Q&A for How to Gauge Your Ears

Basically, just hold the ruler up and measure it. There are some conversion charts from millimeters or inches to gauge. Most of the better manufacturers now make their plugs and eyelets in weights and millimeter size, opposed to the gauge size, especially once you get over zero gauge.

You can stop at any size you like, the only way they will keep stretching is if you size up (with a taper).

Yes, that's perfectly safe.

It depends on the person. Some lobes will adjust quickly to the size and can be taken out without discomfort that same day. Others, it might need to be left in a little longer, possibly up to a couple of days before they can be taken out without causing any extra discomfort and possibly pain.

If you go past a certain size, there is no turning back unless you go under surgery to repair your earlobes. For some people, it may be after 0G. others is after 8G. It's different for every person.

For gauging your ears there is really no age limit. If you're under 18 I would recommend getting a parent/guardian's permission.

Since tapers are meant to be used as a tool to help stretch the ears to the size you want , they should not be worn as long term jewelry. Some people wait around a day or two to make sure that the ear is adjusted to the size. Then they switch it out to a plug or tunnel. NEVER use a taper as jewelry!

While there is no real age, few parents would agree to a child or young teen doing this. Talk to them about it and see what they have to say.

After a certain size, no. If you go with a small size (under 8) then it's possible. Otherwise, it's a life-long commitment. Be sure you want them before you do it.

Blowouts basically occur when the skin around your stretch breaks open from too much stress and the inside flesh begins pushing outward.

Coconut oil and vitamin E oil work well for stretching, but getting an actual stretching balm would be best.

Yes. The biggest size you can go to guarantee you won't have visible holes is a 2g.

Acrylic is very light, cheaper and comes in every shape and size, so that would explain its popularity. It isn't as safe as metal since it's porous, but definitely a better option than stone, wood or bone in fresh stretches.

Saline solution can be purchased at most piercing shops but it can be rather expensive. Mix some warm water and salt (make sure salt is completely dissolved) to sterilize your tapers.

If they are light it should be fine, but if heavy, replace them at night with plugs so you don't over-stretch them.

Everybody is different. Wait until you have no pain in your ears and the hole looks clean and healed. This will usually take about two months.

Wearing tapers will cause the weight to be unequally distributed throughout your lobe. This can cause blowouts, thin lobes, and uncircular holes. Small tapers like 18g-14/12g aren't going to do much damage but it is not recommended to wear them in after a week's worth of time. Overall wearing tapers as jewelry isn't your best option. Just invest in some good tunnels and/or plugs if you want to stretch your ears correctly.

It depends. If it hurts too much, it means your ear lobe may be tearing. You should generally wait at least a week.

Most ears are pierced between 20-14g. Buy tapers that are either 14g or 12g to start out.

Buy a good ear stretching balm. Do not use Neosporin or Vaseline.

Yes they are called faux tapers and you can buy them just about anywhere. There are some cool ones on large sales sites.

Smaller sizes often don't need it, but it will be your best friend when you start reaching sizes past 4g-2g to avoid putting too much pressure on your lobes.

Yes. It works very well, and helps soothe irritated skin inside the ear.

A taper will not distribute the weight on your ear evenly like a plug or a tunnel. You will therefore end up with wonky-looking ears. This is especially true when you get to the bigger sizes. I would not recommend leaving a taper in any longer than is absolutely necessary.

If you're starting from normal earring size (about 18 gauge), it may take as long as a year or more if done correctly. I would not recommend sizing up any less than 6 weeks apart.

Start with a 14g. After roughly a month, go to a 12g and so on. The bigger you go, the more time it takes to heal. Use Neosporin to lube it before you go up a size.

It depends on how big your piercing is and whether your ear is healed. I suggest going through all the tapers, starting at 20G, and moving down to your desired size.

Everyone's body is very different. It may be "normal" to feel as if you're ready to stretch, but skipping sizes is not good, as it can easily cause blow outs or other ear complications in the future. Most people cannot skip sizes in such a way because of the way they stretch and how long they wait in between. If you are stretching with ear weights, stone, steel or PTE tape, it may be easier for your ear to stretch out more quickly.

If it isn't a flared plug, try using the o-rings on the ends of it. If it is a flared plug, and it's still falling out, try getting one with a larger flare.

It all depends on your ears. Some people can pull that size off. It might be a better idea to start with a smaller size, though, just in case.