An Ultimate Guide To Selecting Gauge Sizes

What are the measurements for body jewelry? This is the important question that comes to our thoughts while getting any body piercing. We measure the size of body jewelry with the use of a gauge. The word gauge refers to the entire depth of a piece of body jewelry, rather than the length of the staple rod.

The size of the piercing hole required to accept the jewelry is specified by the gauge size. Alternatively, the gauge of body jewelry helps to measure the depth of the barbell that passes through your piercing. The narrower the barbell, the greater the gauge.

 A 22G barbell, for example, will be exceedingly thin, but a 14G barbell will be bulkier. The piercing jewelry size lies between 22G to 00G; after 00G, Jewelry comes in fractions of an inch. We usually use ‘g’ as a symbol to denote gauge.

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Gauge sizes have the inverse or negative relation with the width, which means that the greater the number, the narrower the width or size or vice versa. For instance, if the piercer uses the 18g needle for piercing, the width will be thinner.

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Different people have different requirements for gauge sizes according to their body piercing structure. Gauge sizes relate to the thickness of the piercing jewelry. Professional piercers use these gauges and lengths as a standard.

Because everyone’s physique is different, piercers may utilize various lengths and gauges based on your body or the sort of jewelry you want to wear. If you’re not sure what size piercing jewelry to acquire, we suggest phoning your piercer and inquiring.

Importance Of Gauge Sizes

Getting pierced with the appropriate gauge size is very important as it has several reasons behind this. A perfect gauge size piercing has the ability to enhance the beauty and make your piercing flawlessly fit in your piercing hole.

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The most important reason to get a proper and accurate piercing is that it relates to the health of your piercing; you must select the appropriate jewelry gauge. When you get pierced, the needle used to puncture you will be of a particular gauge. If you want to prevent piercing difficulties like rejected jewelry, make sure all your jewelry is the same gauge.

The gauge with which you’re pierced affects where you’re pierced and how that region heals. Your ears, for instance, are commonly pierced at 20G to 14G. Any minor than 20G and your body may see the jewelry as a tiny or approximately similar and shot to force it out.

The second reason behind getting a perfect size gauge piercing is that it helps to give you an aesthetic look. So, you’ll select your gauge based on appearance as well as health considerations. Piercing your ears at 20G or 18G was more frequent in the past.

However, as fashion develops, it’s becoming extra typical to puncture the ear at 16G or 14G. This enables heavier jewelry to be inserted into the piercing hole and keeps up with current fashion trends. If you’re dissatisfied with the way your piercing looks, talk to your piercer about extension techniques and if they’re right for you.

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Gauge Earring

A misunderstanding of the term “gauge” gave rise to the name “gauge earrings.” “Stretched ears” is now commonly referred to as “gauged ears.” This is confusing since the gauge refers to the piercing hole width rather than a specification of a certain piercing type.

When people inquire about “gauge earrings,” they’re really talking about plugs and tunnels, which are the forms of earrings that are placed in stretched lobes. Extending ears are ear piercings that have been pushed to highly enormous sizes.

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How Gauges Are Different From Tunnels And Plugs?

Plugs

Earplugs are the sort of jewelry that is worn by a piercer on the stretched ears. Plugs have been around for centuries. They were once known as earspools and may be linked directly to numerous ancient civilizations throughout the world that practiced ear stretching as part of their holy traditions. Plugs help keep the stretched piercing in form and prevent it from receding back to its standard size.

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Tunnels

Ear tunnels are cylindrical items that fit in a stretched piercing, similar to earplugs. The main difference is that tunnels are hollowed on the inside, allowing you to look through into the jewelry.

Ear tunnels allow you more flexibility and creative freedom to customize your ear in any way you like because of their unique design. A more subtle design may offer you that effective and enhanced charm if you want to opt for a plain, daily style, or if you like bolder looks, add a hanger or earring to create your own unique stack.

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Gauge

The thickness of body jewelry is measured in a gauge. Gauge sizes function in inverse, with higher numbers (such as 16 gauge) being thinner than lower numbers (like a 6 gauge). Body jewelry gauges typically run from 18 to 00g, with actual measures such as 1/2 inch plugs following after 00g. Gagging is the process of enlarging a piercing hole to fit more extensive jewelry.

