piercing size for earlobes--16 gauge too big?

Question

I just got a barbell piercing--16 gauge--in my earlobes. To me, 16 gauge looks bigger than the standard posts in most earrings.

Will I have holes that are too big for regular earrings (say, 18 or 20 gauge posts) if I keep these 16 gauge barbells in my lobes?

Answer 1

Hi, 16 gauge is larger than the standard 20-gauge earring, but honestly overall it doesn't make a big difference. I recently had my ears pierced with a gun at the hairdresser and the posts are much thicker than standard earrings (I think either 18 or 16 gauge), and my holes fit any earrings just fine. You'll find that from earring to earring the size of the posts will vary, anyway. The good thing about having a slightly bigger hole is that standard earrings won't cause the "cheese-cutter" effect--the holes won't get stretched and look like your hole is a slit in your ear because of earrings stretching a too-small hole.

So don't worry... you'll be fine, plus if you never wear 16-gauge earrings again your holes will shrink up a bit anyway. My holes aren't even visible if i haven't worn earrings in a day or two (I had my ears pierced about a year ago).

Make sure to keep them in till your ears are fully healed and you will be fine =)

Edit: Don't listen to the people on here... I did a ton of research before I pierced my ears... and by switching earrings while you're healing you will just hurt your ears... don't do it. 16 gauge vs 18 gauge is miniscule. TRUST ME.

Yahoo! Answers worries me sometimes... people giving advice that is TOTALLY wrong is dangerous. :/

Answer 2

There's really not much difference in a 16 and 18 gauge post. You should be fine with 18s after your ears heal up. However, 20 guages are probably going to be a good bit loose. That is, unless you are going to wear danglies- the weight of them keep the hole from closing. In fact, it stretches them a tiny bit.

Answer 3

It will depend on how long you leave them in, If you switch to a smaller gauge in 6 weeks and leave those in the hole will start to close around them. But if you leave the 16 gauge, in you should be able to wear standard earrings depending on the kind of earring you wear.

Answer 4

since 16 gauge is bigger than 18 and 20 you're holes are probably going to be too big for them. 18 might fit though.

Answer 5

16 gauge is not that bit. You'll easily be able to interchange them with other "standard" earrings...like what you'd get from Claire's, Target, the flea market...wherever.

The one possible exception is if you get an earring where it has a super tiny jewel, like a really small diamond chip, where the jewel is only barely larger than the post. Those might risk sliding through...MIGHT, not guaranteed. Other than that, you'll be just fine.

Answer 6

standard earrings are probably 20-22gauge. 16 is much bigger than a normal earring. As to whether your holes will stay that big, it depends how long you keep them in. usually ears that have been stretched for a limited time will shrink back in time, but after a while, they'll be stretched out for sure!

Answer 7

They'll go down with time if you take the earrings out (but only after they are healed!). If they are not shrinking fast enough, use Preperation H on your holes and they'll get smaller a lot faster.

Answer 8

Fortunately, if you switch to a smaller gauge now, the existing holes will shrink as they start to heal over.

Answer 9

to me, barbells, gauges & earrings shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence!

so my answer would be yes, too big.

Answer 10

I say yes for sure.