EARRING PLUGS, TUNNELS & EAR STRETCHERS

A tunnel is hollow — you can see through it; a plug is solid. They fit exactly the same way, so it is purely a style choice, and both are measured by the same gauge/millimetre sizes.

The flare is the widened rim that keeps jewellery in place. Single-flare pieces have one flared side and are held on the other by an o-ring — easiest to insert, and the right pick after a fresh stretch. Double-flare pieces have rims on both sides and need the lobe to flex slightly to seat them, so save them for settled stretches.

Longer than you think — a commonly used minimum is several weeks per size at small gauges and longer as sizes get bigger, but the honest answer is “when the lobe is fully comfortable, not before.” Never force a taper through. If it hurts, stop and give it more time; our Aftercare Guide covers the basics.

Smooth, non-porous materials — steel or glass-smooth acrylic — are the sensible choices while a stretch settles, with steel the easiest to keep clean. Porous organics (wood, stone, horn) are healed-lobe jewellery: comfortable and warm to wear, but they must stay dry and be oiled occasionally. See the Materials Guide for care notes.

Modest stretches often shrink back most of the way over months; larger sizes generally will not fully close. How far you can reverse depends on your skin, how slowly you stretched and how long you have worn the size — something to weigh before each move up.