Just so you know, regular piercings smell too. Its just a matter of dirt and shampoo and stuff getting in the holes and on the earrings and sitting there. The only way to prevent it is to clean the ear and jewelry everyday, which is annoying and can dry the skin out. I have 11 piercings and they all smell like chicken broth.
actually piercings smell because they secrete a certain fluid that smells. this is hardly noticeable on most piercings but with stretched ears it obviously becomes more noticeable. you can keep them very clean but your body will naturally secrete a substance from your piercings
i have six ear piercings and they don't really smell for - even the new ones. i did notice they did when they were like FRESH piercings but it went away pretty quick. probably subjective
Regular holes smell too, it's true, but no way they smell like a stretched lobe. I've got few piercing, just the labret smells, and it's not even 1% close to the awful, disgusting smell of corpse my stretched lobe used to smell back in the days (and I was washing it all the time).
You could size down by leaving them out as long as possible. they'll probably go down to 4-6mm. Then put a taper in 4mm too large so it becomes an open wound. Leave that for about a day then take it out and get a shower, get the scab all moist. It'll heal pretty cleanly. I've done this several times and I've had stretched ears for like a decade. The biggest I did it from was 16mm. Your body will do the work and heal it for you, no need to spend lots of money. Just don't be daft, make sure its kept clean, moisturised and give it plenty of air.
Personal opinion from working in the piercing industry: go to a mod artist, cosmetic surgeons don't know about piercings anywhere near as much as a mod artist. A mod artist will sew them up in a way that you can pierce them again, a surgeon will probably not.
Thank you! My guy who has helped with my ears is absolutely brilliant, and people just don't realise the difference it can make with regards of where/who you go to x
I went to a cosmetic surgeon to get mine sewn up and he mad it so the scar tissue is by where my ear and face connect and he said that's what most are trained to do so either way she should be fine.
I had 35mm stretched ears and I had both of my ears sewn just over a year ago now, it was a pretty crap experience and I regretted it for months but I'm happy with my decision now that my ears have healed & the scar tissue has settled. Do what makes you happy Helen, I hope everything goes well for you ☺️💜
For me personally I was put under because I had a keloid removed and my ears sewn at the same time. It's really not all that painful, for me the stitches were the worst part but my earlobes were at 35mm so you won't need anywhere near as much work as I did. About a month post op the thought of having my ears repierced made me cringe but over a year later I'm actually really excited to go and have them done now that the scarring has settled so don't worry, you'll be able to have your ears pierced again once you feel ready to do so Helen. 😌
Here's to a new Helen! It makes me feel a tiny bit sad for some reason haha. Maybe be because you introduced me to a world of pretty, decorative plugs that I didn't know existed!
THIS IS ME. YOU ARE ME. I've had mine since 16 also, and I'm not completely at the point where I'm ready to be rid of them, but I've been at 8mm now for a long while, having never gone larger. I do worry when I finally take them out if they will close down to a normal standard size, however a small part of me wants to be the kick-ass granny with stretched ears.
I took my plugs out probably about 2 years ago now, they were at 12mm and have shrunk quite nicely. Don't get your hopes up about wearing tiny studs though, anything small will still slip through my ears! But one tip is look for earrings that have those round see through plastic/rubber backs or just buy some but I can't use the small butterfly style backs because they slip through the front for me! Good luck with the shrinking! :D
Those earring backs that come with the plastic are a godsend lmao! My jeweler friend told me you're actually meant to take them off when you have the normal size of gauge pierced but obviously I use them because otherwise my earrings wouldn't stay in
In case you forgot: "Normal" pierced ears smell, too! Especially cause you cannot wear wood in them. With stretched ears you can wear a lot of lovely wood jewelry and in my experience that doesn't smell at all. :) ...Oh, now you said your ears can't stand wood so well... Well, okay... that's truly annoying!
@@hyssean12 I disagree, Stone's the best. I can wear em' for five days straight (I actually have) and they still didn't smell after I took em' out and that's just cus I went camping. But I still think it depends on genetics. I think this youtuber just had really bad and weak ears. And when I say weak, it's cus she claimed that her plugs kept falling out. Mine never have, and I've had plugs for over 12 years, my skin just holds a good grip.
I took my plugs out a few years ago! I was up to 14mm as well and they're as close to normal as I could ever ask for now. They're like little lines instead of little dots hole-wise but I wear earrings all the time (relatively light ones) and don't even think about it :^)
you should do it more gradual, if you put one size smaller and leave it and keep doing that gradually you have more chance of them shrinking almost completely than leaving them out altogether. it's something to do with the elasticity but you should definitely research it and maybe have a go at that
I found your channel when looking for stretching videos about 4 years ago, so this all feels very full circle! I also realized how long i have been following your life on social media for, so crazy!!
I know you've decided, but some tips for the issues (in case anyone else has similar woes). There's lots of beautiful high quality jewellery on bodyartforms. Acrylic should never be worn as it breaks down causing irritation, silicone should only be Kaos brand as they're the only implant grade silicone maker and others can cause horrible reactions and Wood has to be a certain type and finish to be safe, which is possibly why you had issues with it. Smell. Do you keep them in in the shower? Or put them back in when your ears are still wet? If so, they will start to stink. It's always best to take out your plugs and clean them (which I assume you already do!) have a shower and then wait for them and your plugs to dry before reinserting. All piercing's create a smell because our body naturally secretes sebum and dead cells but if they're wet it creates an unpleasant smell. Losing plugs in sleep etc. A good tip is to train your ears (once you're at your goal size) to not shrink when asleep. So go for 1 hour, then 2, then 3 without your plugs and eventually you can increase it to 8 or so hours. The plugs will then feel nice and fitted in your ears. If they're falling out it means they have naturally loosened to the next size so doing this helps to keep them in if you don't plan on sizing up any time soon. This does not prevent your ears from shrinking if you decided to take them out permanently, as they will shrink to whatever size your body will shrink them to (there's no law on what size you'll shrink to beyond the size your stretched up to as everyone is different, someone could go to an inch and shrink to a normal earring size whereas someone could go to 0g and only shrink back to 6g). Hope this helps anyone reading who is undecided or wants to keep them but these issues are making your reconsider.
