Tunnels in the ears are becoming increasingly popular jewelry, and not only among informal youth. They look spectacular and flamboyant, but at the same time are able to fit organically even in the office dress code. Small tunnels in the ears
Up to 10 mm in diameter are easy to make yourself, without a visit to a craftsman.
A small diameter tunnel has another indisputable advantage - it can easily overgrow on its own. The maximum that will be left of the tunnel after a while is a small scar on the earlobe. Tunnels that are more than 1 cm in diameter can only be stitched by a surgeon.
What do tunnels in the ears mean?
Unconventional piercings in an advanced form came to Western civilization from the culture of African tribes, the island peoples of Indonesia and Oceania.
Now tunnels in the ears are made:
- Rock musicians;
- Contemporary artists;
- Fans of youth subcultures;
- Representatives of the creative bohemia;
- young people of informal views.
Tunnels in girls' ears
In the 1980s such an extreme trend was adopted by performers of reggae compositions - an unusual mixture of dance, relaxation and protest music. The implanted accessories and jewelry can have different symbolic meanings.
Tunnels in the ears of girls - an extreme way of self-expression or demonstration of their own belonging to an informal subculture. Often, body modification is purely aesthetic in nature. This kind of piercing can also have a symbolic meaning.
The choice of jewelry and accessories for ear tunnels is practically unlimited. Symbolism in them can be absolutely any depending on the views, belonging to a certain informal movement or art-direction of the bearer of the extreme body modification.
For the majority of young people, the main purpose of such piercings is the desire to be radically different from others and excite the minds of onlookers. With the development of tattooing techniques and other methods of body modification, radically new solutions were needed to stand out.
The attitude to the tunnels among the surrounding people
There are a lot of polar opinions about such jewelry as tunnels. Some people do not share the enthusiasm for this idea, believing that its adherents are individuals who have committed an irreparable reckless act, trying to emphasize their dissimilarity and exhibit their originality. Such people believe that all this is being flaunted by those who cannot stand out in any other way.
Others, of whom, incidentally, the majority, have a more loyal attitude to the idea and believe that the jewelry remains just a decoration, so it is not necessary to look for anything more in it.
As you can see, not everyone is able to appreciate the beauty of tunnels. It is important to remember that this type of piercing has existed for a long time and is the same way to decorate yourself as earrings or clips. Moreover, it is not necessary to make the biggest tunnels.
It is possible to choose something stylish and tiny. Small tunnels on girls look quite neat, emphasizing the chosen image and individuality. In addition, in this case, there will be no problems if you want to get rid of such piercings.
Contraindications
The procedure is almost a full-fledged surgery. There are clinical limitations to its implementation. One desire to acquire an extreme bodily modification and extravagant decoration in the lobe of the ear is not enough.
Tunnels are not formed in the case of:
- impaired rheological properties of blood;
- anaphylactic reactions to the materials used in the product;
- mental diseases;
- Exacerbation of chronic systemic pathologies;
- Endocrine disorders;
- Diabetes mellitus;
This aesthetic procedure is not performed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is forbidden to do ear tunnels in cardiac disorders, neurological diseases, propensity to epileptic seizures.
Relative physician prohibitions and situational restrictions on performing surgical manipulations include alcohol and drug addictions, as well as autonomic and mental disorders provoked by them. Surgical intervention is not performed with elevated body temperature, bacterial and fungal infections and viral infections.
Such a procedure is prohibited to patients with:
- Respiratory failure;
- Exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
- pneumonia;
- alcoholic polyneuropathy;
- Acute digestive diseases.
Girls should postpone auricular creation until after their menstrual cycle. During this period, the pain threshold decreases markedly. It is not worth performing the operation in any physiological conditions associated with the oppression of the immune system. The risk of infection and side effects increases dramatically.
Likely outcomes
Many outcomes are possible after ear puncture dilation, as the earlobe is the main center containing nerve endings. Poor functioning will affect not only the earlobe, but also the organs and the general physical and mental condition. Serious hearing problems can also occur.
