16-20 gauge
Then, is 16 gauge normal for ear piercing?
Standard ear piercings are a 20g or 18g if they were pierced by a gun. If they were pierced by a professional, the lobe piercing will typically be a 16g or 14g. After a minimum of two months it is typically safe to change the jewelry, but the piercing may still feel sensitive.
Though it seemingly goes against logic, earrings and other jewelry gauge sizes actually get bigger the lower the number of the gauge. An 18 gauge, one of the smallest gauges, is actually smaller than a 16 gauge earring, with the largest gauges being 0, 00, and 000 gauge jewelry.
Besides, which is smaller 16g or 14g?
The 14g is a larger barbell than the 16g by a fraction of an inch (0.013). Most piercers will have a preference between 14 and 16g for industrial piercings and while having a 14g means you can swap out for 16g jewelry you cannot do it the other way around without pain.