The smell differs from person to person, btw. I know some people who have that issue, but I personally dont. I think it is like b.o. in general. Some people get really smelly and some dont. ( I do sleep without them and i rub my lobes with coconut oil, every day, before I put in the plugs, which might help)
Helen I was super drunk one night and fell over, but as I fell my earring got caught on the table and ripped the whole way through my earlobe and fell out. The alcohol meant I didn't feel it, but the manager of the club made me go to hospital. I went to the hospital to get it sewn up and the anaesthetic meant that whilst I could feel the doctor pulling the 2 halves of my earlobe around, it gave me absolutely no pain and I actually fell asleep during the procedure. I would try not to worry about the pain, the numbing is excellent
I can't wait to see how you incorporate earrings into your style! I've always loved the rings and necklaces you wear so add earrings into the mix and I can't wait!! xx
Your eyeshadow looks beautiful in this video. Also, go you for being so confident in a decision you have made for yourself. Sometimes the decision to get rid of a body mod can be just as hard or even harder than the decision to get them done in the first place! I had to get rid of my nose piercing last year which made me rather sad, but ultimately I am happier without it!
Your make up is so pretty! A tutorial of how you got the look would be greatly appreciated! The pink/purple combo looks so nice on your colored eyes :)
I lost one and it was back when I had long stiletto nails so getting them back in was a biiiiitch! ( I use the rubber silicone ones that just make your ears look hollow ) so I didn't bother to put it back in, so I only have one! But I only ever wear one dangle warping at a time so it doesn't bother me much. I can't have normal pierced ears because I'm allergic to nickel. So that's the whole reason I stretched them. WOAH WHAT A NOVEL OF A COMMENT SHADDDUP CORI!
SAME my parents allowed me to stretch mine up just so i would have ear piercings and actually wear jewelry. Now i have three other normal ear piercings and did have my helix and i can only wear retainers because my ears turn green and gross no matter what kind of metal it is
it doesnt matter how small or large your lobes are, if you clean them and wear QUALITY JEWELRY they will not have an odor. this goes with all body jewelry. any piercing will smell if you wear cheap non-implant grade metal. its especially important with stretched lobes because so many people are misinformed. Not everything that says organic stone, organic wood, organic bone etc. are actually organic or safe to wear. good quality jewelry for stretched lobes is hella expensive. if your ears are cheesy or smelly you need to switch your jewelry. and thats something that no amount of soap or washings will be able to help, because the problem isnt in your upkeep its the jewelry itself.
The first video I ever saw of yours was 'Pretty Plug Collection'. I really wanted plugs but was scared they'd look masculine. However, you opened my eyes to the pretty, feminine ones. Thank you! Xx.
I remember when you made plugs! I've been a melon head forever now! Good for you for not caring what others think, I want to be like that more. I think you look gorgeous with or without plugs, just be you and be happy doll. Love you Helen ❤️
I had my ears up to a 12/14mm and it did shrink!! then got them re pierced! through scar tissue and it was fine! I also now wear earrings now and I have had no problems, I do miss my plugs but I am glad I took them out! love you Helen!
For anyone having problems with their plugs I strongly recommend silicone tunnels. They don't smell at all and you can't even feel them. I used to have trouble sleeping with anything else cause it would push against the side of my head. I can't even imagine wearing anything else now, they're rad
I feel there’s more freedom with stretched ears. I’m at a 00g and I don’t miss regular earrings at all. I love all my stone plugs and tunnels and wood plugs.
Helen, please please please will you do an updated hair video. I need your knowledge massively, which products work best for your silver hair, the shampoos that maintain it, the toners that really help to make your hair purple. Which conditioning treatments work. Bleach London is supposed to be great, their silver shampoo and condition but I need your advice!! Thank you x
I love how you share the little things with us 💖🍉 Not only are you changing for yourself but you're documenting it to look at years from now! You help me feel better about the little things I feel sentimental about 😘 I love any version of Helen !
I think it depends on your body too, not only the size you go to like everyone says. I have 16mms and if I leave the plugs out for a whole 24 hours they pinch when I put them back in because of shrinkage. Hope yours shrink up some more, you could always just wear hoops if they don't shrink all the way and wear normal earrings in second lobe piercings instead? Sounds nicer than cutting and stitching, ouch!
I stretched mine out to about 5/8th (American sizing) for about 3 years and then I took them out and had them out for about 2 years and then I stretched them back out! I missed them so much and I'll probably have them for the rest of my life! You'll love wearing normal earrings again girl :D It's like a whole new world all over again. xx
Helen please wait a few months before getting surgery on them! My boyfriend had 20mm stretched ears for about 3 years. He took them out 3 months ago and they are now all back to normal. Leave it a few months. Love you xx
Hey there! I just stumbled across your channel :) So I had 30mm plugs for 7 years and just got them sewn up last month. I went so a boy modification guy/piercer and he did an awesome job. Of course he used an anasthetic (little shots) so I felt nothing at all. I swear my earlobes not look way cuter that they did before I had plugs^^ I really recommend you to got to the piercer rather than the surgeon, because the piercer actually cares about aesthetic while the surgeon usually just cares about closing the hole in your lobe somehow... A lot of ppl have to get their sewn up lobes ''fixed'' at a piercing place. just think about it :) Btw the only thing that was rly uncomfortable about the whole procedure was hearing the noise of the skin tissue being cut. But this took only like 5 minutes per ear so you should be fine :) Have a nice day! xx
Your body your decision girl! I took out 3 of my piercings recently and people were so shocked - same as you really, woke up one day and just decided I was tired of them and they had to go! It's no big deal and as long as you're happy then that's all that matters 🤘🏻 love you girl 💖
I had my ears stretched to about 19mm. I took them out 3 years ago and they are down to about 5mm. I can wear most earrings as long as they have a larger flat front. The best way to assure they shrink as small as possible is to massage with lots of vitamin E oil. Also if you can stretch up to the next size and as soon as you can get the jewelry in take it out so it creates a fresh wound, this makes it easier for your body to heal itself.
