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Arctic Buffalo Stretching Scientists: Hear their Stories

Arctic Buffalo Stretching Scientists: Hear their Stories

 Spring has officially sprung! ☀️ Happy May everyone! We want to use our May blog to celebrate you and your stretching journeys. We wouldn’t be here without you, and we are SO appreciative of each and every one of you! Whether you are reading this to celebrate a fellow buff’s journey, or to get some insight on how to keep stretching, our May blog of personal stories and journeys is a great place to explore. 💻
      
Our stretching plugs have helped so many people reach their goals because of the "half-sizes" we carry. Thousands of stretchers use these plugs to successfully size up. The most common practice is ordering them in every size up to your goal size, and gradually moving from one pair to the next, as your ears are ready. A HUGE thanks to Sergio, Charice, Nicole, Breanna, Karlie, Neal and so many of you for reaching out to us and sharing your stories. 🖊
    

Meet Sergio

"I enjoy music and crafting. 🎧 Just recently bought a penny board ( nickel ) called THE ZOMBIE and customized it. 🛹 Also i picked up another hobby during this pandemic and started collecting crystals and stones. 🔮"

Sergio's Stretching Story

"When I started. I had tappers and tunnels that were surgical steal. The hardest part was to understand when my ears were ready for the next stretch. At some point I ended up ditching the tappers and using the tape method. I have had lots to learn through out the journey and when I was at my goal size I decided to continue the journey to a new goal of 1inch ( 25mm ) instead of going back to using tape I saw artic Buffalo having these glass plugs in single mm increments of each size! I decided to but From 20 to 25. I am at 23 right now and just the other day I was able to fit the 24 but decided another week before actually leaving them in.. using the glass plugs have made it much easier to stretch! I would highly recommend stretching with artic buffalo's glass Plugs HANDS DOWN!"
   
   

Meet Charice

"I work as a Nurse & I enjoy Music 🎶, Basketball 🏀, Hair, Makeup Fashion 💄& Buying different jewelry for me multiple ear Piercings! I travel often with my Daughters to watch their Basketball Games. I used to do my Friends Makeup whenever I had spare time before Covid, but had to stop due to the Virus. I love to try different makeup brands! My Daughters are always telling me I should upload Makeup & Plug reviews on my YouTube Channel 📹, lol. Between work & Basketball events, I’m trying to find time to do so. You may see me some time in the future on YouTube! 🥰"

Charice's Stretching Story

"When I first started stretching, I purchased a steel kit from Amazon (I didn’t know better). Once I reached 10g, I realized Arctic Buffalo had Single Flare Glass Plugs. I thought to myself that this seems like a better & safer way to stretch. So I purchased my Glass plugs from 8g-16mm (5/8) & my journey was smooth sailing! I honestly didn’t have any issues at all. I waited 3-4 months between stretches & I got to my goal size with ease. I am apart of a Facebook group that’s all about body modification & stretching is a big part of that group. I share my journey with the group & I am constantly referring newbies to the stretching game to Arctic Buffalo’s site to use their single flare glass plugs for stretching. I am now stretching my Conch & I am using nothing else but their glass plugs. I swear by AB SF Glass plugs! I am so happy I found them so early on in my stretching journey!"
   
   

Meet Nicole

"In my free time I love playing video games and streaming! 🎮 I recently got a brand new gaming PC to get my gaming career going as far as being a content creator in the near future.  I also play acoustic guitar and the cajon drum 🥁 as well when I want to make music or just play covers of the songs I love so much.  When it comes down to relaxing for the night, I play with my dog Molly! She is an American Pitbull Terrier and I love her with all my heart. 🐾"

Nicole's Stretching Story

"So back in 2015 I started stretching my ears, It was an exciting time for me but also scary because of the stories I heard about blowouts. I was so excited yet impatient, when it came to my 4g stretch that’s when I got my first blowout it was quiet honestly traumatizing for me but I knew it was my fault. I took time to just let my ears heal and I’d so salt water soaks every night along with using jojoba organic oil to massage my lobes. I’ve always used surgical steel tapers and tunnels for all my smaller stretches never arylic because it is extremely bad for your ears. When it came to officially taking my stretching more seriously, I started doing 1MM each stretch so I wouldn’t damage my ears which is definitely a timely process since usually people do 2 sizes bigger each stretch, but to get to where I’m at now I started using Arctic Buffalo’s glass stretching plugs since they have any size you can think of and it has made this stretching journey so much easier for me and painless!"
   
