Standard earrings in 16g piercing hole

[namechangeagain456]

I had my lobes pierced a year ago with 16g (1.2mm) needle and wore flat backed labrets. They took ages to heal as I think I had a low level infection for ages. They are now healed (although only in the last few months so still relatively newly healed). Lots of people have bought me earrings of standard 18 or 20g with butterfly backs. One of the reason for having my ears pierced relatively late in life was to be able to wear lots of different earrings. However, I'm getting conflicting advice about whether the holes would close to 0.8/1mm if I stop wearing the 1.2mm earrings. I'm planning to put the 1.2mm ones back in at night time as comfier for sleeping in as flat backed. Will the holes narrow if I wear normal earrings during the day? How many times a week could I get away with wearing normal earrings or how long should I wait from healing before I can easily get away with it?

I had no idea holes were different diameters so interested to hear the responses.

Yes piercings done at a piercers with a needle are generally 16 gauge/ 1.2mm (although I don't know if they use that diameter for children) and piercings done with a gun are 18g (0.8mm) or 20g (1mm).

Just put in whatever earrings you want. I think you are way over thinking this. Mine were done with a needle years ago and I just put anything I want in. I don't measure the earring just buy what I like.

It's just when I asked the piercer they said that the holes would shrink if I did that. My friends all say similar to you!

Over an extended time yes they will shrink but you could always stretch them back again on the lobes although that will be a little uncomfortable for a couple of days (ear lobes are pretty stretchy). If you swapped day and night I can’t imagine it being an issue at all and if it starts to feel a bit uncomfortable go back to your labrets for a little while.

The only trouble you might have is putting the labrets back in yourself because you are coming from behind the ear and generally sticking your hands the way of the mirror so you can’t see what you are doing! Top tip from me would be to put a stud in front to back and ‘push’ it out with the labret to get the direction and angle right. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks @D20
That is reassuring.
The piercer gave me some kind of needle to help get the labrets in although I have managed so far. I had to buy push fit labrets though as I just could not screw the internally threaded ones in myself at all as that is impossible to do looking in the mirror! I had to get DS to do it 😂

You'll be fine, I regularly go between the labrets and standard earrings for my lobes. Cartilage wouldn't be forgiving tho.