I want to stretch my ears...how?

The do's and don't of stretching.
Do:

• Get pierced - It is a good idea to wait 6 to 8 weeks after getting a piercing to begin stretching.  Those numbers are very relative though, if you do not take care of your new piercing it could be up to a year before they fully heal and are ready to stretch.  Though if someone is unable to care for a fresh piercing, maybe stretching isn't the road they should be taking.
  
  
• Know your size - The more knowledge you have the better, as you don't want to start off a stretch with too big of a size.  Ask your piercer what size you were pierced with.  If it is done with a gun (God forbid!) it is usually done with an 18g.  If it is done at a shop, they will ask what size you wish to be pierced with.  If you said a normal size, they more than likely pierced you with an 18g but put in 16g's to stop the bleeding. 
  
  
• Know where you are going - It is advised to only jump up one size per stretch.  So if this is your first time you should probably get a taper that starts at an 18g and goes to a 16g (if you are at an 18g right now)
  
  
• Know the equipment - If you plan to use some new earrings right away then be sure to have the following: A taper of the correct size (acrylic, metal, or glass), the set of earrings (single flair, straight hoop or plug, or an internally threaded horseshoe) made of either metal or glass (No plastic or acrylic!), anti-bacterial soap, and a washcloth.
  
  If you are going to leaving the stretchers in as your jewelry then make sure to have the following: 2 matching tapers of the correct size made of either metal or glass (No plastic or acrylic), anti-bacterial soap, and a washcloth.
  
  
• Make the stretch - To actually do the stretch, follow these steps:
  1. Soak the washcloth in warm water and press it to your ear for a few minutes to loosen the skin and increase the blood flow.
  2. Take out the earring on the warmed up ear and wash with warm water and anti-bacterial soap.
  3. *optional* Some put a water based lubrication on the taper to help the stretch, this can help but all you really need is wet your ear and taper with warm water.
  4. Put small taper end in the front of the hole and push slowly until it is to the end. *Note* It will sting a bit but it should not hurt, and it should NEVER bleed. If it is hurting or begins to bleed then stop immediately.
  5. If you are keeping the taper in, put the rubber bands on both ends (not too tight, let your ear have some breathing room) and move on to step 6. If you are using jewelry, wet the jewelry with warm water and use the end of the jewelry to slowly push out the taper. In the process the new jewelry should replace the taper in your ear.
  6. Wash with anti-bacterial soap and move to the other ear
• Wash and wait - It's a good idea to care for a newly stretched ear the same way you would for a newly pierced ear.  Wash every day, don't touch it unless you wash your hands, and wait about a month or so to stretch again. Though again, that time is relative, everybody heals differently.  What took your friend 4 weeks to heal, could take you 8.  Know your body and don't push it too hard.

Don't

• Don't be in a hurry - You may want to jump to an inch over night but quick stretching is extremely painful, damaging, and could cause lot's of medical complications.  In short, it should not be attempted.  It will ruin your ears, and could possibly keep you from stretching to the size you wish to get to.  Treat stretching like climbing a ladder, do it one step at a time and you will keep yourself out of harms way.
• Watch what you use - Acrylic and plastic are not bad to have in your ears but because both are porous materials the ability to absorb bacteria is much greater than that of surgical steel or glass.  So only use a surgical steel or glass taper, make sure you replace it with surgical steel or glass earrings until the healing process is complete.  Once it's done healing feel free to use plastic or acrylic all you want. 
  
  
• Don't be afraid to ask for help - If you are having any troubles with it, don't keep it to yourself.  Go to a professional piercer (not those people in the mall with the guns, they have no real clue about proper piercing) and ask for help, advice, tips, anything.  In fact there are lots of piercers out there who would be willing to stretch your ears for you for a decent price.
  
  
• Don't push yourself too hard - If you aren't healing properly or blood begins to flow, go back down to the original size.  It's not the end of the world, let them heal more and try it again.  Listen to your body and don't push it too hard.

Attached is a picture of a size chart, it's not advisable to skip any steps.  Take it slow and you will not regret it later on.
Until next time,
Miles...