The Piercing Gauge Size Guide: How to Measure Your Body Jewelry

How is body jewelry measured? While plenty of pierced people are aware of the different gauge sizes for body jewelry, if you are new to these measurements, be forewarned: they're a little counterintuitive. While it can take a little time to understand the piercing gauge range, mastering it can help lead you to your perfect piece(s) of jewelry.

For more info, we asked top piercing experts Cozmo Faris and Brian Keith Thompson for their savvy advice on how to find the right gauge size for your body jewelry. Read on for what they told us.

What Are Piercing Gauge Sizes?

The word "gauge" refers to the overall thickness of a piece of body jewelry—how wide the shaft of a post is rather than how long. A gauge size indicates how big a piercing hole must be to accommodate the jewelry. Fun fact: According to Faris, the jewelry gauge system is based on the wire gauge system used by electrical workers.

Gauge is abbreviated "g." Gauge sizes are usually a number followed by "g" or the word "gauge." "In Europe and Asia, jewelry is measured in millimeters," explains Thompson. "Here [in the U.S.], it's measured by gauge."

Gauge sizes work in reverse, meaning the higher the number, the thinner the width. So higher numbers (like 16 gauge) are thinner than smaller numbers (like 6 gauge). References to a "larger gauge" means bigger around, not a larger number. That is to say, if you're told that you need a larger gauge than 14, you need to look at 12 or 10 (which are wider), not a 16.

Gauge Range for Body Jewelry

Body jewelry gauges usually range from 18 g to 00 g. As the jewelry size increases beyond 00 g, the size of the jewelry is then expressed in its actual measurements, such as with 1/2-inch plugs. "Gauge [size] will vary pretty widely based on the client's anatomy, preferences, and piercing location," Faris explains.

"Standard size is 18 g, which is what I mostly use for all my ear piercings," Thompson says. "For piercings in general, 18 g through 16 g is the most common. For nipple or navel piercings, 14 g through 12 g is the most common. For larger gauges—like stretched ear lobes—the smallest gauge usually starts at size 8 and goes up from there."

Here is how gauges compare to diameters in inches and millimeters:

• 18 gauge = 0.04 inches or 1.0 millimeters
• 16 gauge = 0.05 inches or 1.2 millimeters
• 14 gauge = 1/16-inch or 1.6 millimeters
• 8 gauge = 1/8-inch or 3.2 millimeters
• 2 gauge = 1/4-inch or 6.5 millimeters
• 0 gauge = 5/16-inch or 8.3 millimeters
• 00 gauge = 3/8-inch or 9.3 millimeters

One thing to keep in mind is that, in most cases, larger gauges will be your best option for body jewelry. A very small gauge like an 18 or even 16 is more likely to migrate, causing pain and possibly rejection. As long as it's properly pierced, a larger gauge will be much more stable.

Some will avoid larger gauges because they assume that getting pierced with a 12 will hurt more than a 16, but this isn't the case—it'll be uncomfortable either way, and neither is unbearable. And knowing you won't have to remove a piercing a few months down the road will make it worth it.

Why Is It Important to Know Your Gauge Size?

Knowing the perfect gauge size for your piercing is like knowing what size shoes you wear—except if you accidentally choose the wrong size for your piercing, you risk causing physical damage. "Jewelry that is too thin of a gauge could cause your piercing to shrink and may even lead to tearing or cutting of the piercing," Faris warns. "Jewelry that is too thick might not even go in gently, and if forced, could cause tearing, bleeding, and obviously, pain."

How to Find the Gauge of Your Body Jewelry

Unless you request something different, most piercers have a standard size they prefer to use for starter jewelry based on the location of the piercing. If you can't make it to your local piercing studio to determine the gauge size for your body piercing, you can order a gauge wheel tool online instead. A gauge wheel is a "flat disk with notches cut in it that correspond to gauge sizes," Faris explains. "You simply slide your jewelry into the notches until you find the one it fits perfectly in. The size will be printed on the wheel next to the notch."

The Final Takeaway

With so many different gauge sizes to choose from and a myriad of measurements to keep in mind, finding the perfect gauge size for your piercing can feel daunting. But don't worry—with the right tools, professional guidance, and research, you will find yourself on the fastest track to finding the perfect match for your body piercing.