Safest way of stretching?

I could’ve sworn stretching with plugs was proven to be unsafe. Am I wrong? Is it really the safest way?

I’ve had my ears at a 0g since for like 5 years and I’m finally gonna go to 00g but I’ve been looking into more of what to do cause I was young and always just stretched with lotion and tapers skipping sizes and shit (never had an issue but obviously dumb). I’m just scared to have a blowout going from 0g - 00g.