Do not stretch your ears if your piercing is infected. Signs of infection include swelling, yellow or greenish discharge, redness, irritation, and bleeding. [2] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
Wash your hands before you massage the lubricant into your ears.
Pushing the taper in may hurt but should not bleed. If your ear begins to bleed, you may have chosen too large of a taper. Remove the taper, treat and disinfect from the wound, and wait until the wound has healed before inserting a smaller taper later on. When your ear has stopped bleeding, place the earring back in to prevent the hole from closing up.
Once you have inserted the taper into your piercing, it can be replaced immediately with the plug or tunnel. Tapers are not designed to be worn as jewelry. Do not wear your tapers for any longer than several hours.
Try this method if you have run out of tapers and don’t want to purchase more. Increase the layers of tape around your plugs or tunnels every six weeks so your ear has time to heal.
Use a cotton swab to remove any dried skin or crust around your piercing.
Once you are finished stretching your ears and six weeks have passed since your last stretching session, you can insert and remove your plugs and tunnels as you please without risking shrinkage.
See a doctor immediately if you notice any severe infection symptoms, such as thick, bad-smelling discharge; red streaks coming from your piercing; fever or chills; nausea; dizziness or disorientation; or any minor infection symptoms for more than a week. If you notice any signs of infection, check your lymph nodes. Swollen lymph nodes are another sign of infection.