Knowing how to stretch the ear stretching, everyone will be able to prevent a possible adverse outcome. Therefore, if a person is ignorant on this subject, it is possible to ask an experienced master, who will determine a safe area to install the stretching.
General consequences of poor quality and ineptitude in stretching the tunnel:
- Facial paralysis.
- Inflammation and the appearance of festering of the ear and lobe.
- Lobe tissue rupture due to high volume - lobes vary by nature, so making it unnaturally large is fraught with this outcome.
- The possibility of decreased or lost hearing due to affected important nerves.
- Severe stretching can lead to tissue death, gangrene, which inevitably leads to death.
- Infection with various viruses and bacteria.
Methods used, their peculiarities
The method of surgical intervention depends on the size and type of implanted jewelry and the anatomical features of the auricle. They make classic through holes and plugs - closed punctures for rods and other accessories.
Tunnels in girls' ears are created taking into account the geometric configuration of the implanted item. The design of all jewelry varies radically. You can choose a product to suit all tastes.
Special weighting elements are inserted, preventing overgrowth of the lobe. Such jewelry looks massive and has an exclusive design. Several surgical ways of shaping ear tunnels are used.
The most common and well-tested in practice are lobe resection with a scalpel, the technique of expanding the puncture with a large-diameter needle, and the Teflon tape technique. The method of creating a hole is chosen individually.
Puncture dilation
The method requires patience. It consists of successive stages, stretched in time.
The piercing master performs the following manipulations:
- First, disinfection, degreasing and anesthetization of the surgical area is done.
- A special needle is pierced through the lobe.
- A temporary earring is inserted into the hole that is formed.
- The traumatized tissues need time to heal - usually 1-2 weeks.
- After this time, the specialist will examine the puncture. If no suppuration or other skin disorders are found, a special dilator 1-2 mm in diameter is implanted into the hole.
After some time, when the elastic soft tissues of the earlobe have stretched sufficiently, a larger dilator is inserted into the tunnel to increase the diameter of the hole.
The process continues until the desired size of the puncture is reached. The area of traumatic intervention at all stages of the manipulation needs careful hygienic treatment and gentle care.
This way of forming a tunnel is long and accompanied by painful sensations. Those girls who are willing to make such sacrifices for the sake of aesthetic modification of the body can use anesthetic gel or spray on a lidocaine basis.
Wearing an expanding device stretches 50-70 days. The exact timing of the procedure depends on the age of the patient and the individual characteristics of the body. In young girls under 30, tissues heal faster and cells regenerate better.
After the puncture has been stretched and the traumatized fibers are restored, a piece of jewelry can be placed in the formed ear tunnel for permanent wear. Plastic dilators are mostly used, as wooden products can provoke suppuration and inflammatory processes.
Lobe dissection
The technology is fundamentally different from the previous option. It does not involve the gradual stretching of the biological tissues of the lobe of the auricle. The incision is performed with a surgical scalpel. The size of the hole immediately corresponds to the diameter of the jewelry to be installed.
Tunnels formed this way allow you to get the desired result in a single visit to the salon. Holes in the ears, made by the resection method, need a period of rehabilitation until the complete healing. The method is popular with impatient girls who want quick results.
The procedure is very painful and involves the use of injectable anesthetics. In the healing stage of traumatized tissues, cutting the lobe with a scalpel is characterized by an increased risk of infection or contamination of the wound, which can cause complications and undesirable consequences.
Punching
The surgical technique is significantly more dangerous and traumatic than the previous ones. A regular scalpel is used to create a tunnel. Punching is a special technique of extreme stretching of the auricular tissues. The procedure involves a risk of tearing them, so it requires great skill and equanimity.
Such stretching of the tissues of the earlobe is used when it is necessary to form tunnels of enormous size.
The sequence of surgical steps is as follows:
- Decontamination and degreasing of the biological tissues in the intervention area.
- Transdermal injection of anesthetic agent.
- Resection of the earlobe with a specially designed medical scalpel. Often a tube-shaped medical knife with a laser-ground cutting edge is used.
