When it comes to body modification you can stretch almost any piercing with the proper materials. Many people stretch their ear lobes, tongue, and in some cases even their noses. It is now becoming more and more popular to stretch the cartilage. Stretching the tragus, helix, rook and much more, but when it comes to stretching your cartilage it is very different from stretching any other piercing.
Stretching any piercing takes time and a lot of patience so before you decide to stretch your ears make sure that you can commit to the new venture of body modification. The cartilage is a firm structural support for the ear and nose and unlike other skin it does not have much of a blood supply and this can make the healing of the cartilage very slow. When you do stretch your cartilage you must make sure that you do it slowly you should really talk to a professional piercer before stretching your own cartilage. You also have to know that the thicker your cartilage the longer it will take for each stretch to heal. It is also very important not to rush the stretching process to avoid any “blowouts” or having your ear rip or tear.
Caring for your stretched cartilage- you should always keep the piercing clean, it should be done twice a day along with a warm water sea salt soak. Many piercers also suggest using jojoba oil to aid in stretching and relieve pain. It is not recommended to use Vaseline or petroleum jelly products as they can harbor bacteria and germs and cause infection to the piercings. The time it takes for cartilage to heal so that you can go up in size can vary depending on the thickness of the cartilage.