Stretched Ear Stories · Weekly Q&A: Is Stretching Too Soon a Problem?

Q2: Is it really that bad to stretch too soon? I feel like my ears are fine.

This is a question I saw recently, so I'm back to update the once-a-week ear stretching series! The reason is I saw a post where someone said they waited months between stretches, and I'm sitting here thinking ...... Am I doing it wrong? I stretched two weeks ago, and the next size went in easily. Now I'm trying to size up again. Bad idea? Just because it can go in doesn’t mean it should. I totally get it — once you get into stretching, it’s addictive. But even if the next taper slides in without resistance, your lobes might not be fully healed underneath. The tissue can feel “fine” but still be fragile. Rushing can cause microtears that later lead to blowouts or thin spots.

What most people (including me) get wrong at first

I used to think it was okay if it didn't hurt. It really wasn't. I realized from the pain that if you don't give your ears enough time, they can scar silently. Stretching isn't just about getting used to the next size up, it's also about allowing collagen to rebuild. For most people, 4 to 8 weeks is the minimum, but some people wait 3 months or more between stretches.

If you’re impatient like me… try this instead

Massage your earlobes with jojoba or vitamin E oil every few days - this helps thicken the tissue and keep them healthy while you wait. Put stainless steel plugs or glass plugs in while the wound is healing. Believe me, the wait is worth it because it prevents serious blowouts (been there, regretted it).