Cartilage piercing question.

[lovepink42]

so I got a cartilage piercing near Christmas, it's a ear/helix piercing, in around a month I can change the earring to another post earring but I'm a little confused about post sizing...

i got it done at Claire's and I'm pretty sure they use a standard 18g...but most of the earrings I've seen, I think even the ones at Claire's start at 16g...

I don't want to stretch my ear, are 16g OK to wear? I figured since it's pretty much the only size available it would be ok...but I just want to double check. and would I still be able to wear the original earrings I got it pierced with after switching to 16g?

any advice would be appreciated,

thanks!

Updates

+1 y

i'm seeing a lot of 20g too

[confugirl]

1. Don't go to Claire's. They're not professional piercers and piercings should never be done with a gun, only with needles. Especially cartilage piercings, since they're quite fussy.

2. Don't change your piercing for at least 9 months, you will regret it if you do. Cartilage piercings get infected really easily and they also develop bumps easily.

3. Don't force a bigger earring through. It won't fit and it will heavily damage the cartilage, setting you up for an infection.

4. Stretching cartilage is tricky, since you have to let it heal fully before stretchering it and it has to heal fully in between stretches. So you'll first have to wait up to a year for it to heal and then 9 months in between stretches.

5. 16 g is indeed the standard size for cartilage piercings and Claire's gave you the wrong size. One more reason to only go to professional piercers. You're better off letting it close up and going to a professional piercer after one year.

6. If you stretch your piercing to 16 g, you will be able to wear 18 g, but your hole will become smaller and after a few hours, you won't be able to put 16 g in again. When you get a piercing, only wear one size, you can't switch back and forth constantly.

[lovepink42]

1. it's too late for that. didn't know that at the time, just got it done. but I haven't had any problems.

4. I am not trying to stretch it at all.

5. I called them and they said they pierce with an 18g, but all of their normal earrings are 18g. I really like it though and I'm definitely not just going to let it close and get it repierced

[lovepink42]

i just want to know if putting in a 16 will hurt it? I mean obviously for my normal ear piercings it's never really mattered, I've never even looked at gauge sized, but I don't want to mess up my cartilage.

should I just look for 18g earrings? or can I switch to 16g and just stay with 16g?

[confugirl]

Like I said, 16 g won't fit. And even if you try to force it through, you are very likely to chip off a piece of cartilage, which will remain in your ear and in turn cause an infection. If you don't want to stretch it after a year or let it close up, then you will have to use 18 g jewelry.

[lovepink42]

but I could stretch it from 18 to 16 after a year and it shouldn't hurt it right?

[lovepink42]

and is it close enough that after a year I could just put in 16g jewelry? or will I need to actually stretch it first?

[confugirl]

You will first need to wait until your piercing is fully healed. Since you got it done near Christmas, you can begin stretching it by Christmas this year. You will need an expander, this link with gauge 18. You can slowly slide it through every day, but don't just do it in one day. An even better method is to go to a professional piercer and let him do it for you.

[confugirl]

I meant an expander with gauge 16, sorry for the mistake.

Once you're able to get the whole expander through, which will take a couple of weeks I think, then you can put in some 16 g jewelry.

[lovepink42]

do I need to keep an earring in when I'm stretching it? and won't it just start to close back up every time?

[confugirl]

You always need to keep an earring in. But in this case, you will need to keep the expander in at all times while you're stretching it.

[lovepink42]

so I walk around with a pole in my ear? also the link didn't work and I don't really understand the sizing of the expanders

[confugirl]

Yeah, you pretty much look ridiculous while stretching your ears :P

link

As you can see, its gauge gradually goes from 18g to 16g. You put it in your ear at the smaller end and then you slowly push it through so it gradually stretches your piercing. The size of the expander is always measured at the thickest end, so you would need a 16g one.

[confugirl]

Those black rings on there are simple rubber bands. They can move over the expander, so you can adjust them so the expander doesn't wiggle around in your ear.

[lovepink42]

ok this is what I was looking at link is this wrong?

and it doesn't look like any of those expanders run at 16g

[lovepink42]

also what does it mean if it's labeled "fake" or "cheater" are those just mock expander earrings?

[confugirl]

Stretching your cartilage is different from stretching your lobes. It's not just skin, so you need to do it slower and be extra careful. That's why I said it will take a few weeks. The other information is correct. Also, there are 16g expanders, it's right there in the picture link

I don't know what fake or cheater expanders are. Just make sure it's of titanium or surgical steel and you'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Go to a professional piercing place, not Claire's. They'll be able to answer your questions and give you the proper gauge.