- The surgical instrument is used to cut a circle of a given diameter in the pulled out biological tissues of the auricle.
- The pre-prepared product is carefully treated with an antiseptic solution and inserted into the resected opening.
The auricle tunneling method requires the constant use of anesthesia during the rehabilitation period and careful compliance with sanitary and hygiene norms. This stage can stretch over several days or even weeks.
To restore the integrity of the damaged bodily membrane, if such a desire subsequently arises in the wearer of the extreme accessory, suturing is performed, after which a visible scar remains.
Surgical method
It is worth noting that a large tunnel hole can also be made by surgery. This method is ideal for those who wish to get wide holes rather quickly and as easily as possible.
The procedure for creating the holes involves making a small incision on the earlobe, into which a special earring designed to further stretch the soft tissue, called a plaque, is subsequently inserted. In some cases, an entire section of the lobe is cut out, but then you could end up with a very large hole.
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In reviews about this method of creating tunnel holes, it is quite often said that its big disadvantage is the increased risk of infection of the created wound. Moreover, such a large wound heals for quite a long time, which also delivers a large level of discomfort. It is worth noting that if you want to return your earlobe to its original appearance, you will need to re-visit your surgeon.
How much does it hurt to have tunnels done in my ears?
The surgical procedure and the period of healing of the traumatized biological tissues is accompanied by strong discomfort sensations. There are a large number of sensitive nerve fibers and small blood vessels in the area of the lobe of the ear.
The only known way to avoid severe pain is the use of anesthetic compositions in the form of gel or lidocaine spray. To reduce the inevitable discomfort, the opening in the earlobe is slowly and gradually stretched to the desired diameter.
When performing cosmetic surgery, anesthesia is administered by injection. Expanding cone-shaped device should be worn for at least a month. The use of weighting devices speeds up the process of tunnel formation, but significantly increases the painful sensations.
The temporary stretching element is wrapped with a special Teflon tape, which allows you to gradually achieve the desired result and reduces discomfort. It is not recommended to use flexible silicone plugs until the traumatized soft tissues of the earlobe are fully healed.
They can cause the damaged fibers to tear, which is accompanied by increased pain. If bloody or purulent discharges appear, it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the hole and make antiseptic treatment of the wound surface. These recommendations partially stop the pain syndrome, but do not eliminate it completely.
Stages
How to stretch the earlobe to the desired size? Depending on what the final diameter of the hole a person wishes to obtain, the process itself may drag on for a certain period.
It is worth noting that there are certain stages of the procedure, which can last for a specific period. So, cones and tunnels of 16k-14k and 14k-12k diameter are worn for a month each. Accessories that are 12k-10k in size are worn for a month and a half, and it takes about a couple of months to reach a 10k-8k diameter hole.
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If you want to make holes of large diameter, you should be prepared for a longer waiting period. So, for three months you have to wear tunnels of size 8k-6k, 6k-4k and 4k-2k. As for all other, larger accessories, it will take at least four months to wear them.
What kind of earrings are used, their types, sizes
Installable accessories are classified according to size and shape into:
- Miniature. They are suitable for young girls who first decided on such an extreme body modification. Such delicate jewelry has a maximum diameter of 8 mm. Too hypertrophied holes are not required for them.
- Medium size. Such accessories are considered standard and have a diameter of up to 10-12 mm.
- Large. Such jewelry has a size of 12-15 mm, looking flashy and quite extreme. The operation is quite traumatic.
- Maximum size. Accessories that attract the increased attention of others can reach a diameter of 25 mm. Special surgical techniques are used to form such an opening.
Tunnels in the ears of girls look unusual, extravagant and extreme due to the competently chosen design of the jewelry. Such products come in different models and designs.
They can carry only aesthetic value or have a symbolic meaning, indicating their owner's affiliation with a particular subculture or reflecting her world view.
The varieties of ear tunnel accessories are shown in the table below.
