A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

“The Original Ear Expander”

I’ve actually seen a few designs of these in the past, but this particular example was made by Kolo Narvaez.

Comments

138 responses to ““The Original Ear Expander””

  1. Verena Avatar

    that is awesome!!

    easy easy way to stretch lobes 😉

  2. Verena Avatar

    that is awesome!!

    easy easy way to stretch lobes 😉

  3. christina Avatar
    christina

    I love the way it looks, not to mention the easy factor. awesome

  4. christina Avatar
    christina

    I love the way it looks, not to mention the easy factor. awesome

  5. xchristinex Avatar

    or uh, how about wearing kaos?

  6. xchristinex Avatar

    or uh, how about wearing kaos?

  7. adastra Avatar
    adastra

    ooh, that looks cool. Almost robotic

  8. adastra Avatar
    adastra

    ooh, that looks cool. Almost robotic

  9. carolyn Avatar
    carolyn

    Maybe I’m just a dumbass, but what are the mechanics of this? Are you simply turning screws, or what?

  10. carolyn Avatar
    carolyn

    Maybe I’m just a dumbass, but what are the mechanics of this? Are you simply turning screws, or what?

  11. Plaid Avatar
    Plaid

    xchristinex uh you shouldn’t stretch with kaos though….

  12. Plaid Avatar
    Plaid

    xchristinex uh you shouldn’t stretch with kaos though….

  13. Amelia Avatar
    Amelia

    Call me old fashioned, but I think I’ll stick to stretching to old way 😛

    I do think it makes for a killer piece of jewelry though! I’d totally wear those around!

  14. Amelia Avatar
    Amelia

    Call me old fashioned, but I think I’ll stick to stretching to old way 😛

    I do think it makes for a killer piece of jewelry though! I’d totally wear those around!

  15. ! Avatar
    !

    yeah, # 3, i have seen very very bad results from someone trying to stretch with kaos…such as it suggests on the website/anywhere you buy them.

  16. ! Avatar
    !

    yeah, # 3, i have seen very very bad results from someone trying to stretch with kaos…such as it suggests on the website/anywhere you buy them.

  17. MrPumpernickel Avatar

    Carolyn, it seems indeed like it’s just turning screws. Some retainers (especially those that you push up into the palate and screw to widen it over time) have pretty much the same mechanics as the expander. The more you screw the further the segments move from the center.

    It’s a really neat concept, though it would be cool if one could make an expander that’s fully circular and not segmented like the one in the pictures. Though, the mechanics of such a thing would probably involve more like an inflatable plug like thing which you can gradually fill with liquid. This is just me throwing out ideas though, I have no idea if it’s actually a viable solution.

  18. MrPumpernickel Avatar

    Carolyn, it seems indeed like it’s just turning screws. Some retainers (especially those that you push up into the palate and screw to widen it over time) have pretty much the same mechanics as the expander. The more you screw the further the segments move from the center.

    It’s a really neat concept, though it would be cool if one could make an expander that’s fully circular and not segmented like the one in the pictures. Though, the mechanics of such a thing would probably involve more like an inflatable plug like thing which you can gradually fill with liquid. This is just me throwing out ideas though, I have no idea if it’s actually a viable solution.

  19. MrPumpernickel Avatar

    Oh yeah, about stretching with Kaos, does anyone have any concrete (as in pictoral or first hand descriptions) examples of what happened? All I’ve heard have been vague warnings retold without any real concrete explanation of what can actually happen.

    I have (despite warnings) stretched from 2ga to 0 ga with the Kaos tunnels and haven’t had a problem, though I do recognize that because of the ease of stretching overstretching could definitely be a problem.

  20. MrPumpernickel Avatar

    Oh yeah, about stretching with Kaos, does anyone have any concrete (as in pictoral or first hand descriptions) examples of what happened? All I’ve heard have been vague warnings retold without any real concrete explanation of what can actually happen.

    I have (despite warnings) stretched from 2ga to 0 ga with the Kaos tunnels and haven’t had a problem, though I do recognize that because of the ease of stretching overstretching could definitely be a problem.

