As one of the first facial piercings to go mainstream, the eyebrow piercing has had a long time to grow and evolve. From single vertical piercings worn with a small curved barbell, we now have multiples, piercings worn with BCRs, horizontal styles, and so much more.
Like most piercings, the eyebrow is done with a hollow piercing needle, and depending on the preferences of the piercer, may include a cork, receiving tube, pennington forceps, or an indwelling cannula. The area is cleaned thoroughly before and directly following, and initial jewelry will be slightly longer/wider to account for swelling.
Eyebrow piercings will normally heal well as long as aftercare instructions are followed, and initial healing should occur around the six to eight week mark. Although curved barbells are most often used, a circular item may be worn as anatomy and aesthetic preferences allow. For the most part, the type of jewelry that a piercing is healing with is the type that should be worn for the remainder of the piercing’s life, but changes can sometimes be made to other jewelry of similar shape without incident.
When purchasing new eyebrow jewelry, the gauge size and length will need to be considered for barbell items, whilst gauge size and diameter are essential to the fit of a circular barbell or hoop. Most eyebrow piercings will be performed in a sixteen gauge, but 14 or 18 gauge sizes have also been seen. For gauges larger than a 14, some amount of stretching, whether purposeful or incidental, is likely to have occurred, and jewelry sizing should of course be adjusted accordingly.
For more information about piercings, aftercare, and the origins of body art, check out our Piercing and Aftercare Information category, and don’t forget to hit us up on YouTube to see real piercings being performed up close and personal.
