Most standard lobe piercings are done at 20 gauge (0.8 mm), with many professional piercers also using 18 gauge (1.0 mm) as a slightly thicker option.

Quick Scoop

  • Typical starter lobe gauge: 20G (about 0.8 mm).
  • Also very common: 18G (about 1.0 mm), especially with needle piercings or higher‑end jewelry.
  • If you were pierced with a gun (mall kiosks, etc.): almost always 20G posts.
  • If you went to a professional studio: they may have used 18G for a sturdier, longer‑lasting hole.

Tiny example

If your current earrings feel very thin and came from a mall piercing gun, they’re almost certainly 20G. If you buy 18G studs later, they’ll be just a bit thicker but still usually slide into a healed lobe without stretching pain for most people.

Mini HTML table (lobe gauges)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Gauge</th>
      <th>Approx. mm</th>
      <th>How it’s usually used</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>20G</td>
      <td>0.8 mm</td>
      <td>Most “normal” lobe piercings, especially piercing guns and standard fashion studs.[web:1][web:3][web:7][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>18G</td>
      <td>1.0 mm</td>
      <td>Common needle size for lobes at professional studios, slightly thicker and sturdier jewelry.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>16G</td>
      <td>1.2 mm</td>
      <td>Sometimes requested for thicker, flat‑back or more “body‑jewelry” style lobe piercings.[web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: If you’re wondering “what gauge are lobe piercings,” the safe assumption is 20G, with 18G as the other very common standard.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.