Q: Ok so, dumb question but I totally don't get the whole gauge system. Can you explain how that works? -Sam
A: First of all, there are no stupid questions. If nobody asked questions for fear of sounding stupid, then nobody would ever learn anything. Now THAT would be a stupid situation! As far as the gauge system is concerned, the higher the number means the thinner the diameter of the part of the jewelry that actually goes into your piercing. This means that 20 Gauge jewelry is going to be visibly thinner than 14 Gauge jewelry. If you were looking at a captive bead ring, it wouldn’t be the size of the space in the center, it would be the thickness of the actual ring itself. Gauge can also be converted into millimeters or fractions of an inch. This is most common in jewelry for stretched piercings but can be seen in other jewelry as well. For example, 2 Gauge is 6mm, which is also a ¼ of an inch. The best way to measure the gauge of your jewelry is to use a pair of digital calipers but your trusted piercer can also help you determine the size of your jewelry or the size of your piercing. Hope that helps!
Q: I got my ear pierced 3 weeks ago and I want to know on my 6th week, could I continue to wear the original jewelry I got pierced with or should I change it? -Devlin Reuss
A: No, you are not in any way obligated to change your piercing jewelry once the piercing is healed, so long as the jewelry length is comfortable and not too long. (When jewelry is too long it can cause irritation bumps simply because it moves around more and is also more likely to get snagged or hit by something because of how far it sticks out.) If you like your jewelry, by all means keep it in. That said, ear lobe piercings can actually take as long as four months (in some cases longer!) to fully heal so if you like your piercing jewelry, so much the better that you keep it in. This will ensure that it is fully healed if and when you are ready to change it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Body Candy is only here to give you fun and helpful advice and information when it comes to getting pierced. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you!