I would recommend a guy called Paddy. He is by far one of the best people I've found. He has so much experience, is EXTREMELY hygienic, and all his instruments are sanitised. He works at Equilibrium in Worksop. I've gone to him for keloid removal, and they have healed perfectly. He has plenty of references, a brilliant portfolio, and is such a lovely guy. It's a bit of a drive, but is worth every penny. I hope you really consider for Paddy to stitch your ears up x
if you use jojoba oil its supposed to help them stay elastic and get smaller. i had a friend that went from 18mm to 4mm, i think the trick is to keep them 'stretchy' so they get smaller
Helen if your lucky you might not even need them sowed up, my friend was at 15mm and they completely shrunk back to normal, I'm 18 and have both ears at 12mm and have had them for 4 years xx
Such a cool video! I don't have gaged ears, but I know a lot of people who do, and i've always found the process of getting them or getting rid of them super interesting. Thanks Helen!
I had my ears sewn up in June! I absolutely am so grateful for it! BUT it's recommended that you not pierce your ears again until after 6 months after the procedure!
I had a friend who went up to an 18 and then took them out and they healed back to normal so you might not need the sewing. I currently have 10s so would be very interested to see how yours heal, keep us updated melon lady xx
I've been thinking about this recently too, my ears were stretched to 40mm and 25mm and then one day i decided to take them out for a few months and let them rest. two years later and my ears are still pretty naked, thye have shrunk to 14mm and 24mm. I occasionally put plugs in but not very often as they stretch back up really quickly and i am continuously having to buy new plugs. I'm coming to a point in my life where i'm training to be a nurse and they just don't seem like a priority anymore. i would love you to keep making updates on your ears and how the surgery has gone! xxx
Little tip I did with mine and they eventually went back to normal mine wasn't as big though. You can get paper stitches from tesco or boots anywhere with a first aid section, you use abojt two cut in half and just pull your bottom lobe up but it will help to tighten up and not sag xx
I've been thinking of taking mind out too. I just kind of feel over it. I've had mine since I was about 17 also. Sometimes you just don't want them anymore. Yannnnno?
Sometimes you can remove plugs for no reason. I removed mine and I have no justification for it. Humans change and don't need to reason everything they do.
I had mine sewn up at a cosmetic surgeon! They were just as big as yours and they stopped shrinking at about 4mm or so. They dont put you under for the surgery, they numb you with syringes and the creepy part is that you can hear the *snip*snip* but its over really quick and for me there wasnt any scarring.
Hey! So a TH-camr called QCKND Just posted a one year one thing about her plug reconstruction! She got it done by a piercer, they give you local anaesthetic so you feel nothing then sow them up! You won't be able to wear earrings for at least a year when it heals and her ears were super red for a few months. A year on and you can still see her scar, even though it's white. Hope this helps :) I'm also considering it and am also 24mm.
I love how you're missing earrings.. I've got 3 piercings in each lobe and had them done since I was 6 ( the first ones that is) and I envy people with their gorgeous plugs!!! Watching your plug collection video made me want to do mine but I don't think I have the patience to stretch them safely..
I would really recommend giving it time. The amount of 'schrinkage' really differs from person to person. Might take a while, but it could mean not having to go though scary surgery!
I'm EXACTLY the same, I took mine out earlier this year, I made a video on it actually! Mine are now down to about a 6mm and I can wear quite a lot of earrings now :) I work in Claires and we sell supportive earring backs which have been a life saver! They hold your earrings in place while they're still a bit bigger
I did the exact same thing as you, had one stretched ear then stretched the other like a few years later. Went to 8mm, woke up one morning and decided I'd had enough, mostly for your reasons although I did get my ears pierced higher up to wear earrings it just wasn't the same. It's been a good few months now and they've shrunk a fair bit, but not as much as I'd hoped. I was always told the, they go back if you stay below 8mm so I always did, but I currently have 3mm stone plugs in because it was driving me up the wall having earrings falling out all the time. I'm glad I did it, just a little sad they didn't shrink as much as I'd hoped :( Maybe they will in time, I hope. Because I don't plan on getting them sewn for the sake of a 3mm hole... Good luck with yours! :) PS love your videos, so glad I found your channel 💕
I remember when I first stretched my ears, I looked up videos of "pretty plug collections" and found yours and that's how I discovered your channel!!! So glad I did! I miss earrings but I think I'm gonna keep my plugs for as long as I can lol
You were actually the reason why I wanted to start stretching my ears. But I understand your reasons, I've debating taking mine out so many times, but I think they just complete me.
I'm 33years old and I've had my ears stretched for a couple of years now your show was the first one I watched on tb and your what inspired me to stretch my ears!!!! may I ask what your going to be doing with your stone plugs???
Omg you're the reason I stretched my ears years ago! I also took mine out though, same reason I missed regular earrings. Mine closed up almost completely, so happy about that. I made it up to a 0 gage and was always told it was the point of no return but they're normal holes now and I wear regular earrings all the time! 💚💚
Hey Helen, just thought you might be interested to know bio oil helps when shrinking your holes. my friend had 16mm holes and put bio oil on every day and within a year she could wear normal studs without them falling out and the bio oil stopped them from looking like a cats bum hole as they were shrinking. I'm still loving my plugs and want them bigger 😊 I totally get what you mean about wanting to wear normal earrings though. xx
So glad you made this video! I've been thinking about taking mine out for ages and seeing someone else have the same reasons has put my mind at rest for sure 💕👌🏼
Adrian Richards at aroura clinics did my partners! took no time to do procedure and they healed so well. You would never tell that he used to have plugs. furthermore, the skin is so good that the surgeon said that he could have his ears pierced again for a normal stud :)
omg! i remember your old plug hauls and diy plug videos and i wanted to stretch my ears so badly when i saw your pretty plugs and my mum always said no, haha. your make up is gorgeous in this video, please do a tutorial!
oh my God I remember when you used to make plugs, such a long time ago ! it reminded me I've been watching you since you started on here & just wanted to say I'm really proud of you & love you loads
That's awesome that you're doing this c: maybe you could take a picture of one of your ears everyday and make a video of sped up of how they've shrunken! That would be super neat!
