Begin all body modification and jewelry insertion procedures by washing your hands, your piercing and, if necessary, your jewelry. Use liquid antibacterial soap and warm water and dry your skin and jewelry with an unused cloth or paper towel.
Lubricate jewelry to make it easier to insert into your piercing. Squirt liquid soap or water-based lubricant onto a paper towel and dip the end of the jewelry into it. Rinse the soap or lubricant off once the jewelry is in.
Insert captive bead rings thinner than a 14 gauge by yourself without tools. If the opening of the ring is too tight to slip over your piercing, push the two prongs of the ring away from each other horizontally until the ring bends into a slight spiral. Insert the jewelry into the piercing and push the prongs back toward each other. Rotate the ring so that the bead opening is easily accessible on the outside of the piercing.
Locate the two indentations on the captive bead. Rest one indentation against the bottom prong and push the bead toward the top prong until it snaps into place. Always insert captive beads horizontally, from bottom to top.
Massage your earlobes in a hot shower for five minutes before inserting double-flared plugs. The lip of the plug is larger than the center, so you have to stretch your skin slightly to insert the jewelry. You can also massage your piercing with vitamin E oil to help relax the skin.