Understanding earring gauges is crucial for selecting the right thickness of the earring post. Gauges, or “G”, generally come in 20G (0.8mm/0.032 inches), 18G (1mm/0.04 inches) and 16G (1.2mm/0.047 inches). 20 gauge is the most common thickness, and is usually the gauge that was used if you were pierced with a piercing gun, usually at the mall. Conversely, if you were pierced at a piercing studio, chances are you were pierced with either an 18 gauge or 16 gauge thick hallow needle, depending on the location of your piercing. Piercing studios prefer to use a minimum of 18G as their thicker nature reduces the likelihood of jewelry tearing from the piercing, thus preventing split or ripped piercing.
At Valensole Jewelry, we offer 19G (0.9mm/0.035 inches) studs, bridging the gap between 20G and 18G piercings, ensuring a comfortable fit. We feel that it's a good compromise between the two sizes with only 0.1mm difference in thickness. Additionally, we carry 16G (1.2mm/0.047 inches) studs, which is increasingly becoming common gauge to be pierced with. For optimal comfort, we recommend wearing our earrings as close to the skin as possible after your piercings are fully healed, minimizing the risk of snagging on clothing, hair, or a hairbrush. Of course this is all up to personal preference as some people prefer a bit of extra breathing room as well!
The studs in our collection features flat earring backings, designed for flush wear in the piercing, ensuring maximum comfort and secure placement. In fact, they are so comfortable you should be able to sleep in them without pain or discomfort, unless your ear is not fully healed from piercing. Additionally, our earrings are made of solid 14K gold, so wearing them all the time and forgetting to take them off is part of the appeal since they won’t fade and tarnish resistant when worn in the shower, in the sun, or during exercise.
For a quick reference, a helpful chart at the bottom of this blog post, along with a printable Jewelry Size Guide for comprehensive assistance.
Common 18 Gauge Piercings
Nose piercings and earlobe piercings are most likely to start out as 18G, but you can choose to wear 18 or 20 gauge jewelry after it heals. These piercings include:
- Nostril piercing
- Both sided nose piercing
- Double lobe piercing
- Triple lobe piercing
- Stacked lobe piercing
- Upper lobe piercing
Nose and Ear Lobe Stud Lengths
Once your piercing has properly healed, 5mm and 6.5mm length posts are most popular if you prefer the jewelry to be flush against your skin. This of course can vary depending on the thickness of your ear or nose. For earlobe piercing, if you prefer to have extra length and don't mind the back sticking out a bit, then 8mm is ideal. Also, piercing studios typically start with an 8mm length post to accommodate swelling and ensure proper healing.
Nose and Ear Lobe Hoop Inner Diameters
If you prefer for your hoop to be tight (not to have any space between the bottom of the hoop and the area you were pierced), we recommend measuring from the piercing to the end of your nostril or earlobe, and round up to the next whole number.
- Example: if you measured at 5.5mm, size up to 6mm.
That is the inner diameter that will fit your intended look most comfortably. We don’t recommend sizing down as it may be too tight and cause discomfort.
If you prefer your hoop to have some hang, then add 1mm to your measured length and round up to the next whole number.
- Example: if you measured at 5.5mm, size up to 7mm.
Common 16 Gauge Piercings
All other piercings in your ear or nose are generally through the cartilage, and will start out with a 16G post. After it’s fully healed you can choose to wear 16 or 18G jewelry. When referring to a cartilage piercing, this includes any of the following:
- Helix piercing
- Double helix piercing
- Triple helix piercing
- Daith piercing
- Forward helix piercing
- Mid helix piercing
- Tragus piercing
- Conch piercing
- Rook piercing
- Septum piercing
Cartilage Stud Lengths
After properly healed and depending on the thickness of your pierced cartilage and your preference for how flush the earring should sit against your ear, most stud lengths used will be either 5mm or 6.5mm. This applies to the tragus piercing, conch piercing and the various helix piercing locations listed above.
Cartilage Hoop Inner Diameters
Like the nose and earlobe hoop recommendations, cartilage hoops will also be the same.
If you prefer for your hoop to be tight (not to have much or any space between the bottom of the hoop and the area you were pierced), we recommend measuring from the piercing to the end of your nostril or earlobe, and round up to the next whole number.
- Example: if you measured at 5.5mm, size up to 6mm.
That is the inner diameter that will fit your intended look most comfortably. We don’t recommend sizing down as it may be too tight and cause discomfort.
If you prefer for your hoop to have some hang, then add 1mm to your measured length and round up to the next whole number.
- Example: if you measured at 5.5mm, size up to 7mm.
