ear piercing experiences

[ladykemma]

My mom said i could get my ears pierced at age 12. I eagerly waited til I was twelve. We went to the 1970's version of claire's in atlanta, georgia. it was in a mall.

the only choice of piercing studs was 14k yellow gold balls with a sharp pointy end. the lady marked with ink the place where the earring was to go, mom agreed, and bam, the lady jammed the earring through with her hand into a cork behind my ear. It didn't hurt. i think the surprise element helped.

fast forward to a few months ago. at age 43, i decided i wanted second holes for additional diamonds studs i had acquired. i went to pirecing pagoda in the mall (highly recommended). a teenybopper marked the hole in ink and used a stapler thingie with the earring and backpiece in it to pierce. it didn't hurt but the noise of the stapler made me jump.

i had chosen white gold piercing studs. big mistake. they never healed properly. I gave up about 6 weeks into the process. put in yellow gold studs and then they healed well.

i recommend yellow gold to anyone who is thinking of doing this.

your turn.

 

[Sundial]

I was 19 and in college. One of my sorority sisters did it holding a tampon behind my ear! It is amazing that the placement of the holes turned out so well. I had infections until I switched to real gold earrings, but I can wear white gold with no problem.

 

[Kaleigh]

I was 13 and had to beg my Mom to let me get it done. She liked them sooo much she got her ears pierced the next day. But the funny part was who took me to get them pierced. It was our housekeeper Elizabeth and my brother Ted who was home visiting. Anyway the two of them are in the waiting room, and Ted as usual has to start cracking jokes, etc.. He says hey Elizabethe what are we having for dinner?? (in a really loud voice.) She says Pork Chops and Applesauce. He then goes on to spoof the Brady Bunch Bunch and immitates Peter Brady to a T. Everyone was cracking up, even the doctor who was laughing so hard. I had to admit it was pretty funny, but was scared the doc would mess up with uneven holes since he was laughing. But luckily they were fine. And because of the distraction I didn't feel any pain.

 

[asscherisme]

I had mine done the first time when I was 7- by the pediatrician!! And then my mom told me if I wanted them I had to take care of them myself. I was 7 for gosh sakes and did not take care of cleaning them properly and they got horribly infected so I took them out.

I got them redone when I was 13 or 14 and at the mall with my best friend and we had some spending money. It was one of those, after birthday mall trips and at that time, parents would think nothing of dropping their 13 year olds off at the mall and picking up a few hours later. I cringe wihen I think abuot that because I would never do that with my kids!

Anyway, I think I had about $20 and that was enough to get your ears pierced at Spencer gifts at the mall. I don''t even know if Spencer gifts ist still arond. It was a store with a wierd mix of jewelry and sex joke type toys and black velvet posters and gag gifts. Anyway, I got them pierced there and took care of them well and they healed.

But one hole is slightly lowre than the other. I did not notice until college and it bugs me. It won''t close up though. I did not notcie until I went back for extra piercings (which I noew regret) and the person at Spencers pointed it out to me. That one hole I don''t think is straight, I think it was pierced kind of strange. I wear earrings in it but can only wear platinum or yellow gold (which I don''t like). No white gold for me.

 

[KimberlyH]

Had my ears first pierced when I was 10. There is nothing memorable about the experience.

Decided I wanted a third whole (2 on one side 1 on the other) when I was 13. I sterilized a needle using the stove, iced my ear to numb it and pushed the needle through. I eventually let that hole close. It wasn''t at all painful, I just stopped wearing earrings so much.

When I was 21 I had my nose pierced. I really wanted it done, my dad was furious, my mom paid for it. I went by myself to a tatoo shop, it was totally painless. I wore a small stainless steel stud for about 2 years. I had to take it out when I finished college and went to work in the real world.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 3/4/2007 12:39:18 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Had my ears first pierced when I was 10. There is nothing memorable about the experience.

