Today we’re going to cover the general standards, sizing, and measuring for barbell body jewelry, starting with the piercing that takes the most common style and size barbell: the tongue.
Tongue ring barbells will normally be 16 millimeters (5/8″) in length, though they can also be found as short as 12mm (1/2″) and as long as 19mm (about 3/4″). These are straight, and are sized by measuring the space in between the two decorative ends, so proper sizing is usually very easy.
For belly rings the barbell is curved, but length still applies and will be measured as the length straight across from tip to tip, NOT the full length of the barbell.
Standard sizing for these items is 11 millimeters, and generally they can be seen in 10mm (3/8″) and 12mm (1/2″) as well.
There are also adjustable belly rings available on the market for those who need specialty sizing or are looking to retain a piercing through pregnancy. These are most often found in 1 1/2″ to 2″ starting length, and are made of moveable materials like bioplast or PTFE that can be clipped to desired length and then self-threaded.
Eyebrow barbells will be measured and sized very similarly to those of belly rings; the only difference is that they are smaller. The standard length for this type of jewelry is 8 millimeters (5/16″) or 10 millimeters (3/8″). Anything larger will have to be specialty sized, and generally no longer than half an inch.
Some straight barbells like those used for an industrial ear piercing are slightly more difficult when it comes to sizing. Due to variance in the sizes and widths of the human ear, standard sizing for these pieces covers a wide range, normally about 28 millimeters to 38 millimeters. However, for industrial or scaffold piercings of the conch area of the ear or those that are vertical, sizes can be found as small as one inch and for full ear industrials as long as 44mm (1 3/4″).