Product type | Features and Specifications |
O-rings | These are rings with silicone seals. Easy to insert into the surgically shaped hole. The seals secure the jewelry in the opening and create the optical illusion of greater volume. |
Single-breasted plugs | Such accessories are distinguished by the fact that one of the edges is wider than the product itself. It is called a board. Such elements for reliable fixation in the ear are strengthened by a special rubber band, which does not allow them to fall out. |
Ornaments with a saddle. | Their diameter increases smoothly to the edges. They have a curved shape, giving them the appearance of a miniature saddle. They are made of a biocompatible steel alloy or animal horns. Due to the widened edges, fixing seals are not required. Saddle ornaments are difficult to insert into newly formed tunnels. |
Screw-Fit | These models have unscrewable sides. The unscrewing part is placed on the back side of the auricle. Decorations of such design can be through or plugged. Such models are characterized by lightness and ease of use. |
Push-Fit | Prefabricated constructions consisting of 2 parts. The front element with an original and thematic design is inserted into the back part, forming a one-piece decoration. Push-Fit has a threaded stem. The rear element is designed as a miniature bulb. |
Each ear tunnel jewelry option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. They are made of natural, polymeric and composite materials.
The most common are:
- acrylic;
- non-oxidizing metal alloys;
- wood;
- bone;
- stone;
- horns;
- glass;
- silicone;
- porcelain.
A special chic among adherents of youth subcultures are ear jewelry made of ivory and wild animal horns.
What is the right way to stretch tunnels?
- Many people still stretch tunnels with pencils, art brushes, makeup tools and other unintended "tools" like back in the 00's.
Our skin is bound to react to the introduction of dirt and infection if damaged.
- Tunnels should be stretched by experienced craftsmen, with special stretchers ("tepers").
If there is no such an opportunity in your city and you want to make the stretching at home, then you can order on our website sets of tepers or individually
Write in the comments of the order and we will sterilize them for you (we will subject them to autoclaving).
- You should not use acrylic extensions because of the angle of the extensions, which will probably seriously traumatize your skin.
- Healing embellishments can come in a variety of forms. Don't forget to disinfect them. But neither silicone nor any organic healing materials will work.
A great option for "self-contained" tunnel stretching is "pulls" Or "hards" (large rings with a ball)
Due to their weight, your tunnels will stretch slowly, but without any additional action under the gravity of the jewelry itself.
But it is worth remembering not to overstretch with the load either. The skin should also rest from overloading and restore blood circulation and elasticity.
Rehabilitation
The first time after the surgical procedure may develop an inflammatory process, hyperemia and swelling of the tissues surrounding the tunnel. There is an increase in temperature in the surgical intervention zone. Lymph nodes behind the ears and on the neck may slightly increase. Such manifestations serve as a protective response of the body to the damage to the integrity of biological tissues.
If infection or contamination occurs, a purulent exudate is secreted to accompany the inflammation. The condition of the damaged tissues must be monitored carefully. If the body temperature rises, it is advisable to consult a physician. During healing, necrosis and peeling of the surface layers of the epidermis is possible. Such a process lasts no more than 10 days.
Usually the body of young people can easily cope with it. Dead skin parts in beauty salons, where such operations are performed, remove the medical knife and produce antiseptic treatment.
In the initial stage of the rehabilitation period, there is an active exudate. Such exudate, if there are no complications, should be transparent, with a slight yellowish cast. Levomikol, an ointment with regenerating, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties, is used if there are purulent secretions.
During healing, keloids, which are tumor-like outgrowths consisting of connective fibers of the skin, can appear near the injured tissues. The appearance of these tissue outgrowths is caused by individual physiological features of the body. Keloid formations are easily removed by cosmetologists.
During the rehabilitation period, it is forbidden:
- Dissolve hair, which will be in contact with the injured tissues and may infect the wound surface;
- Touch the surgical area with foreign objects or hands;
- Wear a hat;
- Use alcohol solutions, verdigris, and iodine to treat wounds.
To avoid complications and severe pain, it is recommended to have patience and stretch the tunnel slowly. Such a process may take 12-18 months, but the risk of negative effects and constant discomfort is greatly reduced.
What can happen when tunnels are stretched too quickly and regularly?
