Lobe Piercings: Sizing, Second and Third Holes, and Stacking

September 1, 2026

The short answerLobes are usually pierced at 20G (0.8mm) or 18G (1.0mm), though many piercers now use 16G (1.2mm) for a more stable channel. Post length is typically 6mm, or 8mm for thicker lobes. They heal in 6 to 8 weeks — by far the fastest placement in the ear.

Why lobe sizing is inconsistent

Lobes are the one placement where the gauge genuinely varies by who did it.

A high-street shop using a piercing gun typically works at 20G (0.8mm). A professional piercer using a needle will often choose 18G (1.0mm) or 16G (1.2mm), because a slightly thicker channel is more stable, less prone to thinning over years, and better suited to the flat back jewellery they will fit.

This is why an earring that fits one of your lobes may not fit the other, if they were done at different places years apart. It is worth measuring rather than assuming.

It is also the reason the lobe row of a size chart is a range rather than a number.

Second, third and fourth holes

Additional lobe piercings are the easiest way to build an ear stack, because they heal fast and sit in soft tissue rather than cartilage.

Spacing. Most piercers work to roughly 6mm to 8mm between holes — enough that jewellery does not touch, close enough to read as a deliberate row. Your piercer will mark it against your actual lobe, which varies a lot in size.

Order. A second hole above the first, then a third above that, is the standard progression. Some people go outward toward the edge of the lobe instead, which suits a wider lobe.

Healing. Six to eight weeks each. Because they heal so quickly, doing two at once is far more reasonable here than it is in cartilage — though you still have to sleep on them.

Sizing. Upper lobe holes are often slightly thinner tissue than the first hole, so a 6mm post that fits your first may be marginally long higher up.

	Gauge	Post length	Note
Gun-pierced lobe	20G (0.8mm)	6mm	Common on high street
Needle-pierced lobe	18G – 16G (1.0 – 1.2mm)	6 – 8mm	More stable channel
Second / third hole	18G – 16G	5 – 6mm	Often slightly thinner tissue
Thicker lobes	18G – 16G	8mm	Measure rather than assume
Healing time	—	—	6 – 8 weeks

Lobe sizing

Flat backs are worth it even here

Butterfly backs are standard on lobe earrings and they are the reason most people's lobes are sore in a way they have stopped noticing.

The clasp protrudes behind the ear, so it presses into the neck and pillow when you sleep and against a phone when you use one. Its folds hold moisture, product and skin debris against the back of the piercing.

A flat back sits smooth against the skin, survives sleeping, and does not collect anything. For a placement worn continuously, it is a genuine comfort difference rather than a technicality — and it is why flat backs have moved from being a piercer's product to a mainstream one.

Stretching, and how it differs

Stretched lobes are a separate discipline with their own sizing scale, moving down through the gauge numbers — 14G, 12G, 10G, 8G and onward into millimetre sizes above that.

The two rules that matter: go one size at a time and wait for each to settle before the next, and never force. Blowouts — where the channel is pushed inside out — are almost always caused by rushing.

Belora's range covers standard lobe sizes rather than stretched sizes, so if you are stretching, a dedicated stretching supplier is the right place to look.

Common questions

What gauge is an earlobe piercing?

Usually 20G (0.8mm) if it was done with a piercing gun, or 18G (1.0mm) to 16G (1.2mm) if done with a needle by a professional piercer. Needle piercers often choose slightly thicker because the channel is more stable over time.

What length post do I need for a lobe piercing?

6mm suits most lobes, and 8mm suits thicker ones. Second and third holes higher up the lobe are often slightly thinner tissue and may take 5mm to 6mm.

How far apart should second and third lobe piercings be?

Roughly 6mm to 8mm between holes — far enough that the jewellery does not touch, close enough to read as a deliberate row. Your piercer will mark it against your own lobe, since lobe size varies considerably.

How long does a lobe piercing take to heal?

Typically 6 to 8 weeks, which is by far the fastest placement in the ear because it passes through soft tissue with good blood flow rather than through cartilage.

Are flat backs better than butterfly backs for lobes?

For comfort, yes. A butterfly clasp protrudes behind the ear so it presses into the pillow and against a phone, and its folds hold moisture and debris. A flat back sits smooth against the skin and survives sleeping.

Can I get two lobe piercings at once?

It is far more reasonable than doing two cartilage piercings at once, because lobes heal in 6 to 8 weeks in soft tissue. You will still be sleeping on them, so one ear at a time is more comfortable.

Keep reading Titanium flat back studs Dainty & Romantic

Sizes and healing times on this page are typical ranges, not guarantees — anatomy varies and healing differs from person to person. Your piercer has seen your piercing and we have not: check with them before changing jewellery, especially on one that is still settling.