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Look for: labret, tongue rings, belly rings, nose rings, tragus

The Many Gauges of Cartilage Piercings

Posted by Jodie on

So you just pierced a new hole in your ear, but you’re not sure what size jewelry you should be looking for.

If your piercing was done with a needle in a piercing shop, they may have informed you of the size right there, but maybe you just forgot what your piercer told you. Or maybe your piercing was done with a piercing gun instead. Whatever the reason, if you’re curious as to what size a particular hole in your ear is, let me break it down a little simpler for ya.

An earlobe piercing that’s done with a piercing gun is a 22 gauge needle. Any standard size earring or post will fit you. If you’ve been pierced with a needle in a piercing shop, most likely you’re at a 20 or 18 gauge. No worries! The smaller the gauge the bigger the hole, so any standard size earring can be worn in addition to 20 or 18 gauge captive rings, cartilage studs, etc.


Earrings
Cartilage/Tragus Earrings

*NOTE: If your cartilage piercing is done with a piercing gun, it will most likely be a 22 gauge piercing. You will want to look at standard size earring studs (like those shown above) rather than ones made specifically for cartilage piercings. It’s always good to check with your piercer for accuracy no matter what type of piercing (lobe or cartilage) so as not to stretch/damage the tissue.

For tragus, anti-tragus, helix, rook, conch and most cartilage piercings (any part of the ear other than your lobe) a piercer will use an 18 gauge (as seen above) or 16 gauge needle. Depending on the anatomy of your ear, the piercer may use a 14 gauge needle as well. Industrial piercings are typically pierced at 14 gauge. Most of the cartilage and BCR (captive ring) styles we carry come in both 18 and 16 gauge sizes. Captive rings also come in 14 gauge.


Cartilage/Tragus Earrings

 

  • M

    Hi…I have two upper helix piercings done at different times. I’ve noticed that my newer, top hole is bigger. It’s not healed yet but I switched out my studs from 16g to 18g. Will my holes heal smaller? I don’t want noticeable holes when I’m not wearung helix earrings (like my older helix, bottom piercing). Thanks for your help!

    Meg on

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