Some people want to take their ear piercings to a whole new level, this can be done by something called flesh tunneling. This is where the flesh in the ear is slowly stretched and a special hollow type of body jewellery known as an ear plug is placed inside the piercing.

This practice originates from tribal areas, where skin is stretched to symbolize special occasions, or because it is part of a long held tradition. However in our modern society flesh tunnels are more of a fashion statement and are used to allow a person to express their identity.

In order to safely stretch the skin in the ear area there are a few rules you should follow. The first is not to become impatient and stretch the skin too much – it needs time to adapt, otherwise you could end up with a very nasty infected wound that will not heal. Once you have reached the size you desire there are many types of body jewellery available on the market to decorate your flesh tunnel with. Flesh tunnels can be made out of a variety of metals including stainless steel and titanium as well as natural materials such as bamboo or stone.