Getting a piercing at a professional body piercer with a needle is the safest way, and they can pierce your ear at a bigger size than if you got it done with a gun.
In order, these are the sizes for stretched piercings. The smallest is a 20 gauge, and they increase in size as the chart continues. 20 gauge- . 8mm 18 gauge- 1mm 16 gauge- 1. 2mm 14 gauge- 1. 6 mm 12 gauge- 2mm 10 gauge- 2. 5mm 8 gauge- 3. 2mm 6 gauge- 4mm 4 gauge- 5mm 2 gauge- 6mm 1 gauge - 7mm 0 gauge- 8mm 9mm 00 gauge- 10mm 7⁄16 inch (1. 1 cm)- 11mm ½ inch- 12. 7mm 9⁄16 inch (1. 4 cm)- 14mm 5⁄8 inch (1. 6 cm)- 16mm 11⁄16 inch (1. 7 cm)- 18mm ¾ inch- 19mm 7⁄8 inch (2. 2 cm)- 22mm 15⁄16 inch (2. 4 cm)- 24mm 1 inch (2. 5 cm)- 25mm 1 and 1/16 inch- 28mm 1 and 1/8 inch- 30mm 1 and ¼ inch- 32mm 1 and 3/8 inch- 35mm 1 and ½ inch- 38mm 1 and 5/8 inch- 41mm 1 and ¾ inch- 44mm 1 and 7/8 inch- 47mm 2 inch (5. 1 cm)- 50mm Sizes can get bigger after 2 inches (5. 1 cm), but it is most commonly the biggest size.
When you first stretch a piercing, hoops and horseshoe earrings are much easier to wear than plugs because they allow for movement and swelling. Treat a stretched piercing as a new piercing. Lubricants also make a stretch easier. While you’re out getting a new taper, get some Jojoba Oil, Emu Oil, Vitamin E or another lube. Neosporin and Vaseline are not good lubes. If you read the back, it says not to use on a cut or open wound (like freshly stretched ears).
When stretching, one stretch should start by pushing the taper in from the front, then the next stretch you should push the taper in from the back, then front, then back, and so on. This helps to keep scar tissue from forming and keeps stretching easier.
16g to 14g - 1 month 14g to 12g - 1 month 12g to 10g - 1. 5 months 10g to 8g - 2 months 8g to 6g - 3 months 6g to 4g - 3 month 4g to 2g - 3 months 2g to 0g - 4 months 0g to 00g - 4 months
