Body Jewelry Guide Materials Styles Sizes
	Materials
	Surgical Stainless Steel - Surgical implant grade metal is the most popular for body jewelry. Also referred to as "surgical steel," it's the best metal for extreme sizes or sensitive positioning.
	Lucite - This is a trademark given to an acrylic resin or plastic. All Lucite barbells are a bit more expensive since the balls have to be tapped and threaded. Don't clean Lucite body jewelry with alcohol; it will shatter!
	Titanium - This lightweight metal is commonly used for colored body jewelry. There are no dyes or chemicals used. The jewelry is submerged in an electrolyte bath and subjected to electrical charges, resulting in a variety of colors. Although you can't achieve a red color, you can get gold, purple, blue, rose, green and teal.
	Niobium - This soft metal is excellent for body piercing and can be worn for extended periods of time. Like titanium, it reacts to electricity by changing color. Niobium and titanium will both fade if worn in the mouth.
	Sterling Silver - This is an alloy of silver, copper, nickel, or other metals. Sterling silver will always be stamped with the number 925, since it's made from 92.5% silver. Although many charms are sterling silver, nothing that's inside the body should be made from it.
	Base Metal - This is basically "junk metal," a mixture of leftover metals. It can be polished to look like silver but should never be used for body jewelry.
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	Styles
	There are many piercings being done today and several different styles of jewelry to choose from. We've listed some of the more common ones, along with a suggested style of body jewelry.
	Name Location of Piercing Common Styles Worn Ear Cartilage Cartilage of the Ear Captive Hoop Ear Lobe Soft Tissue of the Ear Captive Hoop Eyebrow Vertically Through the Outer Eyebrow Captive Hoop / Curved Barbell Labret Beneath the Lower Lip Labret Barbell Lip Through the Center or Side Lower Lip Captive Hoop Madonna Above the Upper Lip (Like a Beauty Mark) Labret Barbell Navel Either Above or Below the Navel Captive Hoop / Curved Barbell Nipple Through the Nipple Captive Hoop / Curved Barbell Nostril Through the Outer Side of the Nostril Captive Hoop Septum Through the Septum - (Between Nostrils) Captive Hoop / Circular Barbell Tongue Through the Midline of the Tongue Barbell Tragus Flap of Cartilage Near Ear Canal Captive Hoop
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	Sizes
	The size of a piece of body jewelry is determined by its gauge, length, and inside diameter. The gauge is the thickness of the jewelry shaft. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the jewelry is. We've listed some of the more common piercings, along with suggested gauges.
	Name Initial Gauge Common Gauges Suggested Body Jewelry Cartilage 18G min / 12G max 16G min / 14G max Captive Hoop Ear Lobe 20G min / 10G max 20G min / 00G max Captive Hoop Eyebrow 18G min / 14G max 18G min / 16G max Captive Hoop / Curved Barbell Labret 14G min / 10G max 16G min / 14G max Labret Barbell Lip 14G min / 12G max 18G min / 12G max Captive Hoop Madonna 14G min / 10G max 16G min / 14G max Labret Barbell Navel 14G min / 12G max 16G min / 14G max Captive Hoop / Curved Barbell Nipple (Male) 14G min / 12G max 14G min / 12G max Captive Hoop / Barbell Nipple (Female) 12G min / 10G max 14G min / 12G max Captive Hoop / Barbell Nostril 18G min / 14G max 20G min / 16G max Captive Hoop Septum 14G min / 10G max 14G min / 8G max Captive Hoop / Circular Barbell Tongue 14G min / 10G max 14G min / 6G max Barbell Tragus 18G min / 14G max 18G min / 16G max Captive Hoop
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	Gauge Conversion Chart
	Gauge Millimeters Inches 20 gauge = 0.812 mm = .032 inch 18 gauge = 1.024 mm = .040 inch 16 gauge = 1.291 mm = .051 inch 14 gauge = 1.628 mm = .064 inch 12 gauge = 2.053 mm = .081 inch 10 gauge = 2.589 mm = .102 inch 8 gauge = 3.264 mm = .129 inch 6 gauge = 4.115 mm = .162 inch 4 gauge = 5.189 mm = .204 inch 2 gauge = 6.544 mm = .258 inch 0 gauge = 8.252 mm = .325 inch 00 gauge = 9.266 mm = .365 inch View all FAQs | Close Window
	What gauge am I?
