Standard ear piercings are usually pierced at 20g or 18g. Gauge sizes go up (or down, depending on how you look at it) in even numbers from there, so the next largest size from an 18g is 16g, then 14g, then 12g, and so on. When you get to 0g, the next size is 00g (pronounced “double zero gauge“).
Thereof, are silicone gauges bad for your ears?
Silicone is bacteria friendly
Silicone is not on that list of initial body jewelry as it has a habit of trapping bacterial in between the ear and the plug itself. Ear stretching with silicone can lead to blowouts, bacterial issues including intrusions and infections.
Also, should you sleep with gauges in?
I recommend you sleep with your plugs in your ears. Sleeping without them can cause irritation, dryness, and cracking. (This could just be my preference.) Once your ears completely heal, purchase a pair of wood plugs.
Why do gauges stink?
The reason your ear gauges smell bad is because they’re sitting in your ear. Your skin sheds almost every hour on the hour and all of those dead skin cells are left sitting on the gauge. Thus the stinky smell. To prevent this, a strict cleaning regiment is needed.
