5 Tips for Choosing the Best Ear Tunnels for Your Style

The Guinness record for the most facial flesh tunnels was set in 2020 by UK resident James Goss. When he broke the record, the man had over 14 facial flesh tunnels. 

Of course, you don't have to go that far with your body modification style. You can, but even less complicated body mod accessories can effectively showcase your uniqueness. Ear tunnels are a good example. 

But you shouldn't just rush into choosing ear tunnels. You may find that some of them are uncomfortable and/or too difficult for you to take care of. Others may not match your style. 

Read on to get five tips that can help you choose the right ear tunnels. 

1. Know the Possible Consequences 

While this is changing, many hiring agents think that ear plugs and tunnels look unprofessional. So once you stretch your ears to a certain width, you may find it difficult to land jobs in certain fields. This hurdle can negatively impact the amount of success you find in life. 

Some Fields Accept Gauges

The more artistic fields may be more accommodating to body modifications. But if you don't plan on going into one of those fields, you probably want to avoid stretching out your ears. 

Think Carefully

You need to think carefully before you travel down the road of ear gauge tunnels. Once you modify your body in this way, it's difficult to change it back. Make sure that you know about and are okay with all the consequences you could face. 

2. Consider the Health of Your Ears 

Ear stretching involves a lot more legwork than you think. There are a lot of steps that you need to take to keep your ears healthy throughout the stretching process. You also need to wear ear tunnels and plugs of certain materials while your ears heal from a recent stretch. 

Porous Materials 

Materials like stone, bone, and wood are porous. This means that there are unseen holes throughout the material. These holes can harbor dangerous bacteria. 

Non-Porous Materials 

When you've just stretched out your ears, the skin has likely torn a bit. The bacteria in porous materials can easily invade these tears and cause an infection. So if you're in the process of stretching your ears out, get plenty of non-porous glass and metal tunnels for ears. 

3. Don't Stretch Your Ears Too Fast 

It's hard to be patient sometimes, but your ears can only stretch so fast. Don't get the huge gauges first expecting that you'll be able to shove them in your ears right away. Get some smaller gauges first to hold your earlobe in place as it stretches. 

Use a Taper 

Also, you shouldn't use a gauge to stretch your ear. You need to instead use a tool called a taper. Sterilize this tool, lubricate it, and then insert it into your piercing slowly until it feels like you've reached a limit. 

Let Earlobes Heal

Once you're done using the taper, put a gauge in the stretched-out earlobe. You then need to let your ears heal for one to two months before you attempt to stretch them out again. So wait a while before you buy a gauge that's the next size up. 

4. Make Sure You Can Take Care of Your Plugs 

Those cute ear gauges that you're eying now won't stay new forever. They may even wear down even faster if you don't take proper care of them. Before you get ear tunnel plugs of certain materials, make sure that you give them the proper care they deserve. 

Metal Ear Tunnels 

For example, gold ear tunnels and ones made of other metals can scratch easily. You have to make sure that you keep them in a safe place when you're not wearing them. You also have to make sure that you clean them in ways that won't cause damage. 

Other Materials

Also, wood plugs can't be submerged in water as this causes the wood to warp. You can't wear silicone plugs in pools as the chlorine will discolor them. You have to sterilize acrylic plugs with alcohol and peroxide, but make sure that you don't use too much. 

Care for Plugs 

In general, you need to research the needs of all different kinds of materials and treat them well. If you can't provide your ideal types of ear tunnel plugs with the care they deserve, you should choose different plugs. 

5. Match Your Ear Tunnels With Your Style 

This is perhaps the least important tip, but it can still be impactful. You don't want to buy plugs and then have them sit on a shelf somewhere and never get used. To make sure this doesn't happen, you probably want to get ear tunnels that look like the clothes you like. 

Boho Style 

If you like dressing in a boho style, you'll probably want to buy tunnels for ears that have a more natural look. So you'll want to go for plugs made of wood, stone, bone, etc.

But you may also like ear tunnels that depict images of natural elements like animals and trees. These are often made from metal and plastic. 

Punk or Goth Styles

If you're more into punk or Goth styles, you'll probably want metal gauges that will match any spikes that you may have on your jacket or belt. You should also find gauges with gothic images like crosses and skulls. Sometimes, though, black and simple ear tunnels will do just fine. 

Expressing Your Personal Style 

In sum, there are plenty of responsibilities you need to take on when you decide to start wearing ear tunnels. But the sense of individual uniqueness you'll feel when you're wearing these accessories should make up for having to do all this work. Go forth and rock your style. 

Also, if you need more fashion tips, you can find plenty of them in the articles on our site. We've also got pieces on health, travel, entertainment, and more. Check them out!