Decided I wanted a third whole (2 on one side 1 on the other) when I was 13. I sterilized a needle using the stove, iced my ear to numb it and pushed the needle through. I eventually let that hole close. It wasn't at all painful, I just stopped wearing earrings so much.

When I was 21 I had my nose pierced. I really wanted it done, my dad was furious, my mom paid for it. I went by myself to a tatoo shop, it was totally painless. I wore a small stainless steel stud for about 2 years. I had to take it out when I finished college and went to work in the real world.

Wow, I would have never guessed that about you for some reason.

Also, Sundial; that is funny about the tampon. I would have been soooo scared

I went to the mall and I think I was maybe 8; I got an infection a few weeks after it my ear peircing. I just remember the noise and it hurting. Thank goodness I never have to do it again. The noise part stuck with me for some reason

 

[Catmom]

I have two older sisters, one 5 yrs older and one 7 yrs older. When I was around 8 or 9 they decided they wanted pierced ears and pooled their money for a pair of self piercing earrings. I wouldn''t recommend being the third person in line for self piercing earrings.

They were so dull they only went half way through and one of my sisters had to push them the rest of the way through. Yeouch!!!!!

 

[diamondfan]

I was 16, after my dad died. He did not like pierced ears. I went to my doctor, the ENT, never had infection issues, but I am not sure my holes are even!

 

[justjulia]

Date: 3/4/2007 12:20:00 PM
Author: asscherisme
I had mine done the first time when I was 7- by the pediatrician!! And then my mom told me if I wanted them I had to take care of them myself. I was 7 for gosh sakes and did not take care of cleaning them properly and they got horribly infected so I took them out.

I got them redone when I was 13 or 14 and at the mall with my best friend and we had some spending money. It was one of those, after birthday mall trips and at that time, parents would think nothing of dropping their 13 year olds off at the mall and picking up a few hours later. I cringe wihen I think abuot that because I would never do that with my kids!

Anyway, I think I had about $20 and that was enough to get your ears pierced at Spencer gifts at the mall. I don''t even know if Spencer gifts ist still arond. It was a store with a wierd mix of jewelry and sex joke type toys and black velvet posters and gag gifts. Anyway, I got them pierced there and took care of them well and they healed.

But one hole is slightly lowre than the other. I did not notice until college and it bugs me. It won''t close up though. I did not notcie until I went back for extra piercings (which I noew regret) and the person at Spencers pointed it out to me. That one hole I don''t think is straight, I think it was pierced kind of strange. I wear earrings in it but can only wear platinum or yellow gold (which I don''t like). No white gold for me.

Yep, Spencers is still around.
I feel for you Ascherisme, you know I do! I don''t have the nerve (or spare $$$) to go back to attempt to close my other holes. At least I minimized the top one on one side and the other side is not as obvious. Still bugs the heck out of me. I can wear white gold without problems. I guess when I get my first born settled in college, I will get this fixed. (I''m such a wimp!) So, at this point, I have two in one side and 3 in the other-and want just one per ear. (First set was at 16 and the others were at 21. Now I am 45 and do not want all these holes!)

 

[mrssalvo]

I was 9, I''d always wanted my ears pierced and my mom wanted me to wait until I was 13. I had long hair and hated brushing it, would chew on the ends and it drove my mom nuts. she bargained with me and said I could get my ears pierced IF I''d cut my hair into a bob. I agreed and we both ended up happy. she took me to a mall place, I remember it hurt but I didn''t cry, never had any problems with them.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 3/4/2007 10:05:48 AM
Author: Sundial
I was 19 and in college. One of my sorority sisters did it holding a tampon behind my ear! It is amazing that the placement of the holes turned out so well. I had infections until I switched to real gold earrings, but I can wear white gold with no problem.

A tampon! Now, that is creative!
I cannot wear any costume jewelry either--has to be silver or gold.

 

[FireGoddess]

I was a baby when my first set of holes were done.

