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Last Updated: Nov 5, 2026
Practice Management Tips
Body Piercing Gauge Chart
Free PDF 2 pages, print-ready Clinician-reviewed
A body piercing gauge chart converts a jewelry gauge number into a diameter in millimeters, so studios can size, compare and record piercings accurately. The scale runs backwards: a lower gauge number means thicker jewelry, so 16g (1.2 mm) is thicker than 18g (1.0 mm). Most lobe piercings start at 18g or 16g, nostril piercings at 18g or 20g, while nipple and navel piercings usually start at 14g (1.6 mm). This page sets out the gauge to mm conversions, the standard gauges for each piercing type and an ear stretching progression. It also links to a free PDF for the studio wall or the client file.
Template details
- Template type
- Chart
- Format
- Printable PDF, 2 pages
- Best for
- Practice Management Tips
Free download
Download your free body piercing gauge chart
A printable chart with gauge to mm and inch conversions from 20g to 1 inch, plus safe stretching rules and warning signs. It ends with a client record for sizes, materials and aftercare notes.
What’s inside
- How gauge works, and why a higher number means thinner jewelry
- Conversion table from 20g to 1 inch, with mm, inches and common placements
- Six stretching rules, from waiting 6 to 8 weeks to implant-grade materials
- Point of no return guidance on lobe recovery around 0g to 00g
- Six warning signs to stop stretching, from bleeding to discharge
- Client record for date, placement, sizes, material, piercer and aftercare notes
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A body piercing gauge chart matches each gauge number to a jewelry diameter in millimeters, so piercers can pick a starting size without guessing. The scale runs backwards, so 14g (1.6 mm) is thicker than 18g (1.0 mm).
Most lobe piercings start at 18g or 16g, and ear stretching moves up in small steps. What follows covers the gauge to mm conversion table, standard sizes by piercing type, a stretching progression and how to record each client’s size.
Key takeaways
A body piercing gauge chart translates gauge numbers into millimeter diameters for accurate jewelry sizing.
Lower gauge numbers mean thicker jewelry, so 16g (about 1.2 mm) is thicker than 18g (about 1.0 mm).
Standard lobe piercings are usually 18g or 16g, while nipple and navel piercings usually start at 14g.
Stretching moves up in small steps, and a lobe may not recover its shape beyond about 0g or 00g.
The free PDF gives studios one printed reference and a client record for gauge, size and aftercare notes.
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What is a body piercing gauge chart?
A body piercing gauge chart is a reference table that lists each gauge number alongside its diameter in millimeters and, usually, its fractional inch equivalent. Piercers use it to choose starting jewelry, check that a client’s existing jewelry matches what they are recording, and plan a stretching progression without guessing.
The gauge system is inverse. Gauge 18 is thinner than gauge 16, and gauge 00 is far thicker than either. Gauge also measures the diameter of the post, never its length. Explaining both points to a first-time client prevents most sizing mistakes at the front desk.
How to use the chart in a studio
The chart earns its place when it is part of the consultation and the client record. Work through it in this order for each client.
- Identify the existing jewelry. Note the gauge marked on the bar or ring, or measure the diameter with a caliper if it is unmarked.
- Cross-reference the mm value. Find the matching row in the conversion table and record the millimeter diameter in the client file.
- Confirm the standard for the site. Check the piercing-type table to see whether the current size is typical for that location.
- Plan any change. For stretching, note the next size up in the progression and the interval you agreed with the client.
- Record the outcome. Log the gauge, mm size, jewelry style and any aftercare notes against the appointment.
Gauge to mm conversion table
The table below gives the millimeter diameter for the gauges piercers use most. Values are rounded to one decimal place for everyday use, so check the exact figure against your jewelry supplier’s specification when fit is critical.
Drawn to one scale, the same gauges show how quickly thickness climbs once the number drops below 12g.
Standard piercing gauge sizes by piercing type
Each body site has a typical starting gauge. These are industry norms rather than fixed rules, so the client’s anatomy, the jewelry style and the piercer’s judgment all shape the final choice.
Ear lobe piercing gauge sizes
Most professional studios start lobes at 18g and move to 16g once the piercing has settled. Retail chains often pierce at 20g, so a client who was pierced there may already be at a smaller diameter than the chart’s standard. Record the gauge and mm value on arrival rather than assuming the standard applies.
