Most stock problems come down to one of two things: the right gauge in the wrong length, or the right length in the wrong gauge. This reference lays out the sizes studios use most for initial piercings, what those piercings typically downsize to, and how to turn that into a drawer that doesn't run out on a Saturday.
These are common starting points, not rules. The piercer's assessment of the client's anatomy decides the final size, and swelling varies. Use the tables to plan stock, not to skip the measurement.
Reading the sizes
- Gauge is the thickness of the post. Smaller number, thicker post: 18g is about 1.0mm, 16g about 1.2mm, 14g about 1.6mm. Our listings show both.
- Length is the wearable length of a post or bar, not including the ends. Listings show fractions of an inch with millimetres in brackets, for example 5/16 [8mm].
- Diameter is the inside measurement of a ring.
- Initial length allows for swelling. Healed length is shorter, usually by 2mm, so the jewelry sits flush and stops catching.
Common starting sizes by placement
| Placement | Typical gauge | Typical initial length or diameter | Typical healed size | Jewelry style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lobe | 18g, 16g | 8mm (5/16) | 6mm (1/4) | Labret post, press fit or threaded |
| Helix / flat | 16g | 8mm (5/16) | 6mm (1/4) | Labret post |
| Tragus | 16g | 6mm–8mm | 5mm–6mm | Labret post |
| Conch | 16g, 14g | 8mm–10mm | 6mm–8mm | Labret post |
| Daith | 16g | 8mm ring (5/16) | same | Hinged ring |
| Rook | 16g | 6mm–8mm curved | 6mm | Curved barbell |
| Nostril | 18g, 20g | 7mm–8mm (9/32–5/16) | 6mm (1/4) | Labret post, press fit |
| Septum | 16g, 14g | 8mm ring (5/16) | same | Hinged ring or circular barbell |
| Eyebrow | 16g | 8mm curved (5/16) | 6mm | Curved barbell |
| Lip / labret | 16g, 14g | 10mm–12mm (3/8–1/2) | 8mm (5/16) | Labret post |
| Tongue | 14g | 16mm–19mm (5/8–3/4) | 12mm–14mm | Straight barbell, threaded |
| Nipple | 14g | 12mm–16mm (1/2–5/8) | 10mm–12mm | Straight barbell, threaded |
| Navel | 14g | 10mm (3/8) | 8mm–10mm | Navel curve |
| Dermal | 14g anchor | 2mm–3mm rise | same | Anchor plus 3mm–5mm top |
Why the downsize matters for your stock
Every healed piercing is a second sale, and it's the one that keeps a client coming back to the studio instead of a mall kiosk. If you only stock initial lengths, you lose the downsize appointment or send the client home in jewelry that's too long. Plan the drawer in pairs: for every initial length you carry, carry the length 2mm shorter in the same gauge and connection.
In practice that means 16g labret posts in 6mm, 8mm and 10mm cover most ear and nostril work from fresh through healed, and 14g in 8mm, 10mm and 12mm cover lips and conches.
A first stock order for a new studio
Studios opening a wholesale account often ask what to order first. This is the shape of a sensible first order, before you know your own numbers:
- Labret posts, deep: 18g and 16g in 6mm, 8mm and 10mm; 14g in 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Pick press fit or threaded to match your tops, or both if you run both systems. See our labret posts.
- Plain ends: 3mm and 4mm balls and discs in the same connection, plus a few 2.5mm for nostrils. These are the healing ends. Tops and ends.
- Hinged rings: 16g in 8mm and 10mm, 14g in 10mm, a few 18g in 6mm and 8mm. Hinged rings.
- Curved barbells: 16g in 8mm for eyebrow and rook, 14g navel curves in 10mm. Curved barbells and navel rings.
- Straight barbells: 14g in 14mm, 16mm and 19mm for tongue and nipple. Straight barbells.
- Decorative tops, wide but shallow: a colour run of bezel or prong CZ in 2.5mm and 3mm, and a handful of shapes. These sell on the counter after healing.
Then order monthly and let the reorder history tell you where to go deep. Most studios find two or three posts and one or two ends make up half their volume.
What we stock
All sizes above are in the catalog in ASTM F136 titanium: posts from 18g to 14g and 4mm to 16mm, rings from 18g to 4g and 6mm to 19mm, barbells from 16g to 0g. Every listing shows the gauge, length and base or ball size, with fractions and millimetres, so a stock order can be built straight from this page. Related guides: threadless versus threaded and internally versus externally threaded.
Wholesale pricing is visible once your studio account is approved. Apply for a wholesale account; approved accounts receive a $50 credit.
Part of our wholesale titanium body jewelry guide for piercing studios.