   

Meet Breanna

"I’m currently an assistant manager at a clothing store, as well as a sales associate at another. I’m working on figuring out what I want to make my career. I was originally going to go into piercing, but COVID lockdowns have made it difficult to secure an apprenticeship at my local reputable piercing shop. I love gardening, specifically carnivorous plants. 🌱 I’ve got a collection of consoles and a PC I use to play video games 🕹 (super excited for Resident Evil 8 to come out)! I’ve recently gotten really into hiking, I find waterfalls super peaceful! When I’m not too busy, I like to make candles and wax melts! 🕯 Lastly, I love collecting antiques and oddities. My two headed duckling is one of my favourites! 🦆"
       
   

Breanna's Stretching Story

"I knew I wanted to stretch my ears since I was around ten. I know that’s a bit odd, but I’ve wanted to be modified for a long time! I started stretching with tapers, but soon learned that the route to a healthy and happy ear is usually with glass plugs and I’ve had no problems since the switch! I’ve got a whole case full of the Single Flare Black Glass Plugs from Arctic Buffalo starting from teeny tiny sizes, and I couldn’t be happier with the way my ears are turning out! I know for some people it’s just stretched ears, but it’s really a pretty big part of my self-identity now and I wouldn’t take them out for anyone. Being modified helped me a lot with my anxiety in terms of being who I want to be and looking how I want to look despite what people think. Ten year old me would be proud and I’m glad to be a part of the modified community. Arctic Buffalo has made my stretching journey safe, affordable, fashionable and painless with quality plugs in every millimetre increment!"

Shop: Yellow Cat Eye Single Flare Plugs

Shop: Single Flare Black Glass Plugs

Meet Karlie

Karlie's Stretching Story

"I started stretching my ears when I was 16 years old and at first I went pretty fast. As I got older I learned about the risks of jumping sizes and stretching too quickly, and one of my ears got some minor damage from a big jump (I believe it was either 0g or 00g). For a while I didn’t think I would be able to stretch my ears anymore beyond that, but luckily it wasn’t too serious. I never had a goal size really, but I knew I wanted my ears to be big enough that one can tell they’re stretched. Because I was planning to be in a professional career, I still wanted my stretched ears to be somewhat discrete depending on the jewelry. My go-to plugs have always been stone plugs for that reason, as well as the comfort. I invested in a variety of stone plugs from Arctic Buffalo back in college so I could slowly and naturally continue stretching my ears by the weight of the stone material. I love the beautiful, organic selection of Arctic Buffalo’s stones, and my favorite stone I always get in every size is rose quartz. Whether I end up staying at 5/8” (which I have absolutely loved this size for the past couple of years) or someday go just a little bigger, I’ll always come back to Arctic Buffalo to treat myself to cute and comfortable jewelry!"

Shop: Rose Quartz Plugs

Meet Neal

"I'm a food nerd I got my degree in culinary arts. 🍴 I work as a cook at a restaurant called Blue ridge kitchen in sebastopol california and have aspiration of becoming a chef. 🍝 When I am able I volunteer cook for older folks and families who were displaced by the fires in the area with a group called sonoma family meal. 🚒 I have two kids. Spend alot of free time getting tattoos, I'm a nerd for adventure time and video games. 👾"

Neal's Stretching Story

"Started stretching in 2007 aggressively with tapers and weights. All those things hurt alot. I find if I just wear my Arctic Buffalo glass plugs and be patient they stretch on their own. Being patient when stretching has been what works for me, let your body adjust and heal. I usually prefer water based lotions I use lubriderm and size up during or after showers helps. Best advice I can give is be patient while stretching, maintain good hygiene, moisturize and hydration. Sleep with your plugs in if you want to stretch, if you want to maintain your size take them out at night."

                           

Shop: Ebony Wood Double Flare Tunnels

Shop: Single Flare Glass Plugs

  Now that you have heard what works for some of our other buffs, here's an Arctic Buffalo wrap up! 

1) Never skip sizes! - We provide the 1mm increments for a reason 😉 

2) Massage your lobes! - Massaging your lobes after your shower increases blood circulation and can help improve elasticity 🚿 

3) Sea salt soaks! - Clean your ears at least once, preferably twice, daily with 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt dissolved in warm water 🌊 

4) Take your vitamins! - Vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E, B-complex, antioxidants, and Echinacea can help the skin heal faster 💊 

5) Do NOT use organic materials to stretch! - You should only stretch with surgical steel, titanium or glass...never use wood, bone, horn, silicone or acrylic materials! 🚫 

6) Use lubricants! Lubricants like jojoba oil or vitamin E oil, and GaugeGear stretching balm help the jewelry slide right in 👂🏾 

Arctic Buffalo is very proud to provide a stretching method that has worked for so many of you. We have all fallen in love with the 1mm increments of our stretching plugs, allowing us to slowly stretch our ears, causing less damage to our skin. The smaller stretches also help speed up the healing time between stretches and reduce the risk of a blowout! Whether you’re stuck and having a hard time moving up to the next size, experiencing a blowout, or just need some advice, the Arctic Buffalo community is here for you! 
       
Make sure you also check out our single flare stainless steel plugs! These are another great option for stretching your ears because of the high-quality 316L stainless steel material. 🔗 We also carry these in the 1mm increment sizing to allow your stretching journey to be smooth sailing. Our glass currently stops at 28mm, but our single flare stainless steel plugs go up to 34mm and soon to be, 38mm! Everyone is different when it comes to what works and what doesn't when stretching their ears, so try a few different options and choose what is the best option for you! This is your personal journey so listen to YOUR body when sizing up. 
     
Stretching is difficult and takes patience, dedication and self-control to not rush the process. What's your stretching story? Do you have a goal size? How are you going to get there? Got tips and tricks for those struggling? Questions or concerns yourself? 🤔 Post them below and let's talk stretching!! Use this page to give advice, ask questions, or merely meet people on a similar journey as you. You’re never alone in the #buffcommunity! 💬💙

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