	Since there is no universal sizing system for body jewelry, we strongly recommend checking with your local piercer to determine the appropriate gauge and length. If that's not possible, we've created a size chart with suggested gauges. These are suggestions only and are not meant to serve as recommendations.
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	What type of material should I wear?
	Professional body piercers use surgical stainless steel and titanium initially because they are hypoallergenic. These are the best materials to prevent adverse reactions to the object in your body! Once a new piercing heals, you can experiment with different materials and styles.
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	How long will it take for my piercing to heal?
	Everybody reacts and heals differently, and each area of the body has its own unique healing period and process. Typically, a new piercing should be cleaned once or twice a day with a mild, antibacterial soap and warm water. Although we can't predict how quickly you'll heal, this is a general guideline for healing times:
	Name Approximate Healing Time Cartilage 2-3 months Ear Lobe 4-6 weeks Eyebrow 6-8 weeks Labret 6-8 weeks Lip 6-8 weeks Madonna 2-3 months Navel 6 months - 1 year Nipple (Male) 2-3 months Nipple (Female) 2-3 months Nostril 2-3 months Septum 6-8 weeks Tongue 4-6 weeks Tragus 2-3 months
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	How can I stretch my piercing?
	Insertion tapers are the best way to stretch a piercing. A taper is a long, needle-like tool that gradually thickens to the size you desire. The fastest and most common way to increase the gauge of a piercing is to have it pierced again with a larger piece of jewelry. In both cases, it's a good idea to wait at least three times as long as the healing time before attempting to stretch. Check with your local piercer to see what's best for you.
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	How do I clean and care for my piercing?
	Although it's always best to check with your local piercer regarding cleaning procedures, we've included some general tips here.
	Body Piercings
	NOTE: These guidelines are not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor.
	•  Never touch your piercing without first washing your hands with anti-bacterial soap. This is a great way to avoid infections even after your piercing has healed.
	•  Do not use petroleum-based ointments, peroxide, alcohol, or iodine. These substances can hinder and prolong the healing process. Use a mild, antibacterial soap instead.
	•  The easiest and most comfortable time to clean your piercing is either during or immediately following a hot shower. The hot water and steam will help soften your skin and loosen the crust at the base of your jewelry.
	•  Use disposable products like tissues, cotton balls or swabs to remove any crust around your piercing. Do not use a hand towel because bacteria can lie dormant in the cloth.
	•  Your jewelry should remain in place during the entire healing period. Removing your jewelry prematurely can cause an infected hole to close up, trapping an infection and leading to complications requiring a medical professional.
	•  Mild saltwater soaks are strongly suggested at least once a day to accelerate healing and increase your comfort. This may also help to reduce irritation in the area.
•  Leave the piercing alone except for when you are cleaning it! It is not necessary or advisable to rotate a ring while healing except during cleanings.
•  Don't use bandages on a new piercing. They limit air circulation and the adhesive can irritate the surrounding area.
Oral Piercings
NOTE: These guidelines are not to be considered a substitute for medical advice from a doctor.
•  Rinse your mouth for 30-60 seconds with an antibacterial mouth rinse after meals. Check with a local piercing studio or drug store; many of them sell these products for your convenience.
•  A new soft bristled toothbrush should be used to help minimize the introduction of bacteria into your mouth.
•  Rinse your mouth with a mild sea salt mixture or warm water for 10-15 seconds, no more than twice a day.
•  Try to sleep with your head propped up on pillows during the first few nights. Keeping your head above your heart will help to avoid much initial overnight swelling.
•  Take small bites when you eat and go slowly when you chew! Cold foods and beverages feel great and may help diminish swelling.

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