Helen I just f*cking love you!!!!! Thank you for sharing all these absolutely great and inspiring ways to start TH-cam! I was really struggling myself, and thought it would be boring to follow the crowd. You have just been who YOU are and I LOOOOVVE that! Never be someone else always be WHO YOU ARE! xx love ya xx
I feel you. I used to have stretched ears for years, and I also preferred stone plugs, but I will always lose them as well. And it dit bring out some anxiety, I remember one time I lost one plug in class, and my ear just smelled so bad, then somebody found the plug, and of course that smelled as well, and the boy who found it almost puked. And everybody knew it was mine, because no one else had stretched ears, so everybody just thought I was this disgusting person with smelly ears, lol. I decided to take mine out when I inherited some really beautiful and expensive earrings from my great grandmother. I had 16mm stretched ears, but they shrinked back to almost normal within a few months. I didn't need to get them sewn, thank god! :)
I've had my plugs for over 9 years, I'm at an inch and clean them about every other day and they never smell. I've had friends smell them too and they too said that they don't smell. You have to take them out once in awhile to air them out. If your plugs smell then you're doing something wrong.
I was mainly inspired by you to stretch my ears because I thought they were so cute on you! And I loved your pretty plug video!! You always had the cutest plugs ever😊 but I hope the process back to ear rings goes good!! What will you do with your plug collection now? 💖💖
That is EXACTLY why I took mine out and how I feel. They have shrunk back to the point where I can wear most normal earrings again. But I still worry when I wear earrings, that they might get looser again. I have been contemplating having them sewn up. But other people tell me they look fine. But I just want earring holes that are tight again, like before I ever stretched them. When I could wear heavy earrings and they'd hurt afterwards, instead of not daring to wear any dangling earrings because I'm afraid they'd droop and stretch the holes. I feel vain for considering this just because I want them absolutely perfect, when I have been this lucky with the shrinkage I've had.. They say they keep shrinking until about a year, so Helen, I'd recommend waiting one year, see how small they get, and then get the surgery. (I'm also horribly afraid of having surgery and hearing them cutting and cauterizing, haha).
They should be able to pierce through scar tissue just fine. I've never heard of that being an issue. I've gotten pierced through scar tissue before. It hurts significantly more, though. Just a heads up. They'll be more tender than normal, but they should be fine once they heal.
That's why I think it is cool to just have one ear with a plug and the other one with a regular piercing because you get the best of both worlds there really :)
My friend got his done through the NHS and I think it cost £160 an ear. I love mine but I understand why you'd be ready to get rid of them, especially about the smell thing!
I had my ears reconstructed from 2" to nothing,and my nostrils from 7/16 to nothing 3 years ago, and you can't tell anything had ever been there. I still have my septum at half inch, and my conch and flat at 7/16, but have no interest in reconstructing them. Good luck with yours!!
Just so you know, regular piercings smell too. Its just a matter of dirt and shampoo and stuff getting in the holes and on the earrings and sitting there. The only way to prevent it is to clean the ear and jewelry everyday, which is annoying and can dry the skin out. I have 11 piercings and they all smell like chicken broth.
I've had my ears pieces for 11 years and they've never smelt apart from when they were healing! Most be just for some people and not others
actually piercings smell because they secrete a certain fluid that smells. this is hardly noticeable on most piercings but with stretched ears it obviously becomes more noticeable. you can keep them very clean but your body will naturally secrete a substance from your piercings
i have six ear piercings and they don't really smell for - even the new ones. i did notice they did when they were like FRESH piercings but it went away pretty quick. probably subjective
Regular holes smell too, it's true, but no way they smell like a stretched lobe. I've got few piercing, just the labret smells, and it's not even 1% close to the awful, disgusting smell of corpse my stretched lobe used to smell back in the days (and I was washing it all the time).
my streched ones smell the same as my normal lobe piercings.
You could size down by leaving them out as long as possible. they'll probably go down to 4-6mm. Then put a taper in 4mm too large so it becomes an open wound. Leave that for about a day then take it out and get a shower, get the scab all moist. It'll heal pretty cleanly. I've done this several times and I've had stretched ears for like a decade. The biggest I did it from was 16mm. Your body will do the work and heal it for you, no need to spend lots of money. Just don't be daft, make sure its kept clean, moisturised and give it plenty of air.
Goff Ze Goff no need to get it sewed up I was 12 and went all the way back to a piercing
Personal opinion from working in the piercing industry: go to a mod artist, cosmetic surgeons don't know about piercings anywhere near as much as a mod artist. A mod artist will sew them up in a way that you can pierce them again, a surgeon will probably not.
Thank you! My guy who has helped with my ears is absolutely brilliant, and people just don't realise the difference it can make with regards of where/who you go to x
I went to a cosmetic surgeon to get mine sewn up and he mad it so the scar tissue is by where my ear and face connect and he said that's what most are trained to do so either way she should be fine.
So glad someone else said this too 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
where can you find a good mod artist?
indirawr23 how much does that cost??
