How to Figure Out the Size of Your Belly Button Ring
Belly button rings are the jewelry inserted into a navel when it is pierced. Most initial navel piercings are done with a curved barbell, a piece of jewelry consisting of a stainless steel bar with beads that unscrew at both ends. Less commonly, captive bead rings may be used.
Belly button rings are the jewelry inserted into a navel when it is pierced. Most initial navel piercings are done with a curved barbell, a piece of jewelry consisting of a stainless steel bar with beads that unscrew at both ends. Less commonly, captive bead rings may be used. A captive bead ring, or CBR, is shaped like a C, with a bead held in place by pressure between the two ends. Rings are measured by gauge and diameter, while barbells are measured by gauge and length.
Step 1
Wash your hands and piercing with antibacterial soap and warm water. Dry well and remove the jewelry from the piercing.
Step 2
Unscrew the beads from the ends of the bar if your jewelry is a curved barbell. Leave the bead out if your jewelry is a CBR.
Step 3
Use a ruler or dial calipers to measure the distance across the ring. Measure across the inside; do not include the ring itself in the measurement.
Step 4
Determine if the bar of your barbell is internally or externally threaded. External threading means the ends of the bar look like screws; internal threading means the ends are hollow. If the jewelry is externally threaded, use a ruler or dial calipers to measure the bar itself, between the threads. If the jewelry is internally threaded, measure the entire bar.
Step 5
Use a wire gauge wheel or dial calipers to measure the gauge of the jewelry. If using a gauge wheel, slip the bar into the 14-gauge hole first. If it doesn't fit, try the 12- or 16-gauge holes.
Tip
The standard gauge for a navel piercing is 14. The standard length of a curved barbell for a navel piercing is 3/8 inch or 7/16 inch.
Piercers often use a longer bar for the initial piercing to allow for swelling. Beads can be screwed onto a shorter bar for a snug fit after the piercing has healed.
Look for internal threading when buying body jewelry. External threads can cause trauma to tissue, especially in a new or unhealed piercing.
warning
Do not attempt to change jewelry in a piercing that is not yet fully healed. Navel piercings take between six and 12 months to heal completely.