  21. Malice Alice Avatar

    This is what stretching your lobes in the year 2150 will be like…

  22. Malice Alice Avatar

    This is what stretching your lobes in the year 2150 will be like…

  23. riley Avatar
    riley

    I tried to stretch with Kaos from 00g to 7/16″. My lobes had been at 00g for about 6 months, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. I tried the new plugs they have, the parylene covered eyelets. It irritated my lobes horribly and I had a really hard time getting the new plugs out. I’ve had to downsize because if it… definetly wouldn’t recommend them for stretching, but I have no problem with them at healed sizes.

  24. riley Avatar
    riley

    I tried to stretch with Kaos from 00g to 7/16″. My lobes had been at 00g for about 6 months, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. I tried the new plugs they have, the parylene covered eyelets. It irritated my lobes horribly and I had a really hard time getting the new plugs out. I’ve had to downsize because if it… definetly wouldn’t recommend them for stretching, but I have no problem with them at healed sizes.

  25. kevin Avatar
    kevin

    were can i buy these not really for the stretching aspect more the just for jewelry

  26. kevin Avatar
    kevin

    were can i buy these not really for the stretching aspect more the just for jewelry

  27. Lydia Avatar

    I’ve never had problems stretching with Kaos either. I went from 7/16″ to 1/2″ with kaos and from 1/2″ to 9/16″ with Kaos. I probably won’t be using Kaos to get to 5/8″ though.

    Either way, those are interesting. Can’t imagine they’d be comfy to sleep in though.

  28. Lydia Avatar

    I’ve never had problems stretching with Kaos either. I went from 7/16″ to 1/2″ with kaos and from 1/2″ to 9/16″ with Kaos. I probably won’t be using Kaos to get to 5/8″ though.

    Either way, those are interesting. Can’t imagine they’d be comfy to sleep in though.

  29. goodnade Avatar
    goodnade

    please please please do not streatch with kaos!!! i had problems a while back with streatching with kaos! also more recently i have a friend that got a horrible infection from streatching with kaos. they are amazingly awesome plugs but horrible for fresh streatches.

  30. goodnade Avatar
    goodnade

    please please please do not streatch with kaos!!! i had problems a while back with streatching with kaos! also more recently i have a friend that got a horrible infection from streatching with kaos. they are amazingly awesome plugs but horrible for fresh streatches.

  31. kay Avatar
    kay

    interesting idea. but the fact that its not round is a drag. im really not into misshapen lobes. ill stick with good old teflon tape for now. ive also attempted stretching with kaos. i was stupid enough to think i could go from 00 to 1/2. i had already stretched one ear from 00 to 1/2 inch in twenty minutes with a sharpie, and i didnt feel like repeating that so i bought a pair of 1/2 kaos. it got stuck in my ear and i had too use medical scissors to cut the eyelet up to get it out. twas not fun.

  32. kay Avatar
    kay

    interesting idea. but the fact that its not round is a drag. im really not into misshapen lobes. ill stick with good old teflon tape for now. ive also attempted stretching with kaos. i was stupid enough to think i could go from 00 to 1/2. i had already stretched one ear from 00 to 1/2 inch in twenty minutes with a sharpie, and i didnt feel like repeating that so i bought a pair of 1/2 kaos. it got stuck in my ear and i had too use medical scissors to cut the eyelet up to get it out. twas not fun.

  33. brendan Avatar
    brendan

    i kind of want one of these…

  34. brendan Avatar
    brendan

    i kind of want one of these…

  35. Kitsy Avatar
    Kitsy

    my lobes had been at half inch for six months…. the first time I wore my kaos tunnels overnight, they tore a little hole in my left lobe, which got infrected and ended up closing up, though it just severely irritated the other one. I pretty much lost both of those holes.

  36. Kitsy Avatar
    Kitsy

    my lobes had been at half inch for six months…. the first time I wore my kaos tunnels overnight, they tore a little hole in my left lobe, which got infrected and ended up closing up, though it just severely irritated the other one. I pretty much lost both of those holes.

  37. SISU Avatar

    I tried stretching with Kaos also. Don’t do it. I was going from 00g to 7/16″, but had to go all the way back to 4g because my ears got sooo swollen and pissed off. It seemed like a quick and easy way to go… but was not worth it at all!