I had 35mm stretched ears and I had both of my ears sewn just over a year ago now, it was a pretty crap experience and I regretted it for months but I'm happy with my decision now that my ears have healed & the scar tissue has settled. Do what makes you happy Helen, I hope everything goes well for you ☺️💜
For me personally I was put under because I had a keloid removed and my ears sewn at the same time. It's really not all that painful, for me the stitches were the worst part but my earlobes were at 35mm so you won't need anywhere near as much work as I did. About a month post op the thought of having my ears repierced made me cringe but over a year later I'm actually really excited to go and have them done now that the scarring has settled so don't worry, you'll be able to have your ears pierced again once you feel ready to do so Helen. 😌
Beautiful before, beautiful after. It's cool that you're the type of person who can quit things immediately lol.
That's how i gave up smoking just quit without any problems or cravings.
GothicaBeauty. That's awesome as heck!
+GothicaBeauty. My dad was the same way. Hasn't had one in 10 years. Just one day, quit cold turkey
lilipurr Dope! :)
Here's to a new Helen! It makes me feel a tiny bit sad for some reason haha. Maybe be because you introduced me to a world of pretty, decorative plugs that I didn't know existed!
its ok i still love them!!!
Same here I found her channel because I was looking for decorative plugs
I don't like the new comment section.....
why?
Same! 😭
What's new about it
It is different on the iOS TH-cam app. It's so bulky and weird.
Also on android!
THIS IS ME. YOU ARE ME. I've had mine since 16 also, and I'm not completely at the point where I'm ready to be rid of them, but I've been at 8mm now for a long while, having never gone larger. I do worry when I finally take them out if they will close down to a normal standard size, however a small part of me wants to be the kick-ass granny with stretched ears.
I took my plugs out probably about 2 years ago now, they were at 12mm and have shrunk quite nicely. Don't get your hopes up about wearing tiny studs though, anything small will still slip through my ears! But one tip is look for earrings that have those round see through plastic/rubber backs or just buy some but I can't use the small butterfly style backs because they slip through the front for me! Good luck with the shrinking! :D
Those earring backs that come with the plastic are a godsend lmao! My jeweler friend told me you're actually meant to take them off when you have the normal size of gauge pierced but obviously I use them because otherwise my earrings wouldn't stay in
i love the eyeshadow! matches your hair so well
I don't have streched ears but I found this video really intresting! xx
Me too!!!
In case you forgot: "Normal" pierced ears smell, too! Especially cause you cannot wear wood in them. With stretched ears you can wear a lot of lovely wood jewelry and in my experience that doesn't smell at all. :) ...Oh, now you said your ears can't stand wood so well... Well, okay... that's truly annoying!
lifelikeatob yep wood is the best completely eliminated any smelly issues.
@@hyssean12 I disagree, Stone's the best. I can wear em' for five days straight (I actually have) and they still didn't smell after I took em' out and that's just cus I went camping. But I still think it depends on genetics. I think this youtuber just had really bad and weak ears. And when I say weak, it's cus she claimed that her plugs kept falling out. Mine never have, and I've had plugs for over 12 years, my skin just holds a good grip.
@@walkingcorpse1224 how can you disagree about my experience? Lol
I took my plugs out a few years ago! I was up to 14mm as well and they're as close to normal as I could ever ask for now. They're like little lines instead of little dots hole-wise but I wear earrings all the time (relatively light ones) and don't even think about it :^)
girl please do a tutorial, ur eyemakeup is so dreamy and gorgeous
I second that!!! Tutorial please!!!!!!! Your makeup was gorgeous!!
you should do it more gradual, if you put one size smaller and leave it and keep doing that gradually you have more chance of them shrinking almost completely than leaving them out altogether. it's something to do with the elasticity but you should definitely research it and maybe have a go at that
massage them with jojoba oil too :)
I second this! Had mine for 5/6 years and they were 10mm! It doesn't take long at all and I'm happily wearing earrings again! :)
i had mines at 22 mm and now they are at 10 i think :)
Shannon McCluskey 10mm is tiny
I found your channel when looking for stretching videos about 4 years ago, so this all feels very full circle! I also realized how long i have been following your life on social media for, so crazy!!
No way, one of the reasons i streched my ears was your VIDEO about your earplugs.
oh noo!! haha. Its ok though still!! i still think theyre cool! xxxx
I know you've decided, but some tips for the issues (in case anyone else has similar woes).
There's lots of beautiful high quality jewellery on bodyartforms. Acrylic should never be worn as it breaks down causing irritation, silicone should only be Kaos brand as they're the only implant grade silicone maker and others can cause horrible reactions and Wood has to be a certain type and finish to be safe, which is possibly why you had issues with it.
Smell. Do you keep them in in the shower? Or put them back in when your ears are still wet? If so, they will start to stink. It's always best to take out your plugs and clean them (which I assume you already do!) have a shower and then wait for them and your plugs to dry before reinserting. All piercing's create a smell because our body naturally secretes sebum and dead cells but if they're wet it creates an unpleasant smell.
Losing plugs in sleep etc. A good tip is to train your ears (once you're at your goal size) to not shrink when asleep. So go for 1 hour, then 2, then 3 without your plugs and eventually you can increase it to 8 or so hours. The plugs will then feel nice and fitted in your ears. If they're falling out it means they have naturally loosened to the next size so doing this helps to keep them in if you don't plan on sizing up any time soon. This does not prevent your ears from shrinking if you decided to take them out permanently, as they will shrink to whatever size your body will shrink them to (there's no law on what size you'll shrink to beyond the size your stretched up to as everyone is different, someone could go to an inch and shrink to a normal earring size whereas someone could go to 0g and only shrink back to 6g).
Hope this helps anyone reading who is undecided or wants to keep them but these issues are making your reconsider.
The smell differs from person to person, btw. I know some people who have that issue, but I personally dont. I think it is like b.o. in general. Some people get really smelly and some dont. ( I do sleep without them and i rub my lobes with coconut oil, every day, before I put in the plugs, which might help)
Exactly. Mine don't smell because I oil mine every night and I don't sleep in my plugs.
