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Different Gauges of Tattoo Needles & Their Use

If you've ever gone into a tattoo parlor and gotten a tattoo -- or watched someone else get one -- you may have noticed that tattoo artists use different gauges of tattoo needles throughout the process. Tattoo needles come in a variety of sizes so that they can create a particular effect in the design being tattooed on the skin. Since different types of needles exist, you must understand how each type works in relation to the size of the needle.

Large Needles
- Every tattoo needle has a number on it. The number represents the diameter, or gauge, of the needle. The largest gauge of tattoo needles is .35mm. This sized needle is given the number 12. So, when you see a tattoo needle that sayson it, it is referring to a gauge size of .35mm. Large needles are used for creating design outlines on the body, especially for tattoo images that are longer or wider on the body.
Medium Needles
- Two gauges of tattoo needles fall within the medium size category: .30mm and .25mm. A needle with a .30mm gauge has the number 10 on its numbering system, and a needle that is .25mm in size has the number 8. Medium sized tattoo needles are used by tattoo artists for creating more detail than a larger gauged needle can create. They can be used for filling in gaps in designs, such as when one image is created inside of another image.
Small Needles
- The smallest needle in the tattooing industry is a .20mm gauge, or the number 6 needle. Small needles are effective for creating fine detail in a tattoo design, and for working on smaller parts of the body, such as the feet, hands, neck and face. A .20mm needle can make intricate images, such as realistic eyes, strands of hair, fingernails, dragon scales and other textures.
Considerations
- Tattoo needles are, in fact, not single needles. Rather, they are soldered together with individual needles to create prongs. Some tattoo needles are three-prong, meaning they have three individual needles soldered together, while others are seven-prong, or more. Tattoo needles also come in different tapers, which relates to the point of the needle. Some tapers are used for outlining and creating lines, while others are used for shading and graying areas within the tattoo image.

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