In high school I got a second hole in 1 ear (still had to pay for both ears, and I could kick myself now because I wish I had gotten both ears done). Did it in the mall at some sort of Claire''s/Piercing Pagoda place with one of those piercing guns. Quick, relatively painless. Now I have to go back and get the second hole in the other ear.

 

[poptart]

I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.

*M*

 

[justjulia]

Date: 3/4/2007 2:31:07 PM
Author: poptart
I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.

*M*

Oh, I love the idea of nose earrings for my ears! Seriously! There''s this cool little shop a little ways from me that has the most fascinating nose "earrings" (studs) and I really wanted to do that--you know, just a little glimmer of shine, but the nose earrings are so dainty that they go right through my ear holes!!! Uggh! I wish they would work!

 

[Skippy123]

I think it was about a year ago I saw Oprah on tv get her ears pierced. She was such a big baby!!!

She had some numbing stuff and the doctor did it.

 

[poptart]

Date: 3/4/2007 2:38:24 PM
Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:31:07 PM

Author: poptart

I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.


*M*

Oh, I love the idea of nose earrings for my ears! Seriously! There''s this cool little shop a little ways from me that has the most fascinating nose ''earrings'' (studs) and I really wanted to do that--you know, just a little glimmer of shine, but the nose earrings are so dainty that they go right through my ear holes!!! Uggh! I wish they would work!

That shop sounds so neat! I wish we had something fun like that out here, but I haven''t found anything like that. I really like the nose piercing because it actually makes me look ethnic, which I am, lol. I love the little shine from it, too! It sucks that the nose studs go right through your ears though. Maybe if you got one in a bigger gauge it would work.

*M*

 

[Beacon]

I was maybe 13-14. My friends and I went to the mall and I had one of those staple type earring piercers. I recall the noise being fairly gross, squash-click, and loud right next to my ear. I had those 14K gold ball type starter earrings.

I think I am the only lady in my family with pierced ears. Very odd. My mother never had hers done and I think she was jealous of mine a little. Nor did her sister. I don''t think my own sister has pierced and my grandmother did not either.

 

[bee*]

I got mine pierced for the first time when I was 10. My parents were really against it, but I nagged and nagged and finally my dad let me get it done! My mother was adament that I got gold studs and they healed perfectly.
Fastforward to when I was 19 and I got another 2 in each ear. This time I went to georges street arcade where they charge €3 to get them pierced-even now 6 years later they get infected. Should have listened to my mammy!!

When I got my tongue pierced I went to a really nice piercing salon and Ive had no problems with it at all four years later

 

[justjulia]

Date: 3/4/2007 2:41:23 PM
Author: poptart

Date: 3/4/2007 2:38:24 PM
Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:31:07 PM

Author: poptart

I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.


*M*

Oh, I love the idea of nose earrings for my ears! Seriously! There''s this cool little shop a little ways from me that has the most fascinating nose ''earrings'' (studs) and I really wanted to do that--you know, just a little glimmer of shine, but the nose earrings are so dainty that they go right through my ear holes!!! Uggh! I wish they would work!

That shop sounds so neat! I wish we had something fun like that out here, but I haven''t found anything like that. I really like the nose piercing because it actually makes me look ethnic, which I am, lol. I love the little shine from it, too! It sucks that the nose studs go right through your ears though. Maybe if you got one in a bigger gauge it would work.

*M*

Yeah, that''s a good point-I should look carefully at the gauge. What I like about nose studs is that they also do not appear to have the edge around them (can''t see prongs) like traditional earrings have--it''s been a while since I looked, so correct me if I''m wrong. All you see is sparkle. That''s really what I want-just a little spark in each lobe. This place I mentioned is in a college town--I love college towns-they seem to have all the "groovy" stuff!

 

[poptart]

Date: 3/4/2007 4:30:58 PM
Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:41:23 PM

Author: poptart

Date: 3/4/2007 2:38:24 PM

Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:31:07 PM


Author: poptart


I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.