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Smaller Gauge And Larger Gauge

Small gauges have a thinner plate but a higher number (such as 20G), whereas big gauges have a broader bar but a lower number (such as 20G) (like 14G). This might be complicated at first, but if you’re not intending on expanding your piercing, all you have to do is remember the gauge of your piercing and pick the appropriate jewelry from there.

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Different Sizes Of Gauge With Other Body Piercing

There are different sizes available for the other body piercing. The piercer will use different lengths of the gauge sizes according to the requirement of body jewelry and the type of jewelry that a piercee wants to wear at the place of piercing.

Lip Piercing

Lip piercing is the best type of body modification that enhances one beauty. There are different lip piercing types available, including snake bite piercing or spider bite piercing. Some lip piercing is done on the lips, and others on the sides of the lips.

Gauge Size

The standard gauge size of lip piercing is 14 G to 16 G., and its standard length is 1/4″,5/16″, and 3/8″.

Nose Piercing

Nose piercing helps to update your look with its unique appearance on your face. You can try a different nose piercing style according to your requirement to add a little creativity to your nose or face. These styles include a simple nostril piercing to a complicated nasallang piercing.

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Gauge Size

The piercer can use a standard gauge size for nose piercing from 20G to 18G, which has a standard length of ¼”, 5/16″.

Credit: glambody_jewelry

Ear Piercing

Some ear piercings are the simplest and safe option to make your look more attractive, whereas some piercings are more complicated, primarily when performed on the cartilage.

Gauge Size

The standard size of any gauge on ear piercing is 18G to 20 G, depending upon the requirement of the piercing jewelry and type.

Eyebrow Piercing

This piercing is typically performed horizontally or vertically along with the eyebrows. Eyebrow piercing includes different types of piercing which are considered the best facial piercings.

Gauge Size

The standard size of gauge for this piercing is 14 G to 16 G, but most of the time, piercers use 14gauge size to pierce this piercing. The standard length of this gauge size is 1/4″, 5/16″, and 3/8″.

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Tongue Piercing

Tongue piercings are a terrific way to dress up your mouth since they sit like a pearl inside a clam, and the jewelry selections for this piercing are endless. This piercing is performed in the middle of your tongue.

Gauge Size

The piercer will only use a 14 gauge size for this piercing. And its standard length is 5/8″.

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Belly-Button Piercing

A belly button or navel piercing is a great way to add a touch of uniqueness or attractiveness to your look. This piercing is getting very popular nowadays and helps to grab the attention of the crowd.

Gauge Size

The gauge size which is typically used for this piercing is 14G, which has a standard length of 3/8″ to 7/16″.

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Nipple Piercing

This is a body piercing that is frequently located in the middle of the nipple. It can be punctured in any direction, although horizontally or vertically is the most frequent. Multiple piercings can also be placed on top of one another.

Gauge Size

The standard size of the gauge for this piercing is 14G and has a standard length of around 3/8″,1/2″, and 9/16″.

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Why Is It Crucial To Understand The Ideal Gauge Size?

It is essential to know about the perfect gauge size for the piercing because if you accidentally get pierced with the wrong gauge size, this can lead to many significant risks. Choosing the wrong size of the gauge can increase the risk of the damage piercing.

Furthermore, selecting jewelry with a gauge that is too thin may cause the piercing to shrink, perhaps ripping or cutting the piercing, and too heavy jewelry may not even go in quickly and, if forced, may result in tears, blood, and of course, agony.

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What Is The Finest Technique To Determine The Size Of My Piercing?

Most the piercers stick to a standard size for each piercing; there are times when a piercer adopts a different gauge for some piercings. If you have any doubt relating to the size of your gauge, you should do some sort of research by yourself and go to an expert and professional piercer to inquire about the size they used for your particular piercing.

What Does The Term Gauge In Millimeters Mean?

Body jewelry gauge is determined by the size of the barbell that passes via your piercing. And gauge in millimeters is an international method of measuring the gauge in millimeters. For example, 22G has 0.64mm or 16G has 1.2mm, etc.

Vivienne Saoki
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