Using my lobe stretching experiences as a rough guide, I've come up with some tips to help others who fancy giving it a go.Step one: Your ears needs to be pierced and fully healed before you even think about lobe stretching. Healing can take from two to eight weeks. If your ears are already pierced, the first thing you need to do is make sure you are wearing 16 gauge (1.290 mm wide) ear rings/studs in your ears (or in the ear you are planning on stretching). Most ears are pierced to fit this size jewellery, so if you have swapped to a thinner ear ring now's the time so swap back.
Step two: Once your piercing is feeling comfortable enough to continue with stretching, you need to obtain some 14 gauge (1.629 mm wide) jewellery. The most readily available jewellery of this thickness are naval barbells, ball closure rings and labrets. 14 gauge is the size most ear claws start at and I would advise wearing this size jewellery for two weeks before you continue stretching.
Step three: Time for your first claw! Although bigger claws look more impressive and seem the easy option to getting to the size you want, it's best to start small. Not only will this feel more comfortable in your ear, it can make all the difference between ear lobe stretching and ear lobe splitting. The best kind of claw, I have found, are the plastic claws with two rubber rings that you can find in most body piercing shops. Start off with a claw that goes up to 3 or 4 mm and very gently push the thin end into the back of your piercing, twisting slowly. If you're planning on stretching both ears it's best to do one at a time to leave yourself with a side to sleep on. Never force the claw into your ear, with a small ammout of gentle twisting each day your ear should stretch nicely. Once the claw is all the way through your ear, turn it around and wear it for at least 5 days before swapping claws to give your ear a rest. If you're stopping at this width, go straight to step five.
Step four: Unless you're stretching 10mm or more, this should be your last claw. Chose a claw that goes up to your desired width (eg. 6mm / 8mm) and use the same gentle twisting process as you used before. Again, it will probably be comfier for you if you push the claw in from the back of the ear. If you're stretching your ear more than 8mm, it's best to upgrade your claw again after this step rather than trying to do it all in one go.
Step five: Once you have completed stretching your ear lobe, you will probably want to change from a claw to a plug or a tunnel. Claws are only designed for temporary use and may become uncomfortable after a while. Be careful what you buy though - a lot of plugs/tunnels are 2 mm wider at the front and back than they are in the middle, which will mean more stretching for your ear! Because of this, it's best to wear jewellery designed for use with rubber rings untill around two months after you've finished stretching.
Remember: Keeping your piercing clean is important, wash your hands before touching any piercing that isn't properly healed. Whilst your piercing is sore, clean with salt-water twice a day to prevent infection. Stretching your ear lobe too quickly will cause you a great deal more pain than if done normally, it may also prevent your flesh tunnel from healing properly if you decide to remove the jewellery.