Vitamin E oil? Cool. Maybe if I get my ears re-pierced and decide to stretch again I'll go that route.

Quote from: Ryan on October 26, 2011, 05:06:39 PM
It's just the youth of today.

^ This. I started stretching when I was 14 and didn't stop until I was about 16. I've had my ears pierced since I was 9 and never liked wearing earrings (I always thought it was too girly), so I figured I might as well do something with my piercings since they weren't closing.

Definitely a young people thing. Very very common with all genders. Or just a modern thing, that fashion-conscious people of several generations currently engage in. I think it's a little squicky, but I respect all body modification in theory. Trick out and redefine whatever you want. We only exist for so long, anyway.

Quote from: ~RoadToTrista~ on October 26, 2011, 07:32:30 PM
I always see guys with guages. I think they look ugly, unless they're small enough, then they're just meh. And they're a bit more damaging than just piercing.

Same here; I've never really understood the appeal. And I've noticed that a lot of the things people in my age group do, make no sense to me.

My ears are stretched to 5/8" (16mm).  I think its just a coincidence that I used to identify as a lesbian. 

I started stretching my ears when i was 19, and over about 5 years got them to the size I have now.  Thought about going to 3/4", but then I realized I would have to buy all new plugs, and I like the ones I have now.  It kind of started as a rebellion thing, I wanted nothing to do with anything that could be considered "normal".  I've since gotten over that (a long with my former crust punk wardrobe and blue hair) but I still really like how it looks.  Can't really explain why, I just do. 

Regarding safety, its only dangerous if you do it wrong, You have to go slowly and only 1 size at a time or you will mess up your ears.  Ive seen kids try to go up a size every 2 weeks or so, or try to stretch too much at once, and it ends up looking horrible.  If you don't give your skin time to recover (at LEAST 2 months) the ear lobe can tear when you try to stretch it, or areas can get too thin and weak.  If theres ever blood, you've done something horribly wrong, and you will probably end up with an infection.

My lobes are at 0 right now. I've had them for 3 years. Yes, before I came out as FTM. No, I don't care what you think about it.

P.S. Emu Oil is pretty good too. I have a bottle of that for lube.

My friend is going to re-pierce my ears. They're a bit off from when my mum had 'em pierced when I was 5 and after that I'm going to start stretching. I think if I got my way I'd go to 7/8 (and probably 1") but since I need to worry about a professional career I can deal with 0. I used to think stretched ears were gross and then my friend corrupted me. I like little ones too but intensely stretched ears...me gusta.

I kind of know what the OP means. Most of the transguys I hear from have some piercings, including plugs

A lot of guys both transgendered and cis seem to be into the plug thing

Similar to one of the earlier posters, I had my ears pierced when I was quite young (bout five years old) and I decided to start stretching them as it was a way of masculinising myself before I started medically transitioning. Plus I liked how they looked I wanted to make some sort of big physical change without putting more holes into my body (facial piercings and the like).

However I originally planned to only go up to 10mm.... then I thought "Oh yeah, 13mm should be good as." and it was... for about 6 months. Now I'm 22mm in one ear and 20mm in the other lol. I've had them this size about 2+ years now, I've been thinking of going bigger but am pretty content with where they're at now.

Quote from: anibioman on October 26, 2011, 02:51:28 PM
i dont know any guys who didnt identify as lesbians that now have gauges. if you get what im saying.

*waves*

Formerly 'straight', now pretty damn gay and I have my ears stretched.

Also, not directed at you personally, but everyone: it's stretching, not gauging. And they're called plugs, not gauges.

Quote from: Ryan on October 26, 2011, 05:06:39 PM
It's just the youth of today.

I'm almost 30. My roommate is 38 and he has stretched ears. I remember back when I was 16 kids were stretching their ears, this is when I started stretching mine. It's not just the youth of today. Damn now I sound old. Get off my lawn.

Yeah but vega you started in youth. I still think it's a young people thing, even if those people like it and keep doing it as they age. It has gotten more common lately, though, so maybe most of us usually only see it on teenagers and twenty-somethings.

Lol regarding feeling old - I'm thirty and my kid referred to a magazine as a "blog" the other day, totally with a straight face. She didn't get why I was laughing. Culture changes fast.

At 33 I just started to do mine. Also just got a mohawk ha. Did both since this is the first time I've been able to.

well now I dont have any stretch but I somehow got a idea that its something about attention.
------
1; to have some earrings, a special hairstyle, or anything like that, you might leave the attention away on your more femenine parts to these parts,
I do the same with my wrist, put up bracelet on and so so they will notice them insteed.

2; then I think its something about killing time, I dont know how to explain it but I think by getting pircings I felt I where doing something for the meantime something about my body I liked, I thought looked pretty (of corse only if your into these) I dont know if its only been me thought.

3; then I think it kinda maculine to have stretch, of corse women has them as well, but I still think its a kinda boyish thing compared to many other earings who seam more femenine for guys and girls.

Wesley that's cool. I saw the pic of it, and I bet it feels good. I understand doing something because you finally can. I got a mohawk last year after finally getting awarded full and sole custody of my daughter. Lol I didn't dare do it while custody was in dispute, and I couldn't do it with the jobs I used to work.

I recently stopped shaving it, though, and it's a scraggly weird mess. The only time I've ever paid for a haircut I asked for a men's short cut, and the lady gave me something else, and explained that I wouldn't be pretty with what I'd wanted. So I don't want to go to a shop, but I have no idea how to cut my own hair. I'll figure it out when it gets shaggy.

I'm veering off topic. Stretched ears! See, I brought it back. It's okay now. 

Yep just now medically retired from military so its my way of celebrating I guess. I got a pair of clippers so I can do my own hair. I have no idea how to cut it be I'll figure it out.

Yes stretched ears are badass. 

You'll save so much money owning your own clippers. See if you can get someone to do it for you. Almost anybody can do mohawks. I had my boyfriend doing mine, and then when we broke up I did it myself for a few months. Takes me at least twice as long (mirror dancing), but it's doable and free (ur mom's doable and free (couldn't resist)).

My whole family's military, and I know I couldn't join for a number of reasons, but I give you my respect both for serving and for surviving that culture.

Stretched ears. 

I was a bit confused, too, with the topic. I was like, "Hmm... Transguys and earplugs.."
I had mine at a six when I was sixteen, pretty sue I got rid of them before I turned seventeen.
I stretched them again, when I was about twenty to a four; got rid of them again.
Then, for my twenty-first birthday, Ladylove and I got them punched. I got them punched to a two, and she got her second holes done at a six.
Mine are now a double zero [10mm], but I am quite jealous of her doubles, so Sunday I will go see what my piercer has to say.
I have eleven piercings in my face, and more that are not in my face.
I also have two tattoos.
I just enjoy the feeling.

I have to say that punching your lobes is not really the best idea.  It gives you less tissue in that area with which to stretch. If you are not planning on stretching further then I guess it's not too bad of an idea to get punched but scalpelling is probably the best idea since it doesn't take out any tissue.

Quote from: Andy8715 on October 29, 2011, 10:50:41 AM
I have to say that punching your lobes is not really the best idea.  It gives you less tissue in that area with which to stretch. If you are not planning on stretching further then I guess it's not too bad of an idea to get punched but scalpelling is probably the best idea since it doesn't take out any tissue.

How does scalpelling well? -scaredface-