Ear spreaders can be used to make ear piercings larger. They are typically made of surgical steel or titanium and look like small spoons. The flat end of the “spoon” is inserted into your ear piercing, and the round part holds the skin apart so that you can insert a thicker post into your ear.
Table of Contents
1. Standard ear spreaders
The backs of these types of earrings vary from screw-on backs to rubber o-rings or friction clutches. Ear spreaders are pieces that sit on the back of your earlobe and have posts that go through your ear piercing to hold them in place. It takes minimal effort to put them in, but it may take a bit of wiggling to get your earlobes used to having something on the back. Standard ear spreaders are comfortable and easy to use for most people.
2. U-shaped ear spreaders
Like standard earrings, they have posts that go through your piercing, which is held in place. The difference is that they have a U-shaped piece on the front of them so that your actual earring, which is usually dangly, can go through the spreaders as well. These are very popular with people who love to wear multiple earrings at once. Just make sure if you’re wearing long dangling earrings with your U-shaped ear spreaders that they don’t cause the spreader to flip upwards, which will make it very uncomfortable to wear.
3. Snake ear spreaders
These are precisely what it sounds like – just like a snake’s head! They’re popular because they’re different from everyday earring styles and because if they get caught on something, it’s less likely to rip out your earlobe than with traditional lobe piercings. Keep in mind that if you tug or pull on these while worn, they can tear through the skin very quickly, so be careful – especially when removing them.
4. Round or doughnut/ring-shaped ear spreaders
These ear spreaders are just what they sound like. They have a ring that goes through the back of your ear piercing with posts on either side of it to keep them in place. The difference between these and standard earrings is that instead of having two positions, there’s only one post on each side of the ring, so they cannot be adjusted and must be worn at their tightest setting.
5. Basic hinged hoop earrings
These are the most common type of earrings and can be found in almost every store that sells earrings. They’re simple hoops that go through your piercing and close with a clasp on the backside of them. These types of earrings usually have a small gap between the two ends of the hoop because they have to open up to be put into your piercing. This is not the same as the hinged hook earrings listed below, which close on their own.
6. Hinged hook (L shaped) earrings
Like basic hinged hoops, these ear spreaders go through your piercing to hold them in place. The difference is that instead of having a clasp on the back like essential earrings, this hook is closed, so they stay in place on your ear by themselves – no buckle needed. They are usually round hoops with either rounded or flatbacks.
Conclusion:
Ear spreaders are a type of earring that flares outwards from the lobe to hold it open. This jewelry accessory is helpful for those who have piercings that do not lie flat against their ears without help or people who want to make them look more dramatic when worn.
