How long does it take to go from 14g to 12g?
14g to 12g - 1 month. 12g to 10g - 1.5 months.
Ear stretching can be done as soon as you want. The only real condition is that you need to have a completely healed piercing before you start. It's best to wait up to 6 months (sometimes longer) to make sure it's fully healed and you'll be able to stretch evenly.
Can I skip a size to speed the process up? No! Skipping gauge sizes is never a good idea. Doing so increases the chances that you will cause permanent damage to your ears and may even mean that you have to stop the process of ear stretching altogether as a result.
Overstretching usually causes a blowout. Stretching out your ear should be a slow and gradual process. If you increase the size of your jewelry too quickly, you can develop blowouts and other complications, like lobe tears and infections.
Any size larger than 8mm is normally given as the "point of no return" for earlobe piercings, as beyond this size there is a significant risk that the hole will not shrink back to the size of the original piercing and may require cosmetic surgery in order to close the hole completely.
Stretching your ears can take months or years, depending on how large you want them to be. During this time, your ear will be sensitive. However, they should never be painful or stressed. A good rule of thumb is to go up one gauge size every four to six weeks.
Wet Ear. While uncommon, stretching with non-porous materials (typically glass) can occasionally result in a condition some piercers refer to as “wet ear.” This is where the skin in contact with the jewelry secretes too much fluid, creating a sticky, moist, “sweaty” layer between the ear and the jewelry.
If you just had your body pierced and you start to notice a crusty material around the piercing site, don't worry. Crusting after body piercing is normal—this might just be the result of your body trying to heal itself.
No worries though- 14 and 12g are interchangeable thread patterns- meaning you can wear all your pretty and fun 14g jewelry with your 12g posts! I know those sizes sound intimidating, but they are worth it for a comfy, happy, easy healing piercing!
Once it fits properly, go down another size until you reach the smallest gauge. Once you reach this point, your hole should be able to close on its own. This entire process usually takes at least 2 months. You can also help your ears along the road to healing by cleaning and massaging them with oils and moisturizers.
What piercings require a 12g needle?
Belly Button: Normally, navel piercings are done with either a 14g or a 12g needle, followed by starter jewelry of the same size. A 12g navel piercing is ideal for preventing migration, which is a common symptom of navel piercing rejection.
12 gauge offers a 0.098" sheet thickness minimum, while the 14 gauge offers a 0.070" sheet thickness minimum. The 12 gauge sheets are 40% heavier than the 14 gauge sheets. 12 gauge sheets are designed for dynamic pressure, the 14 gauge sheets are designed for static pressure.