    I think the concept of mechanical lobe expander’s are cool, but I could definitely see that it would cause a lot of problems if it went on the market. A lot of inexperienced and/or impatient people could possibly stretch too fast and mangle their lobes.

  38. SISU Avatar

    I tried stretching with Kaos also. Don’t do it. I was going from 00g to 7/16″, but had to go all the way back to 4g because my ears got sooo swollen and pissed off. It seemed like a quick and easy way to go… but was not worth it at all!

    I think the concept of mechanical lobe expander’s are cool, but I could definitely see that it would cause a lot of problems if it went on the market. A lot of inexperienced and/or impatient people could possibly stretch too fast and mangle their lobes.

  39. yourpamphleteer Avatar

    You would have to start off fairly big, already.
    I’ve stretched from 2-0ga, and 0-00ga with kaos and had no problems.
    But I wouldn’t do it again, I’d prefer not to push my luck.

  40. yourpamphleteer Avatar

    You would have to start off fairly big, already.
    I’ve stretched from 2-0ga, and 0-00ga with kaos and had no problems.
    But I wouldn’t do it again, I’d prefer not to push my luck.

  41. Nicko Avatar

    I’ve heard that they can cause irritation to the point of actually bleeding. I’m not taking any chances with Kaos, myself.

  42. Nicko Avatar

    I’ve heard that they can cause irritation to the point of actually bleeding. I’m not taking any chances with Kaos, myself.

  43. Scott! Avatar

    WHAAAT thats so sweet! I would love to see the other designs you said you’ve seen! Ive alawys wanted something when I was younger since ive had streched lobes from the age of 12, but my ideas were alawys so much more ghetto like sticking a baloon in your ear and blowing it up but have some sort of cap or lip to keep it from buldgeing out the sides. haha and everyday just adding a small breath! Man I need to get out more!

  44. Scott! Avatar

    WHAAAT thats so sweet! I would love to see the other designs you said you’ve seen! Ive alawys wanted something when I was younger since ive had streched lobes from the age of 12, but my ideas were alawys so much more ghetto like sticking a baloon in your ear and blowing it up but have some sort of cap or lip to keep it from buldgeing out the sides. haha and everyday just adding a small breath! Man I need to get out more!

  45. Clovertastic Avatar
    Clovertastic

    This is what happens when you use Kaos to stretch and are unlucky. This isnt me, it was in the pic section
    https://www.bmezine.com/pierce/01-ear/A70308/high/bmepb471237.jpg

  46. Clovertastic Avatar
    Clovertastic

    This is what happens when you use Kaos to stretch and are unlucky. This isnt me, it was in the pic section
    https://www.bmezine.com/pierce/01-ear/A70308/high/bmepb471237.jpg

  47. carolyn Avatar
    carolyn

    MrPumpernickel, my brother has that kind of retainer; I thought the mechanics would be similar, just wasn’t sure.

    If there are four separate screws for north/south/east/west, it would seem to be kind of difficult to maintain uniformity. I agree w/ other posters; I’d rather have something uniform and round to stretch with. It seems that even using something like the unsegmented ring shown in the left picture would eliminate some of the uneven nature of the design, although then I guess it would have to be made out of some sort of pliable material that would be safe for stretching. *shrugs* I’m happy stretching the old way.

  48. carolyn Avatar
    carolyn

    MrPumpernickel, my brother has that kind of retainer; I thought the mechanics would be similar, just wasn’t sure.

    If there are four separate screws for north/south/east/west, it would seem to be kind of difficult to maintain uniformity. I agree w/ other posters; I’d rather have something uniform and round to stretch with. It seems that even using something like the unsegmented ring shown in the left picture would eliminate some of the uneven nature of the design, although then I guess it would have to be made out of some sort of pliable material that would be safe for stretching. *shrugs* I’m happy stretching the old way.

  49. Zobot Avatar
    Zobot

    yup, it looks exactly like my old brace, minus the shape.
    It looks fab =D

  50. Zobot Avatar
    Zobot

    yup, it looks exactly like my old brace, minus the shape.
    It looks fab =D

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