Jewelry Sizes

SIZING:

Picking the right size for the right person is very important and is something that can only be learned after years of experience. The two things that define size are:

GAUGE:

Gauge is the thickness of the jewelry which is based on the American Standard Wire Gauge. It starts at 36g and goes to 0g. The larger the number the thinner the wire will be. When choosing a gauge to be pierced at the piercer must decide which is thick enough to reduce migration and tearing but thin enough to not add too much weight. There is a standard which I have listed and average widths. Also a gauge to mm/inch conversion chart.

WIDTH:

Width is the inner width between the inside of the jewelry. A good rule of thumb is that an 1/8 of an inch is add to the amount of tissue between the two piercing holes. Once again this is a decision that needs to be made by the piercer but there is a list of standard sizes above.

Correct width sizing can reduce migration, the piercing becoming affected and/or scaring. Incorrect width is the most common problem I see. Many of us were taught to always do this piercing at that size and not to decide on based on the size and shape of the piercing area.