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Gauging techniques

When thinking about taking the next step in gauging your ears, it is important to follow a certain raceme. It has now become trendy to wear gauges in your ears, even if your ears were pierced with the standard piercing gun , it is possible to achieve your goal. This process can take quite some time, however it is critical to the piercing, and your own health to do it in this manner.

It is normal for an ear to be pierced with 20 or 18 gauge needles, either by a professional, or at the mall. Common gauges are sized in even numbers to 00 (or as most people term it the double aught), with the sizes increasing while the numbers decrease.

Although it is easier to “punch” the piercing, most piercers will refuse to do so. Punching the larger holes totally remove a plug of skin, which makes it nearly impossible to size down later, and can cause serious problems in the healing process.

While you are thinking about gauging, remember to take the time to speak with your piercer before attempting it. The best means of gauging I have found is a gradual process, you should allow for ample healing time between sizes (anywhere from one to two months).If you choose to take the steps too fast, or try to jump too many sizes too quickly you can cause irreversible damage to the skin. The jewelry that is easiest to use have a gradual taper from the ends inward, you can find them at any specialty store. Stainless steel is the best choice, as it will not absorb bacteria that can cause infections during this process.

It is also important to treat gauging as a new piercing, cleaning the new wound as some tears can occur. You can purchase H2ocean from your piercer, or on the internet.

Keep track of your current gauge, buying rings in the next size (i.e.: current gauge is 20, purchase an 18) and so on.

If you decide, after gauging that you do not want it any longer it is still possible for your lobes to go back to fairly normal size. If you followed the proper gauging techniques, and caused minimal damage it will increase your chances of it reverting. If you used the punch method, or stretched it too quickly it is more likely of it going back is slim. If your gauge is 00gauge or smaller, you stand a better chance of your ears going back to normal, however if you have stretched it much larger, your chances once more are lowered considerably.

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