AAAAAAHHH that eye makeup is absolutely gorgeous do you have a video on it or can you make one? It's stunning!
Can you do a makeup tutorial for this makeup look?
Your eyeshadow has just been exquisite lately! You look beautiful as always! Love you and your videos!!!
Helen I was super drunk one night and fell over, but as I fell my earring got caught on the table and ripped the whole way through my earlobe and fell out. The alcohol meant I didn't feel it, but the manager of the club made me go to hospital. I went to the hospital to get it sewn up and the anaesthetic meant that whilst I could feel the doctor pulling the 2 halves of my earlobe around, it gave me absolutely no pain and I actually fell asleep during the procedure. I would try not to worry about the pain, the numbing is excellent
Everyone says plugs smell but I swear on my life I've never had one of my plugs smell. Ever.
Lucky you!! For real not being sarcastic that's super lucky. I dated a guy with them and they did smell!
Nicole Moore Haha I think I'd be grossed out if they did. I'm a little sensitive to yucky smells. 😷
Not everyone has the same body.
Nicole Moore 1 year later... he didnt take em off when he showered or cleaned his ears and the plugs daily
Maybe it depends on your skin type
Can you do a tutorial on the eyeshadow you're wearing 😻
ooh yes I'd love to!! xxxx
I second this! Gorrrrgeous colours!! 💕🤗
I can't wait to see how you incorporate earrings into your style! I've always loved the rings and necklaces you wear so add earrings into the mix and I can't wait!! xx
Your eyeshadow looks beautiful in this video. Also, go you for being so confident in a decision you have made for yourself. Sometimes the decision to get rid of a body mod can be just as hard or even harder than the decision to get them done in the first place! I had to get rid of my nose piercing last year which made me rather sad, but ultimately I am happier without it!
Your make up is so pretty! A tutorial of how you got the look would be greatly appreciated! The pink/purple combo looks so nice on your colored eyes :)
I lost one and it was back when I had long stiletto nails so getting them back in was a biiiiitch! ( I use the rubber silicone ones that just make your ears look hollow ) so I didn't bother to put it back in, so I only have one! But I only ever wear one dangle warping at a time so it doesn't bother me much. I can't have normal pierced ears because I'm allergic to nickel. So that's the whole reason I stretched them. WOAH WHAT A NOVEL OF A COMMENT SHADDDUP CORI!
Earring* not warping.
SAME my parents allowed me to stretch mine up just so i would have ear piercings and actually wear jewelry. Now i have three other normal ear piercings and did have my helix and i can only wear retainers because my ears turn green and gross no matter what kind of metal it is
I also stretched mine because I can't wear nickle. I don't think I'll ever take mine out lol.
it doesnt matter how small or large your lobes are, if you clean them and wear QUALITY JEWELRY they will not have an odor.
this goes with all body jewelry. any piercing will smell if you wear cheap non-implant grade metal.
its especially important with stretched lobes because so many people are misinformed. Not everything that says organic stone, organic wood, organic bone etc. are actually organic or safe to wear. good quality jewelry for stretched lobes is hella expensive. if your ears are cheesy or smelly you need to switch your jewelry. and thats something that no amount of soap or washings will be able to help, because the problem isnt in your upkeep its the jewelry itself.
It's pretty cool that you're changing it up, hopefully they'll close enough by themselves so that you don't need surgery :)
Dear Helen, I love your background as much as I love you! May I ask where it's from? :)
Yeh I'd love to know
Too :)
its a tinsel curtain my darl xxxx
The first video I ever saw of yours was 'Pretty Plug Collection'. I really wanted plugs but was scared they'd look masculine. However, you opened my eyes to the pretty, feminine ones. Thank you! Xx.
id probably watch a video of you talking about paint drying i find you so fun and interesting to watch
I remember when you made plugs! I've been a melon head forever now! Good for you for not caring what others think, I want to be like that more. I think you look gorgeous with or without plugs, just be you and be happy doll. Love you Helen ❤️
I had my ears up to a 12/14mm and it did shrink!! then got them re pierced! through scar tissue and it was fine! I also now wear earrings now and I have had no problems, I do miss my plugs but I am glad I took them out! love you Helen!
For anyone having problems with their plugs I strongly recommend silicone tunnels. They don't smell at all and you can't even feel them. I used to have trouble sleeping with anything else cause it would push against the side of my head. I can't even imagine wearing anything else now, they're rad
I feel there’s more freedom with stretched ears. I’m at a 00g and I don’t miss regular earrings at all. I love all my stone plugs and tunnels and wood plugs.
You somehow remind me of Helen Bonham Carter!
I feel you! I think it's her nose/mouth area that is kind of similar to Helena's :)
same jaw too!
omg yes !!
Helen, please please please will you do an updated hair video. I need your knowledge massively, which products work best for your silver hair, the shampoos that maintain it, the toners that really help to make your hair purple. Which conditioning treatments work. Bleach London is supposed to be great, their silver shampoo and condition but I need your advice!! Thank you x
I love how you share the little things with us 💖🍉 Not only are you changing for yourself but you're documenting it to look at years from now! You help me feel better about the little things I feel sentimental about 😘 I love any version of Helen !
I think it depends on your body too, not only the size you go to like everyone says. I have 16mms and if I leave the plugs out for a whole 24 hours they pinch when I put them back in because of shrinkage. Hope yours shrink up some more, you could always just wear hoops if they don't shrink all the way and wear normal earrings in second lobe piercings instead? Sounds nicer than cutting and stitching, ouch!
I stretched mine out to about 5/8th (American sizing) for about 3 years and then I took them out and had them out for about 2 years and then I stretched them back out! I missed them so much and I'll probably have them for the rest of my life! You'll love wearing normal earrings again girl :D It's like a whole new world all over again. xx
Helen please wait a few months before getting surgery on them! My boyfriend had 20mm stretched ears for about 3 years. He took them out 3 months ago and they are now all back to normal. Leave it a few months. Love you xx
Hey there! I just stumbled across your channel :)
So I had 30mm plugs for 7 years and just got them sewn up last month.
