How to Measure Your Piercing Gauge & Post Length at Home

Buying jewellery for a piercing you already have shouldn't be a guessing game, but without knowing your exact gauge and post length, it easily becomes one. The good news: you can measure both accurately at home with things you likely already own.

What You're Actually Measuring

Two separate numbers determine fit, and they're not interchangeable:

• Gauge — the thickness of the post or bar (e.g. 16G, 18G, 14G). Get this wrong and jewellery either won't fit the hole at all, or will be loose enough to cause irritation.
• Post length or inner diameter — how long a flat-back post is, or how wide a ring's inner diameter is. Get this wrong and the jewellery either won't close properly or will be too loose and move around, irritating the piercing.

How to Measure Gauge at Home

The most reliable method without specialist tools:

1. Remove the jewellery (only if the piercing is fully healed — never remove jewellery from a fresh or still-healing piercing to measure it)
2. Use a household ruler or digital calliper if you have one, measuring the post's diameter directly in millimetres
3. No calliper? Compare the post against a printed millimetre ruler, laying it flat alongside the markings
4. Match to standard gauges: 0.8mm = 20G, 1.0mm = 18G, 1.2mm = 16G, 1.6mm = 14G

If you're not confident measuring it yourself, your piercer can confirm your exact gauge in seconds — worth asking at your next visit if you're unsure.

How to Measure Flat-Back Post Length

1. Remove the flat-back post (fully healed piercings only)
2. Measure from the flat back-plate to the tip of the post, in millimetres
3. This is your post length — match it against our Flat Back Size Guide for your piercing location

A useful shortcut if you don't want to remove jewellery: most flat-back posts have their size printed or embossed on the back plate — check there first before removing anything.

How to Measure Ring or Segment Ring Inner Diameter

1. With the ring still in place (no need to remove it), measure the inner diameter — the gap the ring spans through your piercing — using a ruler held against the inside edge
2. Round to the nearest standard size: our rings come in 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm inner diameters
3. Compare against our Segment Ring Size Guide for your specific piercing

When in Doubt, Size Up

If you're between two sizes and unsure which to order, a slightly larger post or ring is a minor, fixable inconvenience — a slightly small one may not fit at all, or can put the piercing at risk of closing while you sort out the correct size. Always err toward the larger option if you're genuinely unsure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I measure a fresh, still-healing piercing?

Don't remove jewellery from a piercing that isn't fully healed to measure it — you risk the hole starting to close before you can get new jewellery in. Wait until healing is complete, or ask your piercer to confirm your gauge and length at your next appointment.

What if my measurement falls between two standard sizes?

Round up rather than down. A slightly longer post or larger ring is a minor comfort issue; a slightly short or small one may not fit securely.

Do all my piercings use the same gauge?

No — gauge varies significantly by location. Most cartilage piercings (helix, tragus, conch, rook) are 16G, nose piercings are typically 18G, nipple piercings are 14G, and gun-pierced lobes are usually 20G. See our full Piercing Size & Gauge Guide for the complete breakdown.

Still unsure after measuring? Contact us with your measurements and we're happy to help you find the right size.