My ears have been pierced since I was three years old.
That’s a long time ago, right?
I remember getting my ears pierced. I remember the day. I remember the place. I remember who I was with. I remember what the weather was like. I even remember people that I saw that day.
I got them pierced at Claire’s Accessories.
However, as a brief disclaimer, I do not condone Claire’s ear or nose piercings. I do not agree with piercings at the mall. I do not agree with piercing guns. Piercing guns are plastic and they cannot be sterilized meaning the piercings carry bacteria from every single person who has previously gotten a piercing using that gun. Piercing guns also use butterfly clip jewellery, which are terrible quality. The jewellery is forced into the ear, breaking the skin with blunt trauma. The piercers are also untrained and unqualified for this particular job.
Please see a professional piercer at a tattoo and piercing shop. Please take your children to see a professional piercer. It may cost slightly more, but it is so much better for your ears.
Thank you for listening to my safety spiel.
When I was sixteen, I decided I wanted to stretch my ears.
Of course, I was young. I was stupid. I was sixteen and eager to stretch my ears as fast as possible because I was impatient and my friend was doing it with me. My ears went through a lot of unnecessary pain, and fortunately (and very luckily), I did not end up with a blowout.
I stretched my ears to 0g or 8mm in the span of a couple of months.
And they stayed at this size for the next eight years.
About two years ago, I decided that I wanted to stretch my ears to 00g. That’s 10mm or one size up. I barely noticed the difference. It suddenly brought me back to high school when I was stretching my ears for the very first time. It became addicting. The jewellery, plugs and tunnels, are so detailed and breathtaking, at 14mm that I sized up another 4mm before I decided to stop.
And then I downsized.
I went back down to 10mm for a year when I was teaching in Korea, but I was so unhappy with it that I stretched back up. I used unsafe methods with masking tape and caused myself some problems, which in turn, caused me to downsize once more. I waited until I was home from Korea to begin my stretching journey for the fourth time.
But my ears are now at a happy 14mm.
I honestly have such a beautiful, extensive collection of plugs and tunnels.
Though some may not find it attractive and some may think it’s extreme or unfashionable, it’s become a large part of my identity as a fashion lover.
I would never want to give up my ears for anything.