*M*

Oh, I love the idea of nose earrings for my ears! Seriously! There''s this cool little shop a little ways from me that has the most fascinating nose ''earrings'' (studs) and I really wanted to do that--you know, just a little glimmer of shine, but the nose earrings are so dainty that they go right through my ear holes!!! Uggh! I wish they would work!

That shop sounds so neat! I wish we had something fun like that out here, but I haven''t found anything like that. I really like the nose piercing because it actually makes me look ethnic, which I am, lol. I love the little shine from it, too! It sucks that the nose studs go right through your ears though. Maybe if you got one in a bigger gauge it would work.


*M*

Yeah, that''s a good point-I should look carefully at the gauge. What I like about nose studs is that they also do not appear to have the edge around them (can''t see prongs) like traditional earrings have--it''s been a while since I looked, so correct me if I''m wrong. All you see is sparkle. That''s really what I want-just a little spark in each lobe. This place I mentioned is in a college town--I love college towns-they seem to have all the ''groovy'' stuff!

Yea, they don''t have any prongs, and at good shops you can''t see any metal at all around the edges. The ones I like are from an actual piercing shop, so they are higher quality, but wow would I like an actual gem in them, lol. As for gauge, my ears are about 16 (and I think that is the standard piercing size), and my nose can take both 18 and 20. But the 18 gauge *should* work in your ears.

*M*

 

[Cehrabehra]

I got my ears pierced when I was... 11 I think. I''d been begging for years and my dad always said I had to get a ring through my nose (like a bull) and he had to see me eat through it (he''s an odd guy) before I could have my ears pierced (little did he know that having rings there would actually come into fasion someday haha). Anyway, my parents were divorced and without his consult my mom FINALLY took me in.

I got it done at the mall at a jewelry store... it hurt SO FREAKING BAD that I seriously didn''t want the other side done. I was fine with just one. They finally convinced me to do the 2nd one and it hurt *almost* as bad and I''m afraid I flinched and it wasn''t *totally* straight but I didn''t care - I was never going through THAT *AGAIN*!! And in high school with the fad became double piercings I wanted them but there was just no way.... and I''m sure this factors in the decison I made to have my dd''s done young. No more piercings for me!!!!!!!

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 3/4/2007 12:59:50 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 3/4/2007 12:39:18 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Had my ears first pierced when I was 10. There is nothing memorable about the experience.

Decided I wanted a third whole (2 on one side 1 on the other) when I was 13. I sterilized a needle using the stove, iced my ear to numb it and pushed the needle through. I eventually let that hole close. It wasn''t at all painful, I just stopped wearing earrings so much.

When I was 21 I had my nose pierced. I really wanted it done, my dad was furious, my mom paid for it. I went by myself to a tatoo shop, it was totally painless. I wore a small stainless steel stud for about 2 years. I had to take it out when I finished college and went to work in the real world.

Wow, I would have never guessed that about you for some reason.

Also, Sundial; that is funny about the tampon. I would have been soooo scared

I went to the mall and I think I was maybe 8; I got an infection a few weeks after it my ear peircing. I just remember the noise and it hurting. Thank goodness I never have to do it again. The noise part stuck with me for some reason

Yeah, for some reason, that surprised me too. Not sure why though.

Anyway, I got my ears pierced when I was 12 but the experience wasn''t too memorable. I do remember that I wasn''t allowed to get it done before then though. I wanted my second holes done a few years later but I ended up waiting until college. Part of me wanted to get a third on one ear, at the top of my ear but I''ve always been too chicken.

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 3/4/2007 4:54:41 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
I got my ears pierced when I was... 11 I think. I''d been begging for years and my dad always said I had to get a ring through my nose (like a bull) and he had to see me eat through it (he''s an odd guy) before I could have my ears pierced (little did he know that having rings there would actually come into fasion someday haha). Anyway, my parents were divorced and without his consult my mom FINALLY took me in.