More common - "torn ears," "inflammation," infection, or "blo-outs"
The most pressing problem is inflammation
The lobe becomes red, swollen, and begins to feel sore.
Any non-porous material (acrylic, silicone, steel, titanium, glass and some types of stone) can cause diaper rash and irritation if you do not take regular competent care: treat with appropriate antiseptic, keep "dry" and lubricate ointments / creams / oils, rich in bio-active substances that accelerate skin regeneration.
Most often, diaper rash is caused by silicone tunnels or rubber stoppers on the tunnels.
Also not exclude allergic reactions to the material and the foreign body in general.
We recommend using unlacquered wood or buffalo horn for permanent wear after complete healing.
Buffalo horn and natural bone is the most biologically compatible material for humans.
Infection. Severe swelling, redness, inflammation.
Often as a consequence of dirty instruments and non-sterile jewelry, as well as in the total absence of the observance of common rules of personal hygiene.
In case of serious inflammatory process with increase of temperature it is necessary to visit the doctor and prescribe an intensive treatment.
Abnormal scars (atrophic, hypertrophic, keloid). Scar tissue protruding over the skin.
The process of its formation is very complex. Obligatory consultation with a specialist.
If it is impossible to treat it with anti-scars, it is possible to remove it only by surgery.
"Blowout."
This is a formation of extra tissue on one side. It looks extremely ugly.
Appears when it is improperly stretched.
It can only be removed by surgery.
Frostbite
For those who live in cold regions, this problem may also cause unpleasant phenomena. Such as tissue atrophy (due to the fact that the blood vessels in the distant areas of stretched skin are not able to quickly carry nutrients, with their frostbite nutrition ceases altogether), resulting in a rapid inflammatory process. If you do not get rid of the decoration in time, there is a great chance that the area without nutrition will begin to die off (atrophic necrosis). This process is extremely unpleasant and can be avoided by following some important points.
- Wearing during cold weather only porous organic material with no high thermal conductivity (which also has a high rate of transmission of low temperatures);
- Wearing hats during frosts that completely cover your tunnels.
Especially dangerous in the winter time to wear jewelry made of metal and silicone.
Rules of care
Injured tissues require daily antiseptic and regenerative treatment. Neglect of hygienic norms is fraught with necrotic manifestations, bacterial infection and the development of an acute inflammatory process.
Tunnels in the ears of girls heal for a long time, require accuracy and a lot of patience. The most difficult and painful period is the first 20 days after surgery.
During the whole period of healing, you cannot wear jewelry made of silver, which actively oxidizes. Such ear pieces leave dark circles on the wound surface and can provoke inflammation.
With the normal course of rehabilitation, after 2 weeks, tunneling care is easier and pain is reduced.
In the morning after standard hygienic procedures additionally:
- treat the injured area with a sterile cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide;
- rotate the dilator to clean the hole;
- lubricate the surface of the auricle with lavender oil, which has regenerative properties;
- remove excess product, secreted blood, blood fragments and purulent exudate with a clean cotton pad.
Such procedures should be performed every morning, and if the course of rehabilitation is complicated, even in the evening.
An important point is to keep your ears clean at all times
While wearing ear cones and ear plugs it is worth paying attention to keeping your ears hygienically clean.
In order for the stretching process to occur properly and without unpleasant manifestations, it is necessary to make lotions every day. The solution for them should be made on the basis of sea salt, a pinch of which should be combined with a cup of warm water. For the first week after changing cones or plugs, wipe your earlobes with it twice a day - this product helps to effectively remove fine tissue particles that remain on your ears as they heal, as well as protruding crust.
Can the holes be tightened?
The larger the tunnel, the more noticeable the scar remains. Modern cosmetic technology and plastic surgery techniques allow you to get rid of scars completely. Holes of minimal diameter (6-8 mm) in most cases heal on their own, leaving no trace of the failed experiments of youth. The scars that remain look like the usual piercing for earrings.
Difficulties begin when it is necessary to get rid of a hole with a diameter of 40 mm or more. Its concealment requires the intervention of a plastic surgeon. The sagging part of the lobe is cut off and biodegradable suture material is applied.
