Find your perfect fit.
Body jewelry is measured in gauge, diameter, and length, and the right size changes with each piercing. Here's everything you need to order with confidence.
Gauge
Gauge is the thickness of the bar. The scale is counter-intuitive: a higher number means a thinner bar. Most piercings live between 20G and 14G.
| Gauge | Millimeters | Inches | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20G | 0.8 mm | 0.032" | Nostril studs, delicate earlobes |
| 18G | 1.0 mm | 0.040" | Nostrils, earlobes, some helix |
| 16G | 1.2 mm | 0.047" | Helix, tragus, eyebrow, lip, septum |
| 14G | 1.6 mm | 0.063" | Navel, nipple, tongue, septum |
| 12G | 2.0 mm | 0.081" | Industrial, stretched piercings |
| 10G | 2.4 mm | 0.102" | Stretched lobes and larger gauges |
Safety note: never force a thicker gauge into an existing piercing. Stretching to a larger gauge should always be gradual and, ideally, done with a professional.
Measuring the size
Once you know the gauge, you need the size, and how you measure it depends on the style of the piece.
Rings & hoops
Measure the inner diameter: the gap across the inside of the ring, not the outer edge.
Barbells & studs
Measure the wearable bar between the ends, the length of post inside the piercing, not the balls or decorative tops.
Size by piercing
Standard starting sizes for the most-requested placements. Fresh piercings often start a little longer and downsize once healed.
Earlobe
Styles: Studs, huggies, hoops
The standard starting point. Downsize studs once healed for a flush fit.
Helix / Cartilage
Styles: Flat-back studs, clickers, hoops
Start with a longer labret post to allow swelling, then downsize around 3 months.
Conch
Styles: Studs, statement hoops
Hoops need a larger 10 – 12 mm diameter to sit correctly around the cartilage.
Tragus
Styles: Labret studs, small hoops
A flat-back labret is the most comfortable and least snag-prone choice.
Nostril
Styles: Nose bones, L-bends, screws, seamless rings
Rings usually sit best at an 8 mm diameter in 20G.
Septum
Styles: Clickers, circular barbells, captive rings
8 mm is the most common starting diameter; anatomy shifts this up or down.
Navel
Styles: Curved (banana) barbells, dangles
Fresh navels start at 11 – 12 mm for swelling, then downsize to 8 – 10 mm once healed.
Eyebrow
Styles: Curved barbells, rings
A curved barbell reduces tension and the chance of migration.
Tongue
Styles: Straight barbells
Fresh tongues use a longer ~19 mm bar for swelling, downsizing to 14 – 16 mm after ~4 weeks.
Nipple
Styles: Straight or curved barbells, rings
Sizing varies most with anatomy here: 14 mm is a common middle ground.
Daith
Styles: Clickers, heart rings, hoops
Clickers and curved pieces follow the fold of the ear the most naturally.
Industrial
Styles: Single straight barbell
One straight barbell (usually 35 – 38 mm) spans both the helix and forward-helix holes.
How to measure at home
All you need is a piece that already fits and a millimeter ruler.
Remove a piece that fits
Take out a comfortable, well-fitting piece from the same piercing to measure against.
Lay it on a mm ruler
Place it flat on a hard surface next to a millimeter scale, in good light.
Measure the right span
For rings, measure the inner diameter. For barbells and studs, measure the wearable bar between the ends, not the balls or decorative tops.
Note the gauge
Measure the bar thickness (or check your last order). Match both the gauge and the size when you shop.
Safe by material
What's in your jewelry matters most when a piercing is fresh. Here's what's safe, what waits until you're healed, and what to skip.
Implant-grade titanium
ASTM F-136. Nickel-free, lightweight, and the gold standard for fresh piercings.
Solid gold (14k+)
Nickel-free solid gold, never plated. Safe for fresh wear and long-term.
Niobium
Inert and hypoallergenic, a budget-friendly alternative to titanium.
Surgical steel (316L)
Fine for most healed piercings, but its nickel content isn't ideal for sensitive skin.
Gold-plated / gold-filled
The plating wears through to base metal that can irritate and prolong healing.
Sterling silver
Tarnishes, can leave marks, and should never go in a fresh or mucosal piercing.
Common questions
While a piercing is fresh, size up to leave room for swelling. Once it's fully healed you can size to the smaller, flusher fit. When in doubt, message us your current piece's measurements.
Fresh piercings swell. A longer post or bar keeps the jewelry from pressing into the tissue while that happens. Downsize once the swelling settles, usually 4 to 12 weeks depending on the placement.
Not on a fresh piercing, and never force a thicker gauge into an existing hole. Stretch gradually with a professional: forcing it tears tissue and causes scarring.
Use the conversion table above: 20G ≈ 0.8 mm, 18G ≈ 1.0 mm, 16G ≈ 1.2 mm, 14G ≈ 1.6 mm. Remember the counter-intuitive rule: a higher gauge number means a thinner bar.
Send us a message with a photo of your current piece next to a ruler, plus its measurements, and we'll recommend the right gauge and size before you buy.
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