pierce at a 10g, then stretch it to 8g or 6g right there. This really confused me, because wouldn't that be the same thing as skipping a size? If this is indeed safe, why is it safe when putting a taper in a freshly pierced ear obviously is not? Thanks.

 Idsay the stretch to an 8g is ok, 6 is a bit too much. Its safe to pierce then stretch because there isnt a healed fistula yet, so its not tearing the healing/healed skin. But if you went with the 10g initial to 6g you could cause tearing because of the size difference... 

I got my left lobe pierced at 6g, no stretch.  It kinda self stretched after the healing period to 4g and I've left it there and waiting for it to be ready to stretch.

My right lobe I got pierced at 6g and stretched straight to 4g, I think 1mm or thereabouts in the initial stretch is probably okay.  I didn't really get any additional advice from my piercer about how much more was safe as i just wanted my right to match my left in size but I'd say one size or gauge is a good benchmark to work with.

I've had no real troubles but I'd say, based on my experience so far, expect to wait the full 8 weeks of the suggested healing time for a lobe, maybe even a bit more, as the hole is much larger than getting pierced at 14g for example and so logically takes longer to heal.

So in the end, see if you can find someone who will pierce you at a larger guage than 10g before the stretch. I think 6g might be the biggest needle available but not really sure on that...otherwise I guess she would have just pierced me with an 4g needle?

Benny B:

I think 6g might be the biggest needle available but not really sure on that

I've seen a 2g, and if I remember correctly, I saw someone on YouTube get pierced at a 0g.

 Yikes, 0g?!?!  6g already scared the shit out of me when I seen it!

thanks for clearing everything up. So its more about getting the taper in before anything starts to heal? makes sense, but I still dont think I would be comfortable being stretched right after having such a big piercing. just doesnt make sense in my head to me.. idk.

I hate to say this, but it seemed like the guy on the phone would have said anything to make me happy as long as i stopped in..

bc008:

thanks for clearing everything up. So its more about getting the taper in before anything starts to heal? makes sense, but I still dont think I would be comfortable being stretched right after having such a big piercing. just doesnt make sense in my head to me.. idk.

 Like I said, I've had no hassles and just don't go for too big a stretch...

bc008:

I hate to say this, but it seemed like the guy on the phone would have said anything to make me happy as long as i stopped in..

 If this is the way you feel then it's a sure sign you should look elsewhere.

ALSO, I notice you already have both your lobes pierced at 1.6?  Are you thinking about letting those close up and then repiercing?  If that's the case then you should massage with oil and wait proper amount of time before repiercing.

 There isnt anything wrong with piercing over an existing hole... as long as it isnt just a ball of scar tissue... 

 They can pierce you at any size you want so long as you have enough room on your ear lobe to do it.

I was pierced straight at six, and my piercer told me I could have gone straight to 0 but I told him I would rather start a bit smaller. 

Benny B:

bc008:

thanks for clearing everything up. So its more about getting the taper in before anything starts to heal? makes sense, but I still dont think I would be comfortable being stretched right after having such a big piercing. just doesnt make sense in my head to me.. idk.

 

 Like I said, I've had no hassles and just don't go for too big a stretch...

 

bc008:

I hate to say this, but it seemed like the guy on the phone would have said anything to make me happy as long as i stopped in..

 If this is the way you feel then it's a sure sign you should look elsewhere.

ALSO, I notice you already have both your lobes pierced at 1.6?  Are you thinking about letting those close up and then repiercing?  If that's the case then you should massage with oil and wait proper amount of time before repiercing.

I am thinking about it, but dont think so because I already have both of them pierced and i haven't had any problems and I'm not really comfortable with any of the piercers within like a 3 hour radius of me.