How to Insert a Stretch in the Ear
It is known that the diameters of tunnels fundamentally differ from each other. It is difficult to choose the right one, because it does not always end up being the intended size. Everything depends directly on the skin, the shape of the ears, the elasticity of the tissues.
The most common method is the usual stretching with different sized ear stretches, which are inserted into the ear in stages. The procedure requires patience and moral strength, because it is very time consuming. And it all happens over the course of days, and sometimes weeks and months.
Stretch has a narrowed end on one side and a thicker end on the other, so you need to start with the smallest diameter that corresponds to the existing puncture.
The following method is not like the usual stretching. It involves surgical intervention, so you can't do without the help of experts. The process is very painful, but very fast. Literally the next day, the person can admire the new jewelry. With proper attention to the work, no infections will be introduced.
The latter option is used to obtain giant-sized tunnels. The whole procedure is based on the use of anesthesia. A person may not feel anything during the procedure, but as soon as the anesthetic stops working, the pain becomes tremendous.
Possible complications and methods of their elimination
Traumatization of the auricle tissues is accompanied by itching and exfoliation of the skin in the area of surgical exposure. Such effects can be associated with an allergic reaction to the material from which the jewelry is made. The only method of eliminating the problem is to replace the accessory with one made of biocompatible material. If infected, sepsis can develop. It is suppressed by antibiotics. It is recommended to treat the tunnel regularly with Chlorhexidine
If the orifice is rapidly distended with missed dimensions, a pathologic globular tumor-like outgrowth forms, which is surgically removed. A common complication is the appearance of blisters or purple spots. Their formation is caused by individual characteristics of the body, non-compliance with hygiene norms, other reasons. You should immediately remove the jewelry and consult a doctor.
A rare consequence of an unsuccessful surgical procedure is trigeminal nerve palsy, characterized by atrophy of the facial muscles, decreased sensitivity of the skin and severe shooting pains. The disorder requires long-term treatment with neurological drugs with uncertain chances of success. When inflammation of the cartilage tissue, antiseptic solutions and antibacterial drugs are used.
What to do first?
First of all, it is necessary to decide whether you need this ornament or not. It is also important to find the targets with which to make the tunnel.
The size of the decoration is also different, ranging from 2 mm, and ending with 5 cm. Not the least important role in preparing for the process is precisely to determine the required diameter. In this regard, everything depends on the preferences of the person.
Ear stretching for tunnels is universal and has different diameters, just like the plugs themselves.
Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to learn about all its subtleties to avoid unpleasant consequences. The main rule is cleanliness.
If one does decide to undergo the procedure, it should be understood that it will take at least a month. Not only does it include the stretching process, but also the healing process. The right kind of ear stretching will help to shorten the period of rehabilitation of the skin.
Style is paramount
A tunnel in the ear is essentially the most ordinary hole. It can vary in size from one to as much as five centimeters in diameter.. However, it is the process of its formation that causes the most horror in the eyes of an uninformed person. The hole is most often made by methodically stretching the earlobe. This process cannot be called painless in any way. In the vast majority of cases, anesthesia is used. After the hole is actually formed, a metal tunnel is put on it. This kind of jewelry looks very impressive and you can't miss it in any way.
This type of piercing is very popular among young people belonging to different subcultures. "Non-formals" are the main ones among them. Guided by the basic principle of "standing out from the crowd" they are even ready for such radical acts.
The fashion of piercing not only their ears but also other parts of the body came to us from the Western musical subcultures. Back in the early 80's, this trend was clearly seen especially in reggae performers. In Russia, the fashion of piercing different parts of the body has taken root relatively recently.
In turn, the progenitors of the tradition of piercing different parts of the body were and remain the Kenyan and Indonesian tribes. In addition to decoration, holes in the ears for them have a significant practical value: in the holes it is convenient to carry various things. Thus, this kind of piercing for these backward peoples is a kind of pocket. Also the value of the tautness of the lobe is very important: the bigger it is the more beautiful the woman looks and the more martial the man is.
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