We're here to help you find the right size jewelry for your piercings, whether you're looking for flat back earrings or cartilage hoops. Here's our handy little jewelry sizing guide, made just for you! When it comes to flat back earrings and cartilage hoops , the first thing to know is gauge size, or the diameter of your piercing. The gauge size of your piercing refers to the thickness of the earring post that goes through your ear.
Everyone's ear is different, and your piercer may use a different sized needle depending on your exact ear size and shape, and your lifestyle, but here are some guidelines:. The length of your piercing refers to the wearable length of the earring post that goes through your piercing. For cartilage rings , this refers to the interior diameter of the ring. Some standard sizes for various piercings:. Our recommendation is to ask your professional piercer for this information if at all possible.
If you can't get in touch with your piercer, here's what we'd recommend trying as a backup:. Gauge Size : Insert a standard earring post through your piercing - this is going to be a 20G size post. If it fits snugly, then your gauge size will be 20G. The best way to help get rid of a blowout is to take your plugs out immediately after you notice it and downsize sizes smaller so your piercing will start to heal itself. If you leave the blowout to heal up without downsizing though, then it will generally heal up for good that way and become permanent.
There are many ways people have tried getting rid of healed blowouts, but the most common way is to downsize and to use oils like jojoba to help moisturize and soften up your skin. There is also the option of getting it surgically removed which is highly recommended if you have the funds to do so.
Once your ears start to get stretched, a common problem that everyone has is the issue of "ear funk". Ear funk is essentially the dead skin cells of the inside of your ears being trapped in the inside of your fistula the skin inside of your piercing.
Most of the dust in your own home is actually from dead skin cells that shed off of your body, ear funk is from the same thing. When you wear plugs for several days, the dead skin cells start to build up on your jewelry and when you remove the plugs they can be super gross. The way to get rid of this issue is either to wash out your ears daily in the shower or to just wear organic plugs.
Organic plugs are porous so they soak up all of that ear funk and keep your ears dry and smelling fresh. Many people have the problem of not being able to fit in their double flare plugs if they have never worn them before.
A double flared plug is a plug that has flares on both ends the flares are actually slightly larger than the actual center. Double flare plugs are totally fine to wear but they can sometimes be hard to get in especially on sizes under 0 gauge. There are several tips on getting them in that will make it much easier. The 1st thing to help with getting them in is to use lubrication. Any water based lubricant will help to get them in and out easily. Also you will want to insert them at an angle.
If you try to force them through straight into your ears then it will be much harder for them to fit through. Inserting them at a slight angle gives them enough leverage to pop through. On sizes under 0 gauge however, they will often require you to stretch slightly larger to be able to fit them through. The larger you stretch, the easier double flares will be able to get in, so the smaller sizes are a lot harder to get through.
If you are trying to fit a set of double flares in that are under 0 gauge then it's good to try doing a little tape wrapping see info on the tape wrapping method above to help loosen up your ears a bit and get the plugs in. Jojoba oil is an all-around great product.
Its best uses are to soften skin, reduce scar tissue, thicken lobes, and to moisturize. By massaging jojoba oil daily on your lobes, it helps to thicken them up over time and to keep them healthy. It also helps to reduce the size of blowouts over time if massaged daily. Organics generally don't require much more maintenance then the average set of plugs though. Materials such as wood will expand and contract as they get wet though so to avoid cracks and swelling, it's for sure best to keep them as dry as possible.
If you are purchasing a set of organic plugs that isn't super expensive, then just wear them and don't worry about if they wet or not. But if you have a nice set that you want to keep for years then it's highly recommended to keep them as dry as possible.
Also organic pieces that have inlays or where multiple materials are used such as multiple inlayed woods , then you for sure want to keep them dry to avoid breakage or cracking. It's also really good to use jojoba oil on organic jewelry to keep the pieces looking fresh and polished. All you need to do is take a small drop onto your fingers and rub the jojoba oil into the plugs and they will look like a fresh new pair.
The topic of gauges vs. We thought it would be easier to make a video on the topic so here is Chris talking the issue. If you are noticing issues such as extreme swelling, redness, discharge, itching, and hotness then you more than likely have an infection. An infection can be a serious problem so it's best to take care of it as soon as possible. If you have recently stretched your ears and are having all of the above problems then it's for sure best to downsize and let your ears get back to normal.
Also wearing jewelry like steel or glass is the best to wear with an irritated piercing these materials will minimize your risk of prolonging the infection. If you feel like it's getting too much or is a serious problem then it is best to consult a local doctor and have it checked out. If you let it go for a long time then you can have some serious problems so make sure to have it checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
Most people can stretch up to 0 gauge and shrink their ears back without having an issue. Whether you will be able to do the same depends on many factors including:. Some will easily be able to go up to 00g, whilst others might struggle to get back from 10g. If not, you might have issues getting back to your original size after stretching. Wear plugs and tunnels that are the smallest size your ears will shrink to. Opt for a reconstructive option like having the holes stitched and surgically altered back to their original size.
The best time to insert plugs is right after a hot shower. The warm water helps loosen the skin a bit and relaxes it, which makes it easier and more comfortable. You will also need a lubricant too. If you have recently stretched your ears you should wait around four to eight weeks before trying to wear double flared plugs. Note: Never, ever try to force plugs and tunnel in, or you could tear your earlobes, resulting in scarring, blowouts, and improper healing.
Tapers are specialised tools used to stretch ears that most of the time look like very long cones. Slowly insert the pointy side first and then try to slide it through. If there is resistance or pain, you should wait to stretch your ears further.
If there is no resistance and it feels comfortable, simply line up the next gauge of tunnels or plugs and push them through. Your earlobe may feel warm, tingly, or sting slightly but if you have any pain or discomfort, remove the jewelry and wait at least one or two more weeks.
Just as it sounds, taping bondage or PTFE tape specifically is used to increase your stretch size by wrapping tape around your plugs and tunnels a couple of times to help increase the stretch size with your own jewellery.
The main rule here is the longer you wait between the stretches, the healthier your lobes will remain and the more viable they will be for the bigger gauges. It will also avoid the build up of scar tissue.
Following this process it would take roughly two years to get to 00 gauge this way. Remember, you can do it faster too, but your earlobes will thank you if you take it nice and slow. Oil massages are the best practice after stretching your earlobes and this is best done after a shower because they need to stay moisturised.
Use natural or water-based products to massage your earlobes, for at least five minutes each which helps get rid of any scar tissue, dead cells, and remaining sebum. If you get any tears or injuries you should treat your newly stretched ears like any new piercing and soak them in sterile saline wound wash, not saltwater for at least 10 minutes a day to speed up healing and avoid infection.
We'd recommend using Neilmed sterile saline wound wash in the fine mist. Try to avoid alcohol, peroxide, and similar chemical products because they are quite harsh on the skin and will dehydrate it or aggravate your stretched ears further. First and foremost, use antibacterial soap to clean your hands and the area, or you risk getting bacteria all over your plugs. Care instructions vary depending on the material the plugs are made of — i.
Plugs and tunnels made of porous materials like organic plugs require substantially different care from those made with non-porous materials. Instead of washing them, only clean them with a damp cloth mixed with antibacterial soap, and pat them dry afterwards. For non-porous materials antibacterial water soaking is the best and easiest option! The terms plugs , tunnels and gauges , are often used interchangeably, which leads to so much confusion when first starting with ear stretching.
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