Cartilage piercing gauge sizes (helix, tragus, daith, conch)
Cartilage is thicker and slower to heal than lobe tissue. Jewelry there is usually 16g or 18g, with a flat-back or a slightly longer post. Clients should expect a different aftercare timeline from lobe piercings.
Nose piercing gauges (nostril and septum)
Nostril piercings are commonly 18g or 20g, while septum piercings are commonly 16g or 14g. Confirm the client’s preferred jewelry style before ordering, because clickers and rings differ in gauge range.
Nipple, navel and labret gauges
Nipple and navel piercings are commonly 14g, and labrets are commonly 16g or 14g. These sites are often pierced at the thicker end of the standard range, so check jewelry length as well as gauge.
Ear gauge stretching size chart
Stretching moves a lobe through a sequence of gauges over weeks or months. Each step should be measured, not guessed. The client moves up only when the current size sits comfortably, with no tearing, thinning or persistent soreness.
The point of no return is the size beyond which the lobe may not recover its original shape. Professional piercers commonly place it around 0g or 00g. It varies with each person’s tissue, so treat it as guidance rather than a fixed threshold. Stop and seek advice if the lobe thins, tears or stays painful.
How to measure your current piercing gauge at home
If the jewelry is unmarked, a digital caliper gives the most reliable reading. A gauge wheel also works for quick checks, though it is less precise at the thicker sizes.
- Clean the jewelry and remove it from the piercing.
- Measure the thickness of the post, not the length, across its widest point.
- Compare the reading with the mm column in the conversion table.
- If the reading falls between two rows, choose the nearest and confirm with a professional before ordering.
Home measurements are only a guide. A piercer should confirm the size before any change, particularly for stretched or healing piercings.
How Pabau keeps piercing size records consistent
Sizing errors start when a client’s gauge is split across a paper card, a booking note and a piercer’s memory. The printed chart fixes the reference at the piercing station, but the record still needs one home.
Pabau, the software built for spas and studios, stores the gauge, mm size and jewelry style on each client record. The next piercer sees the last size before the client sits down.
Digital forms collect consent before any piercing or stretch, and the signed answers save to that record. Our piercing consent form gives you the wording to start from.
After the visit, pre and post care messages send aftercare instructions automatically. Build them from a template such as our body piercing aftercare instructions, so every client gets the same advice.
See how studios keep sizing records in one place
Book a demo to see how Pabau supports client records, digital consent and aftercare for piercing studios.
Conclusion
Gauge numbers only cause trouble when a studio treats them as obvious. Write the mm value next to every gauge, check the standard for the site, and move a stretch up in small steps.
Do that at every visit and the record answers the next piercer’s first question before anyone reaches for a caliper. The cost is a minute of measuring at check-in, far less than a torn lobe or a returned jewelry order.
Book a demo to see how Pabau keeps gauge sizes, consent and aftercare on one client record for your studio.
Continue your research
Need signed consent before you pierce? Piercing consent form covers the risks, aftercare duties and signatures to collect.
Sending clients home with a new piercing? Body piercing aftercare instructions gives you cleaning and healing advice ready to hand over.
Fielding questions about how much it hurts? Ear piercing pain scale rates each ear placement so clients know what to expect.
Planning a nipple piercing consultation? Nipple piercing pain chart sets out pain and healing expectations for that placement.
Running a tattoo and piercing studio? Tattoo aftercare instructions give tattoo clients the same consistent written advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is a piercing gauge?
A piercing gauge is a measure of jewelry thickness, where a lower number means a thicker post. Gauge 18 is about 1.0mm and gauge 16 is about 1.2mm.
Which is bigger, 16 or 18 gauge piercing jewelry?
16 gauge is bigger, because it is thicker. It measures about 1.2mm against 1.0mm for 18 gauge.
What is the standard ear piercing size in mm?
The standard lobe size is 18g, about 1.0mm, with 16g, about 1.2mm, also common. Retail chains often use 20g, about 0.8mm.
What gauge is an ear piercing at Claire’s?
Claire’s does not publish official gauge specifications, but 20g is widely reported for its standard ear piercing. Check the size on arrival rather than assuming it.
How do I measure ear gauge size at home?
Use a digital caliper to measure the post thickness in mm, then match the reading to the conversion table. Confirm with a professional piercer before changing size.
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