Will a Stretched Piercing Shrink Back if the Jewelry is Removed?

Question: Will a Stretched Piercing Shrink Back if the Jewelry is Removed?

If I stretch my ear piercings and then take the jewelry out, would my ear shrink back to the way it was? Or would it stay stretched forever?

Answer: That depends on a few variables, such as:

• How it was stretched
• How much it was stretched
• How long it has been healed

First, how it was stretched. If you stretched slowly and carefully, not causing any tearing or scarring, that will increase your chances of your ear going back to its normal size and shape. If you used a dermal punch, stretched too quickly, used heavy weights that stretched an abnormal shape or caused any scar tissue to form, then your liklihood of it going back is greatly diminished.

Secondly, how much it was stretched. If you stretch your lobe to 00g or smaller, you are a much better candidate for your ear going back to "normal". However, if you stretch your ear to a severely large size - like an inch in diameter - then your chances are much smaller that your ear will ever go back to the way it was.

Lastly, how long it has been healed. If you stretched your ear a year ago or a few months ago, your ear has a much better chance of shrinking back to its original size than if it has been stretched and fully healed for several years.

Keep in mind that none of these are hard and fast rules. Everyone's body is different and everyone heals differently. There is really just no way to know for sure if your piercing would go back to "normal" size if you decide to stretch and then try to go back. This is why stretching should be taken very seriously and not just done on a whim, because it very well may be something your "stuck" with for the rest of your life. If that makes you happy, then great! If that makes you nervous, then you might want to reconsider before you take this step.