In the body piercing world, stretching is a popular technique used by individuals who want to expand the piercing hole they already have. It’s a step by step process which enables the enlarging of the hole which will then be ready for piercing plugs. Piercing plugs, which are commonly known as flesh tunnels are large tubes that are placed in a stretched opening. In order for one to be ready to wear this form of body jewelry they must first undergo the stretching process.
Stretching is most often done in small increments. This is to minimize the potential for damaging the healed scar tissue. Thus, one even size gauge is moved up at a time to replace the existing one.
There are several common methods that are used before one can wear piercing plugs. These different processes relate to different origins and the appropriateness of circumstances.
The moss common professional technique for stretching is known as tapering. This process involves an instrument known as a taper, which is a conical rod usually made specifically for this purpose. The taper is lubricated and then pushed through the hole until the widest part of the taper is level with the surrounding skin. Once the taper is fully positioned, larger jewelry is then pushed through the taper. Once the piercing has completely healed, it can then be ready for the use of piercing plugs.
Piercing plugs are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. They can be purchased from numerous body jewelry stores around the world. Those who choose to wear such jewelry should be prepared to have the stretching process finished first. If the tapering technique does not satisfy or intrigue them, there are other options to choose from.
Teflon tape stretching is another safely performed technique to get the piercing ready for piercing plugs. This process involves the removal of the existing jewelry and a small piece of non adhesive Teflon tape to be wrapped around the piercing. Next, the jewelry is inserted back into the piercing, which will then adapt to the new diameter of the jewelry. This process is repeated and each time the piece of tapes becomes bigger. Thus, expanding the piercing.
A more historical technique used for stretching is adding weights to the piercing. This technique has been performed for centuries, but is less likely to be performed today. It is both uncomfortable and can also lead to tearing. This process involves the insertion of a heavy object which will eventually stretch the piercing due to it’s weight. This technique, however, was not generally invented for the purpose of piercing plugs, but typically to simply stretch the piercing as wide as possible.
There is another unsafe form of stretching that is generally frowned upon. This process is known as dead stretching, in which the body jewelry or piercing plugs are forced into the existing piercing. This is unsafe for obvious reasons. It can lead to the splitting or tearing of the skin which can result in permanent disfiguration. This process is performed without the use of professional instruments.
For individuals who would rather go through a more simple process, there is a surgical procedure that can be performed to remove the area of skin where the piercing plugs would fill. This procedure is known as scalpelling. After the area of the skin has been removed by the scalpel, a taper can then be inserted temporarily until healing has occurred. Once the piercing is healed and stretched it will then be ready for piercing plugs.
Stretching is most often done in small increments. This is to minimize the potential for damaging the healed scar tissue. Thus, one even size gauge is moved up at a time to replace the existing one.
There are several common methods that are used before one can wear piercing plugs. These different processes relate to different origins and the appropriateness of circumstances.The moss common professional technique for stretching is known as tapering. This process involves an instrument known as a taper, which is a conical rod usually made specifically for this purpose. The taper is lubricated and then pushed through the hole until the widest part of the taper is level with the surrounding skin. Once the taper is fully positioned, larger jewelry is then pushed through the taper. Once the piercing has completely healed, it can then be ready for the use of piercing plugs.
Piercing plugs are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. They can be purchased from numerous body jewelry stores around the world. Those who choose to wear such jewelry should be prepared to have the stretching process finished first. If the tapering technique does not satisfy or intrigue them, there are other options to choose from.
Teflon tape stretching is another safely performed technique to get the piercing ready for piercing plugs. This process involves the removal of the existing jewelry and a small piece of non adhesive Teflon tape to be wrapped around the piercing. Next, the jewelry is inserted back into the piercing, which will then adapt to the new diameter of the jewelry. This process is repeated and each time the piece of tapes becomes bigger. Thus, expanding the piercing.A more historical technique used for stretching is adding weights to the piercing. This technique has been performed for centuries, but is less likely to be performed today. It is both uncomfortable and can also lead to tearing. This process involves the insertion of a heavy object which will eventually stretch the piercing due to it’s weight. This technique, however, was not generally invented for the purpose of piercing plugs, but typically to simply stretch the piercing as wide as possible.
There is another unsafe form of stretching that is generally frowned upon. This process is known as dead stretching, in which the body jewelry or piercing plugs are forced into the existing piercing. This is unsafe for obvious reasons. It can lead to the splitting or tearing of the skin which can result in permanent disfiguration. This process is performed without the use of professional instruments.
For individuals who would rather go through a more simple process, there is a surgical procedure that can be performed to remove the area of skin where the piercing plugs would fill. This procedure is known as scalpelling. After the area of the skin has been removed by the scalpel, a taper can then be inserted temporarily until healing has occurred. Once the piercing is healed and stretched it will then be ready for piercing plugs.
