Tapers and pinchers are two tools used by professional piercers to stretch the skin, particularly in the earlobe, as a form of self-expression and body art. Tapers are conical rods that come in various lengths and designs, typically made from acrylic or implant grade surgical steel. They can have weights or jewelry attached for decoration or to speed up the stretching process. Pinchers, on the other hand, are crescent or “U” shaped tools that can also be used as jewelry. They are typically made from colorful acrylic materials, sterling steel, titanium, or surgical steel, and can stretch the skin similarly to a taper.
Key Takeaways
- Tapers are conical rods used to stretch the skin, with a smaller gauge at one end gradually increasing to a larger gauge at the other end.
- Pinchers are crescent or “U” shaped tools that can stretch the skin and be used as jewelry, with the gauge situated in the middle of the curve.
- Both tapers and pinchers are used by piercers and enthusiasts for body art and self-expression, often in the earlobe stretching process.
