What do gauges look like

People who do this may come off as moronic to the people who sell the jewelry. To explain it even further, gauges are used to describe the volume of the jewelry in thickness. This is important in ear stretching, more commonly known as just stretching, which is what you call the process of making a larger gauge in the hole of a piercing. Plugs, the jewelry, come in different colors, designs, shapes, and gauges.

The larger the gauge, the more expensive it will be. People who stretch their ears buy tapers to increase the gauges of their ears one size at a time. Ideally, there should be a one-month interval between each gauge.

Upon reaching gauge number 2, you have to wait two to three months before you can stretch the gauge to the next size. A lower number means a higher gauge. Newly pierced ears have a gauge of The next size for this is 16, followed by 14, and so on.

Many people make the mistake of stretching too fast which can cause some long term damage to your lobes. Most professionals recommend waiting at least a full month between each stretch.

A full month is generally enough to give your last stretch time to heal, and also to help your lobes loosen up a bit for the next stretch. The slower you go, the nicer your lobes will be in the long run though, so waiting even longer than a month is highly recommended. Even though the temptation is hard to resist sometimes when you are ready to stretch, it's always best to give it some time, you will thank yourself in the long run.

Tapers are a great way to begin your ear stretching journey. A taper is a straight piece either steel or acrylic that is small on one side and larger on the other. When you insert a taper it will increase the size of your piercing. The 1st thing you will need to know about tapers is what the difference is between the various styles and which to choose.

Acrylic tapers are an economy style of tapers that are pretty popular since they are the least expensive. They will get the job done, but acrylic can never be sterilized and it is a bit harder to get through than steel is.

If you are on a budget then acrylic is ok, but its highly recommended to use steel tapers for stretching. Basic steel tapers are a good option for those who are on a budget but looking for better quality than acrylic. These tapers can be totally autoclaved and sterilized for a safe and clean stretch.

Steel tapers will slide through much easier than acrylic tapers and they are much better quality. The only problem with these is that they have a flat back, so when doing the insertion of your plugs, you will have to have a really steady hand to get them through following the taper.

Concave tapers are the best and highest quality tapers to use. Like the basic steel tapers, they can be totally autoclaved and sterilized for a safe and clean stretch. They also are a bit longer in the stretchable area so they aren't as blunt on your piercing when pushing it through. And the best thing about the concave tapers, is that they have a concave back an indention on the end of the taper so that the plugs actually fit inside of the taper. This is what makes them just perfect; you can insert your taper, put the plug into the back of the taper, and follow through for an extremely easy stretch.

You don't have to keep your hand steady or anything, just insert the taper and the plug is ready for an easy follow through.

These are usually a little more expensive, but for the extra few dollars it's well worth it. So once you have decided on what style of taper you want to use, the next part is getting the stretch done. The 1st thing you will need will be a lubricant to use on your taper.

Lubricant will make the taper super slick so it will slide through really easy. We recommend using a sterile lubricant like surgilube.

Lube up your ears and also the taper. Then just insert the taper all the way up to the base of the bigger side.

If it takes you a few minutes to get it through it is ok, you don't have to rush it. Once it is through then just take your plugs and follow through after the taper. Bandannas and hats can be used to hide your gauges at less formal occasions. Women and long-haired men might be able to get away with wearing a stylish headband to keep your gauges out of sight. Part 2. Buy plugs that match your skin tone. In a professional environment or conservative fields like banking, teaching, and office work to name a few, you might find you are not taken seriously if you interview with obvious gauges.

To give ear gaugers a better chance of overcoming this kind of discrimination, many piercing and gauge manufacturers offer skin tone plug to make your gauges less noticeable. You'll have to experiment with different kinds of plugs before you find the one that works best for you.

This is especially true for skin tone plugs bought online. A gauge that looks suitable online might be obvious once you put it in your ear. You could always make your own flesh tone plugs. A pair of simple wooden plugs can be painted the same color as your skin tone to achieve the same effect as pre-made skin tone plugs. Substitute gauges with more acceptable jewelry. Some gauges have large studs that cover the outer part of your ear, like large diamond studs or studs with thick metal designs.

These can effectively hide your gauges and make it look as though you only have a "socially acceptable" kind of earring. You may have to invest in several different varieties of this kind of gauge. In a workplace or less accepting environment, people might get suspicious if they see you wearing the same earring too frequently. Avoid tapered jewelry. The size difference of the hook or stud that is inserted into your ear in tapered jewelry will draw attention to your gauged ears.

Even if you have a pair of beloved tapered ear accessories that you want to show off, when trying to hide your gauges, you should refrain from wearing these. Part 3. Reduce the size of your gauges. Your ears, in some cases, will naturally heal from the stretching caused by your gauges when you remove your gauge jewelry, or shrink if you decrease the size of your gauge.

By reducing your gauge little by little, you can see how much your body is capable of recovering without an unsightly hole in your earlobe cramping your style. Allow your ear enough time to heal until your decreased size fits comfortably. Once it does, you can reduce your size even more to continue shrinking your gauges. Larger gauges may require surgery for you to restore your gauges to normal.

Massage your gauged lobes daily. By massaging your lobes once or twice a day, you'll encourage circulation in the stretched tissue. The increased blood flow there will help your gauges to heal. Use a restorative cream. After removing your gauges from your ears, you can apply special creams to reduce any scar tissue that has built up and to help repair damage that has been done by stretching your lobes.

Some options you might consider include: Hemorrhoid cream, which is intended to reduce swelling and inflammation while encouraging healing in your skin. Specialty earlobe creams, which are formulated to help heal your gauges. Some popular options that should be available at your local drug store include Ear Butter and Holey Butt'r.

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List of Partners vendors. How is body jewelry measured? While you may be aware of the different gauge sizes for body jewelry, if you are new to these measurements, you'll need a lesson in the basics since they're a little counterintuitive.

You may be asking questions like, what is the range of gauge sizes? And, why is knowing gauge size important? Keep scrolling for their savvy advice on how to find the right gauge size for your body jewelry. Meet the Expert.