Sometimes, if you’re unsure about how a stretched piercing will look (or if work/school aren’t happy with stretched piercings), you can fake it! A 1.2mm or 1.6mm piercing isn’t very obvious, and most people will not notice it, so you can use a 1.2mm or 1.6mm ‘fake plug’! These will fit ‘regular’ piercings but look like a stretched piercing (example below). According to a 2020 article, nipple stimulation plays an important role in the sexual satisfaction of about 80% of females. The authors concluded that using a topical formulation that stimulates the nipples 30 minutes before sexual activity can improve orgasmic satisfaction, strength, and pleasure. Doucet, S., et al. (2009). The secretion of areolar (Montgomery’s) glands from lactating women elicits selective, unconditional responses in neonates. Balakrishnan, T., & Madaree, A. (2010). Case report: Ectopic nipple on the sole of the foot, an unexplained anomaly [Abstract]. I have used this method myself for my earlobes (it isn’t really suitable for any other piercing), and while it worked for me, I DO NOT recommend it. The only reason I mention it here is because it is a method that can be used. It can be awkward and take longer to heal (so leaving longer between sizes is essential); it can also cause swelling and a lot of pressure around the piercing. To do it, simply put as many barbells/BCRs (as well as the plug size you are currently at) through your piercing as you can.

Before considering reconstruction, to help your piercing shrink down, use Bio-Oil (and/or Vitamin E) to massage the lobe and this will assist your skin in tightening up. Wear the lightest plugs you can (PMMA or light organic material such as wood) at a size down from what you are at, just the same way you stretched up, but in reverse! Or just leave out the jewellery completely, but be careful not to get your lobe caught on anything, just go with whatever is comfortable for you. When your piercing has recovered, you CAN stretch it again – if you have gone down a size or more, this is good news for you! Make sure you give plenty of time and monitor it closely. Stretching up after downsizing is usually a little easier.Stretching tape’ (shown below, and available from me) which is like bondage tape (ideal because there’s no adhesive) is my favourite, and the only thing I recommend. I have seen people use medical tape and electrical tape (the adhesive has been known to cause allergic reactions – doesn’t happen as much with medical tape as it’s designed to be used on skin, but medical tape is often porous and textured, so pros and cons to each). There has been a case of an accessory nipple occurring on the foot, for example. 6. Some people are born without nipples at all. Disadvantages: You need to visit your piercer regularly to get this done, can be more expensive than other methods. Pumpables Liquid Flange Kit uses liquid silicone for more comfortable pumping. the entire, closed-system, pumping assembly, you will just attach the tubing included to the front of the breast pump to use them. This option comes in sizes 17mm, 21mm, 25mm and 29mm. Can also be curved – though there are only a small selection of piercings that would require a curved barbell (a navel piercing for example).

There are products available to ‘stop the stink’ – two were mentioned earlier in the blog, Holey Butt’r and Stretchy’s Finest, both work well. Another product on the market is Smelly Gelly which is a balm – similar consistency to lip balm. Unlike Holey Butt’r and Stretchy’s which are all-round care, Smelly Gelly is specifically a ‘deodorant’ for stretched piercings. No matter what flange size you chose, the areola is being drawn into the flange tunnel. You may have already measured your nipples, chosen the right flange size, or even sized down from this, but the areola always ends up in the tunnel. Disadvantages: Easy to go too fast, can be painful, unhygenic, slow method. You need to buy the taper AND the plug/jewellery to insert once stretched. If you aren’t clued up, you can do some serious damage. Every mom has nipple elasticity, some just experience more than others. Nipple elasticity is only an issue if you are not emptying properly, developing clogged ducts, or if pumping is causing pain. Some signs that you may have more nipple elasticity than average would be:According to the Guinness World Records, in 2013, a person used their nipples to lift 71.87 pounds. 8. There are different types of nipples. Although these bumps are normal, a person should see a doctor if they become inflamed or secrete brown fluid. 12. Breast milk can come out of multiple places. I will mainly be referring to earlobe stretching in this blog, but if you would like to see something discussed in more detail, please let me know. Or you can call into the studio and I’ll have a chat with you!

Definitely the most popular method, but the danger with using these is that a lot of people do too much too fast. The tapers pictured below would stretch from 2mm to about 6mm which is much too large to do in a single stretch. I know people who have done it, and I get told often “Well my friend went from 1.6mm to 6mm in a week, and his was fine” but it just isn’t sensible. Just because you CAN, doesn’t mean you SHOULD. There is also a temptation to share tapers with your friends. This is not hygienic and acrylic tapers cannot be sterilized. If you are at 4mm, it would be OK to use the 2mm-6mm tapers to get up to 6mm. If you DO go down this route, please do NOT leave the taper hanging out of your ear after stretching. Replace it with an appropriate piece of jewellery at the correct size as soon as possible (usually possible after a few days, as long as it all feels OK). The acrylic tapers are NOT suitable for long-term wear. I have tried this method myself, but I didn’t like it and found it painful and awkward. For this reason, I do not sell tapers in the studio. Know that the nipple touching the sides of the tunnel is not an issue unless this is causing pain and discomfort- rubbing can be normal and does not always indicate that a mom needs to size up. The hormone which help your belly grow and stretch throughout your pregnancy also cause the nipples to become elastic. There is nothing unusual about this, it is actually helpful when baby feeds and allows the nipple to fill their mouth and aid the latch. Various colours, styles, materials and sizes available. Best not used to stretch with – save them for settled piercings. Has it been caught on something, or pulled? (Might be worth giving it a day or so to see if it feels better).Incredibly comfortable, especially for sleeping in! Available in different colours, as well as teardrop shapes. Make sure you buy a good grade of silicone, such as KAoS brand. Do NOT use these to stretch with, they can cause a lot of damage when used to stretch. I absolutely adore my Kaos pieces. This vitamin E cream from Superdrug is an ideal easy-to-obtain product for massaging your lobes with. It will give your skin more elasticity and improve its condition. It’s relatively cheap, non-greasy and non-fragranced. I love Superdrug own brand as it is all cruelty free, and the majority is vegan. This is what I use personally, but there are a lot of other products available.

The following jewellery pieces are suitable mainly for ear lobe piercings, but can be used in other piercings. There are 2 basic types, solid ones (often referred to as ‘plugs’) and ones you can put your finger through (can be called ‘tunnels’, ‘flesh tunnels’, ‘eyelets’ or ‘tubes’) This is MY preferred method, and how I stretch my own piercings. Get some jewellery at your current size (a 12mm long barbell or unflared plug/tunnel – see below for jewellery types – is best). Make sure you clean your piercing and jewellery thoroughly before starting. Best done after a hot bath or shower, clean and dry your existing jewellery and wrap 2 layers of stretching tape around your plug/barbell, then insert it as normal, using a bit of lubricant – or vitamin e cream. If it won’t fit, unwrap some of the tape until it will. Add 1-2 layers of tape every 3-4 days and start testing with your next size after 6-8 layers. The let-down reflex occurs when the nerves in a person’s breast send signals that release the milk to the milk ducts so that it can start to come out of the nipples. Some may notice rubbing against the sides of the tunnel and decide to size up- in reality, sizing up in these instances will simply pull more and more of the areola into the tunnel, which can cause damage and bruising to the areola area. If you have tried sizing up due to the nipple touching the inside of the flange tunnel, you may want to try sizing down next. However, if a person notices that their nipples have changed drastically, and they are not pregnant, it is important that they visit their doctor.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that changes to the nipples could be a sign of breast cancer. 14. Nipple cancer is a rare form of cancer, but it can happen.