10A.4 Eyelet Piercing
Description
This article is from the Piercing FAQ, by Anne Greenblatt with numerous contributions by others.
10A.4 Eyelet Piercing
by Julian Hurt 1993
[Please note that Julian has much experience with piercings, and that
this section is to provide information and in no way is to condone
beginners from trying the same. Most people who wish to stretch out
their piercings do it the regular way--stretching it a little at a
time over a long period.]
Rings large enough to fill large (00 - 4) gauge earlobe piercings tend
to be fairly heavy. The weights often are sufficient to automatically
cause further stretching of the holes. An alternative to heavy jewelry
is to wear light- weight eyelets. Eyelets essentially are stainless
surgical steel or gold tubes that have been flared outward on both
ends. They are hollow in the center and look like narrow
grommets. Pleasurable Piercings carries eyelets from 4 gauge to 00
gauge and Gauntlet lists them from 10 gauge to 00 gauge.
Eyelets can be worn as the sole insert in a lobe piercing or with
smaller gauge rings inserted inside them (thus allowing light weight
rings without allowing the larger holes to grow closed). For
illustrations of these two styles see respectively _Modern Primitives_
page 176, and page 3 of _Piercing Fans International Quarterly Number
18_. eyelets occasionally are called "earlets" or even "retainers."
Eyelets are very effective visually when combined with additional
rings or studs higher on the ear.
Eyelets are sized by the diameter of the tubing at its narrowest point
and flare out so that the outer edge of the flare is the next even
gauged size. Thus the flange of a 4 gauge eyelet flares out about
0.025" and requires a 2 gauge hole. In order to insert an eyelet, one
needs a hole the size of the outer flange (2 gauge larger than the
eyelet size). After the eyelets are inserted the holes gradually will
shrink and fill-in towards the size of the eyelet.
The standard method for inserting eyelets is to begin with well-healed
piercings and gradually stretch them out. (See the FAQ and the article
in _PFIQ number 18_, pages 23-30, for information on various
stretching techniques.) When they are stretched to the stated gauge of
the desired eyelet they then are stretched using an insertion taper of
the next even gauge, and then inserted.
The taper temporarily stretches out the hole to accomodate the wider
flanges, and then when the eyelet is in place, the tissue shrinks to
the original gauge. Gauntlet warns, "CAUTION: To accomplish piercings
large enough for eyelets great patience is required. Never push
stretching too fast or the earlobe can be torn. When the hole is large
enough for an eyelet, facilitate insertion and avoid damage to the
earlobe by using a convex insertion taper of the next larger size."
It is also possible to insert eyelets in fresh piercings. Piercing
needles are available up to 6 gauge from Pleasurable Piercings. One
could pierce to the next size larger than the eyelet (e.g., pierce to
a 6 gauge for insertion of an 8 gauge eyelet) but the eyelets would
tend to fall out in normal wear.
Anecdotal evidence indicates it is fairly routine to stretch fresh
piercings to the next gauge with out tearing by using a
well-lubricated (with anti-bacterial ointment) insertion tapers
inserted fairly rapidly with a strong twisting motion. Then the
eyelets can be inserted in standard fashion by following the taper
just as one follows a piercing needle with jewelry.
The hole will snap back against the narrow part of the eyelet. In at
least one case documented in rec.arts.bodyart postings, a person was
innitially pierced at 6 gauge in both lobes and had them immediately
stretched to a 2 gauge using the technique just described with a 2
gauge insertion taper. The piercing was done as an experiment by Wild
Bill of Pleasurable Piercings at the request of a
piercing-knowledgeable customer. As a precaution intermediate sized
jewelry was on hand so that the stretching could be abandoned mid-way
if any tearing had occorred. The stretching was only slightly more
intense than the 6 gauge piercings which were relatively painless.
When eyelets are the initial insertions in fresh piercings, care is
simple. Sensative Ears is used a number of times daily to irrigate
the piercings. In the first few days there may be some swelling so
that the flanges pop below the surface of the earlobes. As crusting
loosens from the cleaning solution, gently pop the eyelets so that
both flanges are outside the hole. Regardless, once the eyelets are
properly placed and loosened by the irrigation, grasp the flanges
between thumb and forefinger and gently rotate them in the hole. These
care techniques were used with the fresh 6 gauge piercings stretched
to 2 gauge described above, and they healed without complication in 4
weeks.
When eyelets are inserted by stretching they generally remain in place
during normal daily activity. But when drying ones ears with a towel,
cleaning the eyelets, or sleeping they do have a tendency to pop out
unexpecedly. They also are small enough to easily be lost down drains.
Thus one is advised not to clean them over sinks, not towel in the
shower, etc. One way of preventing loss of the eyelets is to insert
small rings or wire through them.
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