Why won't my new cartilage stud fit?
Are you struggling to fit your new 16 gauge jewellery in your cartilage piercing?
Don't worry, we're here to help!
Why won't my 16 gauge jewellery fit?
Most needle cartilage piercings are pierced with a 16 gauge (1.2mm) needle and fitted with 16g initial jewellery for healing, however if you had your ear pierced with a gun, it will have a with a much thinner post around 20 gauge. The reason why you're having trouble is because your piercing hole simply isn't wide enough for the 16 gauge jewellery. If you were pierced with a 16g needle but removed the jewellery and started wearing thinner earrings, this will cause your piercing hole to shrink down to the size of the earring being worn.
What size is my cartilage piercing?
A new cartilage piercing made with a needle is normally 16 gauge, this is the standard 'thickness' of the labret bar which goes through the new piercing.
HOW DO I FIT MY NEW STUD?
The easiest way to fit your new flat-back labret stud is by using a Labret Insertion Tool which helps to effortlessly guide the bar through your piercing.
Can I stretch my piercing?
If your piercing hole has shrunk, you can slowly stretch it using a Labret Insertion Tool to the gauge you were originally pierced with, which is usually 16 gauge.
Cartilage Piercing Gauge Size Chart
| 16 gauge | 1.2mm |
| 18 gauge | 1.0mm |
| 20 gauge | 0.8mm |
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Frequently Asked Questions
A traditional stud earring with a butterfly back is 20 gauge thickness. If you need a threadless labret stud in 20 gauge, you can buy one here.
Earrings for cartilage piercings such as helix, tragus and conch are usually 16 gauge thickness. The style of earring could be a labret, barbell, clicker or seamless ring.
There is 0.2mm difference between 16 gauge and 18 gauge earrings, which doesn't seem like much but it can be the difference between your earring fitting through your piercing hole or not which is why it's important to make sure you know the size you need for your individual piercing.
Yes, it's possible to wear 16g earrings if you have a smaller piercing hole but you will need to slightly stretch your piercing first. It's advised to use a labret taper to gradually make the hole larger.
Yes, it's ok but you will probably need to stretch your piercing hole first. If you were pierced with a gun, your piercing hole will be smaller than if you were pierced with a needle, so you may struggle to wear standard 16 gauge earrings once your piercing is healed. It's possible to stretch your piercing so you can wear 16 gauge piercing jewellery. The best way to do this is to use a labret taper. A taper is a tool which gradually gets thicker to slowly stretch the piercing hole, it starts at 20g and finishes at 16g.
Use a labret taper after showering as the warm water softens and loosens the skin making it easier to stretch. Once you can fit the taper all the way to the thicker end, you'll be able to put your thicker piercing jewellery through. It may take a bit of time and perseverance and it may be a little sore for the first few hours once fitted but it will subside.