I got it done at the mall at a jewelry store... it hurt SO FREAKING BAD that I seriously didn''t want the other side done. I was fine with just one. They finally convinced me to do the 2nd one and it hurt *almost* as bad and I''m afraid I flinched and it wasn''t *totally* straight but I didn''t care - I was never going through THAT *AGAIN*!! And in high school with the fad became double piercings I wanted them but there was just no way.... and I''m sure this factors in the decison I made to have my dd''s done young. No more piercings for me!!!!!!!

curious - how did they do it?

 

[basil]

I got mine done when I was 10. I remember begging about it for years. I got it done at the mall kiosk with one of those piercing guns. I picked out some stainless steel/cubic zirconia earrings. It hurt.

When we got home, my mom decided one of the holes was crooked. It wasn''t going straight through my ear, so she called the piercing place and they told her to take it out and they''d redo it in 6 weeks or so. So she took it out. That HURT. I wore my hair weird for a while, and 6 weeks later I got it repierced and now they''re even.

I was really set on getting a second set a few years ago but I was scared of the mall places secondary to the above experience, so I always chickened out when I was on the verge of doing it. Now I''m kind of glad that I didn''t...I have really small earlobes and I don''t think I need more than one.

 

[Cind11]

Date: 3/4/2007 8:44:08 AM
Author:ladykemma
My mom said i could get my ears pierced at age 12. I eagerly waited til I was twelve. We went to the 1970''s version of claire''s in atlanta, georgia. it was in a mall.

the only choice of piercing studs was 14k yellow gold balls with a sharp pointy end. the lady marked with ink the place where the earring was to go, mom agreed, and bam, the lady jammed the earring through with her hand into a cork behind my ear. It didn''t hurt. i think the surprise element helped.

fast forward to a few months ago. at age 43, i decided i wanted second holes for additional diamonds studs i had acquired. i went to pirecing pagoda in the mall (highly recommended). a teenybopper marked the hole in ink and used a stapler thingie with the earring and backpiece in it to pierce. it didn''t hurt but the noise of the stapler made me jump.

i had chosen white gold piercing studs. big mistake. they never healed properly. I gave up about 6 weeks into the process. put in yellow gold studs and then they healed well.

i recommend yellow gold to anyone who is thinking of doing this.

your turn.

Wow, I think you''re the only other person I know that had the earring with the sharp point pushed into their ear with a piece of cork behind the ear. However, I thought it hurt A LOT-lol. I had second holes pierced with the gun which hurt a lot less. I''ve since let one close so I have two holes in one ear and one in the other.

 

[TCBug]

Caveat: I'm now 42 -- you do the math!

Got mine done in 6th grade (11 or 12). Had BEGGED mom for two years or so. Had the big 14k yellow gold balls. Done by an MD. Took great care to turn, use alcohol, etc. The left one got infected but I lived through it. Both got horrible "balls" that were sore but finally went away.

At 17 years old, my friends did a second hole in the left lobe (that was cool back in the early 1980's -- just the one lobe for a second hole!). We used ice behind the lobe and a lot of laughter! No drugs, no booze, I swear! THIS one NEVER gave me any trouble at all -- ever!

I haven't used that "third hole" for a decade. I can still see the mark on my earlobe. Hmmmmm. . . .I wonder. . . . .

Edited to add: I used the same 14kt yellow gold "spear" and ball combo in my private 3rd piercing that the MD used for the earlier ones.

 

[monarch64]

Cute stories!