I went so a boy modification guy/piercer and he did an awesome job. Of course he used an anasthetic (little shots) so I felt nothing at all. I swear my earlobes not look way cuter that they did before I had plugs^^ I really recommend you to got to the piercer rather than the surgeon, because the piercer actually cares about aesthetic while the surgeon usually just cares about closing the hole in your lobe somehow... A lot of ppl have to get their sewn up lobes ''fixed'' at a piercing place. just think about it :)
Btw the only thing that was rly uncomfortable about the whole procedure was hearing the noise of the skin tissue being cut. But this took only like 5 minutes per ear so you should be fine :)
Have a nice day! xx
Your body your decision girl! I took out 3 of my piercings recently and people were so shocked - same as you really, woke up one day and just decided I was tired of them and they had to go! It's no big deal and as long as you're happy then that's all that matters 🤘🏻 love you girl 💖
I had my ears stretched to about 19mm. I took them out 3 years ago and they are down to about 5mm. I can wear most earrings as long as they have a larger flat front. The best way to assure they shrink as small as possible is to massage with lots of vitamin E oil. Also if you can stretch up to the next size and as soon as you can get the jewelry in take it out so it creates a fresh wound, this makes it easier for your body to heal itself.
I would recommend a guy called Paddy. He is by far one of the best people I've found. He has so much experience, is EXTREMELY hygienic, and all his instruments are sanitised. He works at Equilibrium in Worksop. I've gone to him for keloid removal, and they have healed perfectly. He has plenty of references, a brilliant portfolio, and is such a lovely guy. It's a bit of a drive, but is worth every penny. I hope you really consider for Paddy to stitch your ears up x
if you use jojoba oil its supposed to help them stay elastic and get smaller. i had a friend that went from 18mm to 4mm, i think the trick is to keep them 'stretchy' so they get smaller
Helen if your lucky you might not even need them sowed up, my friend was at 15mm and they completely shrunk back to normal, I'm 18 and have both ears at 12mm and have had them for 4 years xx
Helen your makeup in this vid is GORGEOUS.
Such a cool video! I don't have gaged ears, but I know a lot of people who do, and i've always found the process of getting them or getting rid of them super interesting. Thanks Helen!
I had my ears sewn up in June! I absolutely am so grateful for it! BUT it's recommended that you not pierce your ears again until after 6 months after the procedure!
I had a friend who went up to an 18 and then took them out and they healed back to normal so you might not need the sewing. I currently have 10s so would be very interested to see how yours heal, keep us updated melon lady xx
I've been thinking about this recently too, my ears were stretched to 40mm and 25mm and then one day i decided to take them out for a few months and let them rest. two years later and my ears are still pretty naked, thye have shrunk to 14mm and 24mm. I occasionally put plugs in but not very often as they stretch back up really quickly and i am continuously having to buy new plugs. I'm coming to a point in my life where i'm training to be a nurse and they just don't seem like a priority anymore. i would love you to keep making updates on your ears and how the surgery has gone! xxx
Little tip I did with mine and they eventually went back to normal mine wasn't as big though. You can get paper stitches from tesco or boots anywhere with a first aid section, you use abojt two cut in half and just pull your bottom lobe up but it will help to tighten up and not sag xx
I've been thinking of taking mind out too. I just kind of feel over it. I've had mine since I was about 17 also. Sometimes you just don't want them anymore. Yannnnno?
Sometimes you can remove plugs for no reason. I removed mine and I have no justification for it. Humans change and don't need to reason everything they do.
I had mine sewn up at a cosmetic surgeon! They were just as big as yours and they stopped shrinking at about 4mm or so. They dont put you under for the surgery, they numb you with syringes and the creepy part is that you can hear the *snip*snip* but its over really quick and for me there wasnt any scarring.
This is exactly how I felt when I decided to take out my nose piercing! I haven't looked back! Loved this video, really refreshing! xx
Hey! So a TH-camr called QCKND Just posted a one year one thing about her plug reconstruction! She got it done by a piercer, they give you local anaesthetic so you feel nothing then sow them up! You won't be able to wear earrings for at least a year when it heals and her ears were super red for a few months. A year on and you can still see her scar, even though it's white. Hope this helps :) I'm also considering it and am also 24mm.
*14!
I love how you're missing earrings.. I've got 3 piercings in each lobe and had them done since I was 6 ( the first ones that is) and I envy people with their gorgeous plugs!!! Watching your plug collection video made me want to do mine but I don't think I have the patience to stretch them safely..
I would really recommend giving it time. The amount of 'schrinkage' really differs from person to person. Might take a while, but it could mean not having to go though scary surgery!
I'm EXACTLY the same, I took mine out earlier this year, I made a video on it actually! Mine are now down to about a 6mm and I can wear quite a lot of earrings now :) I work in Claires and we sell supportive earring backs which have been a life saver! They hold your earrings in place while they're still a bit bigger
the smell also depends on the type of stretcher, i find steel tunnel don't smell at all but plastic acrylic ones are the worst same with silicon
I did the exact same thing as you, had one stretched ear then stretched the other like a few years later. Went to 8mm, woke up one morning and decided I'd had enough, mostly for your reasons although I did get my ears pierced higher up to wear earrings it just wasn't the same. It's been a good few months now and they've shrunk a fair bit, but not as much as I'd hoped.
I was always told the, they go back if you stay below 8mm so I always did, but I currently have 3mm stone plugs in because it was driving me up the wall having earrings falling out all the time.
I'm glad I did it, just a little sad they didn't shrink as much as I'd hoped :(
Maybe they will in time, I hope. Because I don't plan on getting them sewn for the sake of a 3mm hole...
