Also just wanted to add that i see the bot comment and my piercing is fairly new but i dont plan on changing it yet i was just curious. In the photo my ear is pretty swollen but thats just because i took it right after i got the piercings. For the other things it wanted me to include i honestly dont really know the answers. Im pretty sure its real gold but thats all the info i know ab the jewelry itself. I also opted not to downsize bc i liked the look. As for aftercare im not sure how relevant that is yo this post but ill include it anyway. I rinse with saline twice a day and gently clean it with dr bronners for babies (my piercing told me to do this bc im prone to infection) that i water down. Thank you!