I had a rather hellish experience, I think I''ve written about it somewhere on PS before but I will tell it again:

I was in 2nd grade and was at the begging stage, finally my grandmother said she would take me if my mother wouldn''t so that convinced my mom to take me. I had them done with the gun at one of those little kiosks in the mall, with surgical steel posts. Things were fine at first, but about a month later my mom was rubbing my neck and noticed my lymph nodes were all swollen up in my neck and the back of my head! I had to go see several doctors, including an oncologist and they ran a lot of tests on me thinking I had Hodgkin''s disease. Turns out I had a nickel allergy. Since then I have to be very careful about what I wear in my ears...I''ve been through some major infections from wearing cheap earrings in high school, thankfully no scars though. I had two more sets of holes done after high school but they''re closed up now because I rarely wore earrings in them for some reason.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 3/4/2007 5:19:03 PM
Author: ladykemma

Date: 3/4/2007 4:54:41 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
I got my ears pierced when I was... 11 I think. I''d been begging for years and my dad always said I had to get a ring through my nose (like a bull) and he had to see me eat through it (he''s an odd guy) before I could have my ears pierced (little did he know that having rings there would actually come into fasion someday haha). Anyway, my parents were divorced and without his consult my mom FINALLY took me in.

I got it done at the mall at a jewelry store... it hurt SO FREAKING BAD that I seriously didn''t want the other side done. I was fine with just one. They finally convinced me to do the 2nd one and it hurt *almost* as bad and I''m afraid I flinched and it wasn''t *totally* straight but I didn''t care - I was never going through THAT *AGAIN*!! And in high school with the fad became double piercings I wanted them but there was just no way.... and I''m sure this factors in the decison I made to have my dd''s done young. No more piercings for me!!!!!!!

curious - how did they do it?

oh with one of those loud gun things - I''d say that it was all about the noise, but the insane stabbing and resulting burning and throbbing that went on for a couple hours kinda made me forget about the noise LOL

 

[Cehrabehra]

When my daughter had her ears done she was 4.5 mos old. We went to a earring kiosk at the mall (no more planning than lets go to the mall lol) and she was totally hard asleep... we marked her ears and everything.... so they did the first one and she scrunched her face for 1/2 second then totally asleep again.... after they did the second one she cried for less than 5 seconds and was asleep again LOL That ~5 seconds is the only ear drama she''s had thankfully. I''m quite envious, really!!!

 

[justjulia]

Date: 3/4/2007 4:39:44 PM
Author: poptart

Date: 3/4/2007 4:30:58 PM
Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:41:23 PM

Author: poptart

Date: 3/4/2007 2:38:24 PM

Author: justjulia

Date: 3/4/2007 2:31:07 PM


Author: poptart


I got my ears pierced when I was around twelve and it was totally painless. They used that gun thing and I was in and out in just a few minutes. Last August I went with DH and got my nose pierced, and that was pretty uneventful as well. I had a couple problems when it was healing, but it ended up fine, luckily. I have this really silly idea of getting a teeny tiny colored sapphires for the studs, lol. And maybe a little diamond chip, too! Crazy, I know.



*M*

Oh, I love the idea of nose earrings for my ears! Seriously! There''s this cool little shop a little ways from me that has the most fascinating nose ''earrings'' (studs) and I really wanted to do that--you know, just a little glimmer of shine, but the nose earrings are so dainty that they go right through my ear holes!!! Uggh! I wish they would work!

That shop sounds so neat! I wish we had something fun like that out here, but I haven''t found anything like that. I really like the nose piercing because it actually makes me look ethnic, which I am, lol. I love the little shine from it, too! It sucks that the nose studs go right through your ears though. Maybe if you got one in a bigger gauge it would work.


*M*

Yeah, that''s a good point-I should look carefully at the gauge. What I like about nose studs is that they also do not appear to have the edge around them (can''t see prongs) like traditional earrings have--it''s been a while since I looked, so correct me if I''m wrong. All you see is sparkle. That''s really what I want-just a little spark in each lobe. This place I mentioned is in a college town--I love college towns-they seem to have all the ''groovy'' stuff!

Yea, they don''t have any prongs, and at good shops you can''t see any metal at all around the edges. The ones I like are from an actual piercing shop, so they are higher quality, but wow would I like an actual gem in them, lol. As for gauge, my ears are about 16 (and I think that is the standard piercing size), and my nose can take both 18 and 20. But the 18 gauge *should* work in your ears.

*M*

Thanks for the info!