Good luck with yours! :)
PS love your videos, so glad I found your channel 💕
I can already feel an earring haul coming on😍 God I love her so much, she says what she thinks and I admire that💘
I remember when I first stretched my ears, I looked up videos of "pretty plug collections" and found yours and that's how I discovered your channel!!! So glad I did! I miss earrings but I think I'm gonna keep my plugs for as long as I can lol
You were actually the reason why I wanted to start stretching my ears. But I understand your reasons, I've debating taking mine out so many times, but I think they just complete me.
I'm 33years old and I've had my ears stretched for a couple of years now your show was the first one I watched on tb and your what inspired me to stretch my ears!!!! may I ask what your going to be doing with your stone plugs???
If you had a plug store you could use your TH-cam channel to plug your plugs
HA - HAAAAAAAA XXX I like you
Omg you're the reason I stretched my ears years ago! I also took mine out though, same reason I missed regular earrings. Mine closed up almost completely, so happy about that. I made it up to a 0 gage and was always told it was the point of no return but they're normal holes now and I wear regular earrings all the time! 💚💚
your eye makeup is gorgeous in this wow
Good for you Helen :) I definitely think going to a cosmetic surgeon is the right choice!
Wtf I don't know how I got here, but your hair and eye makeup is amazing, and you're literally one of the prettiest people I've ever seen
Hey Helen, just thought you might be interested to know bio oil helps when shrinking your holes. my friend had 16mm holes and put bio oil on every day and within a year she could wear normal studs without them falling out and the bio oil stopped them from looking like a cats bum hole as they were shrinking. I'm still loving my plugs and want them bigger 😊 I totally get what you mean about wanting to wear normal earrings though. xx
makeup is cute in this, tutorial pls
So glad you made this video! I've been thinking about taking mine out for ages and seeing someone else have the same reasons has put my mind at rest for sure 💕👌🏼
You look soooo pretty and I love your eyeshadow! Can you do a make up tutorial on this please 😍
Your plug video was the reason I found your channel!!xx
Adrian Richards at aroura clinics did my partners! took no time to do procedure and they healed so well. You would never tell that he used to have plugs. furthermore, the skin is so good that the surgeon said that he could have his ears pierced again for a normal stud :)
omg! i remember your old plug hauls and diy plug videos and i wanted to stretch my ears so badly when i saw your pretty plugs and my mum always said no, haha. your make up is gorgeous in this video, please do a tutorial!
oh my God I remember when you used to make plugs, such a long time ago ! it reminded me I've been watching you since you started on here & just wanted to say I'm really proud of you & love you loads
That's awesome that you're doing this c: maybe you could take a picture of one of your ears everyday and make a video of sped up of how they've shrunken! That would be super neat!
Helen I just f*cking love you!!!!! Thank you for sharing all these absolutely great and inspiring ways to start TH-cam! I was really struggling myself, and thought it would be boring to follow the crowd. You have just been who YOU are and I LOOOOVVE that! Never be someone else always be WHO YOU ARE! xx love ya xx
I feel you. I used to have stretched ears for years, and I also preferred stone plugs, but I will always lose them as well. And it dit bring out some anxiety, I remember one time I lost one plug in class, and my ear just smelled so bad, then somebody found the plug, and of course that smelled as well, and the boy who found it almost puked. And everybody knew it was mine, because no one else had stretched ears, so everybody just thought I was this disgusting person with smelly ears, lol. I decided to take mine out when I inherited some really beautiful and expensive earrings from my great grandmother. I had 16mm stretched ears, but they shrinked back to almost normal within a few months. I didn't need to get them sewn, thank god! :)
omg your eyeshadow looks amazing!!!
I've had my plugs for over 9 years, I'm at an inch and clean them about every other day and they never smell. I've had friends smell them too and they too said that they don't smell. You have to take them out once in awhile to air them out. If your plugs smell then you're doing something wrong.
I recently booked an appointment for getting my earlobes fixed. I am so excited, I miss having "normal" ears
I was mainly inspired by you to stretch my ears because I thought they were so cute on you! And I loved your pretty plug video!! You always had the cutest plugs ever😊 but I hope the process back to ear rings goes good!! What will you do with your plug collection now? 💖💖
That is EXACTLY why I took mine out and how I feel. They have shrunk back to the point where I can wear most normal earrings again. But I still worry when I wear earrings, that they might get looser again. I have been contemplating having them sewn up. But other people tell me they look fine. But I just want earring holes that are tight again, like before I ever stretched them. When I could wear heavy earrings and they'd hurt afterwards, instead of not daring to wear any dangling earrings because I'm afraid they'd droop and stretch the holes. I feel vain for considering this just because I want them absolutely perfect, when I have been this lucky with the shrinkage I've had..
They say they keep shrinking until about a year, so Helen, I'd recommend waiting one year, see how small they get, and then get the surgery. (I'm also horribly afraid of having surgery and hearing them cutting and cauterizing, haha).
Please keep us updated. I got mine 11 years now and I miss earrings too! And yesss, it smells hahah
They should be able to pierce through scar tissue just fine. I've never heard of that being an issue. I've gotten pierced through scar tissue before. It hurts significantly more, though. Just a heads up. They'll be more tender than normal, but they should be fine once they heal.
Helen you are such an awesome person!! an inspiration too anyone who watches you!!
Your eyeshadow looks so great!
That's why I think it is cool to just have one ear with a plug and the other one with a regular piercing because you get the best of both worlds there really :)
I recently put my plugs out of my ears as well because of the exact same reasons! I'm also really happy with the difference it makes to the face! x
I'm loving your eye makeup in this video!
My friend got his done through the NHS and I think it cost £160 an ear. I love mine but I understand why you'd be ready to get rid of them, especially about the smell thing!
I had my ears reconstructed from 2" to nothing,and my nostrils from 7/16 to nothing 3 years ago, and you can't tell anything had ever been there. I still have my septum at half inch, and my conch and flat at 7/16, but have no interest in reconstructing them. Good luck with yours!!