My mum, dad and I all stretched our ears together (it was like a family thing). My dad gave up after a while (at a 2) but my mum and I went all the way to a 00. My Mum is a dental assisting teacher and had to take them out, they didn't close all the way and she just wears hoops in them when she wants something in those piercing holes (her ears don't look "nasty" they just look how an elderly woman's pierced ears might look, the holes are a little elongated). I still have mine in and if I leave them out for about a week they tent to close a bit and I have to re-stretch. My dads ears eventually closed all the way and he had to re-pierce his ears just to wear "normal" earrings.

From what Ive heard about the "point of no return" its 00, and I suppose my parents support that theory, but it could very well be attributed to scar tissue or the elasticity of ones skin. I'm not an expert, so I really don't know lol.

@ fishmommy

My older sis went up to a 2 gauge before she took them out and bought these gauges that look like really big diamonds to hide them from her boss. It worked, you couldn't tell they were gauged, they just looked like big fake diamonds....but i have never seen any other gauges that make it look like your ears aren't gauged.....