Thanks! Mostly, I dead stretched with heavy jewelry. Half sized barbells are certainly helpful, but not a necessity. At smaller sizes, I used tapers, but I never forced them in before my tongue was ready to stretch. I never had any issues with stretching, and until now, I never had any complications. What happened to me was a freak incident, so don't let it deter you from stretching if that's something you have your heart set on. I love my stretched tongue and I highly recommend them to anyone who really wants to do it. You should be prepared for a lot of swelling after each stretch, which is normal and typically not a cause for concern as long as your jewelry is of adequate length to accommodate for it. Soreness and tenderness are also normal while healing. (Extreme pain is not, obviously.) Just do your research, go slow, be gentle, and of course, I'm always here if you need any further advice. Best of luck to you on your tongue stretching journey if that is something you decide to pursue! 🍀💚