Here you will find some useful information on the basics of sizing for the most common types of body piercings. This is intended to help those new to the piercing world in choosing the correct gauge, length and diameter of body jewelry.

EAR: If you are one of those people who went to the mall and got your ear pierced with a gun, your jewelry gauge is either 20G or 18G. Stretching to a 16G should be fairly pain free. Lube up your ear with antibacterial soap and water and with a stainless steel taper, work the taper through the hole. If you went to a piercing studio and were pierced with a needle, chances are you have a 14G captive ring in your ear. Common gauges for piercing studios to pierce ears with range from 18G to 10G. More elaborate ear piercings like the tragus and rook typically use jewelry that is 5/16", 3/8", or 7/16" in size. Jewelry for the lobes can be just about any size from 1/4" up to 2".

EYEBROW: The most common gauge for an eyebrow piercing is 16G. 18G and 14G are options , although not as popular. Lengths range from 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" to 7/16". 1/4" is used for those piercings that are shrinking or growing out. 5/16" is standard length and 3/8" and 7/16" are used for initial piercings or for those who naturally have a thick eyebrow. 

NOSTRIL: The most common gauge used for nostril piercing is 18G. Nose jewelry consists of 3 sizes, 18G, 20G and 22G, 22G being the thinnest. You can go from 18G to 20G without a problem but going from a 22G to 18G can be quite painful so it's always wise to know what gauge you are. Nose jewelry styles include screws, bones, straight pins, fishtails and hoops. Screws and bones can be tricky for some people to get in and out but they stay in the best. Straight pins, even though they are meant to be bent still tend to fall out easily but are the easiest to get in and out. Fishtails are straight and are meant to be custom bent to fit your nose. The most common length for nose jewelry is 7mm. Some styles may be available in 5mm which is shorter for those tiny thin noses.

SEPTUM: The most common gauge used for septum piercing is 14G. Common lengths for the septum include 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2". Depending on ones particular style will determine the size of the jewelry. Large diameters for the Bull Ring look, small diameters for the discrete look. Jewelry used for the septum include Captive Bead Rings, Circular Barbells and Septum Retainers. 

MONROE: 16G is the standard gauge used for monroe piercings. This piercing is located above the upper lip and off to the side. Named after Marilyn Monroe's mole. Common lengths are 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2". The standard length for a monroe piercing is 5/16". 1/4" is the shortest and is used for those who have a very thin upper lip. 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2" are used for initial piercings to allow for swelling and for those who naturally have a thick upper lip.

LIP: This piercing is generally done with a captive bead ring. Similar to the labret, typical lip jewelry is 14G. Other gauges like 16g, 12g and 10g are options but not as common. The thickness of your lip will determine the diameter of the captive ring. Popular lip ring sizes are 3/8" 7/16" and 1/2". The most common size is 7/16". Initial piercing size is usually 1/2" to allow for swelling. Girls usually like a little smaller hoop 3/8" to hug thier lip. 3/8" or smaller (5/16") is only recommended for healed piercings and can work well for those snake bites where the lip is thinner.

LABRET: This piercing is located in the center right under the lower lip. The most common gauge for a labret piercing is 14G. Other gauges like 18G, 16G, 12G, 10G and 8G are options but not as common. The thickness of your lip will determine how long the labret needs to be. Labret lengths are 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2". The most common lengths are 5/16" and 3/8". 1/4" is the shortest and can be used for those who have a very thin lip/chin. 7/16" and 1/2" are used for initial piercings or for those who naturally have a thick lip/chin. It is important to wear the proper length jewelry to avoid damaging teeth and gums.

TONGUE: The most common gauge used for tongue piercing is 14G. Barbell lengths are 5/8", 3/4" and 7/8". The most common length for tongue barbells is 5/8". 3/4" is slightly longer and 7/8" is even longer and is used for initial piercings to allow for swelling. We recommend you wear jewelry that fits perfect in your tongue. Too long of a barbell will knock on your gums and teeth and will eventually damage them. Too short of a barbell could result in the tongue actually healing over the balls. So remember, to help avoid damaging your teeth and gums, you should switch to a shorter length barbell when your swelling goes down.

BELLY - NAVEL: The most common gauge for navel jewelry is 14G. If you were pierced with a 16G you will have a hard time finding jewelry other then the basics. The most common length jewelry for a healed navel is 3/8" or 7/16". Since navel piercing is the most common piercing, it would only make sense that this should be the most versatile piece of jewelry. Practically any curved 14G jewelry can be worn as a navel ring. Some examples are 14G captive bead rings, circular barbells, curved barbells, and spiral/twists.

NIPPLE: The most common gauge used for nipple piercings is 14G. 12G and 10G can be used but are not as common. Jewelry used for nipple piercing include straight barbells, curved barbells, circular barbells and captive rings. Women generally have larger nipples then men and are usually pierced with 5/8" or 3/4" in length/diameter. Men generally have smaller nipples and are pierced with 7/16", 1/2" or 5/8". 
                               

GENITALS: The most common gauge used for genital piercings is 14G. Jewelry used for these piercings include Captive Rings, Curved Barbells, Straight Barbells and Circular Barbells. It is best to consult with your piercer as to what type and size jewelry will work best for you.

**NOTE** It's always a good idea to ask your piercer what size jewelry he is using and remember that size so that when you do go shopping for new jewelry you will know what size you are. This will avoid purchasing jewelry of the wrong size which in most cases stores don't take back. If you're lucky enough to walk into a shop like ours where we can tell what size you are just by looking at it or measuring it, you'll be ok.

CONVERSION CHART: