You put your earrings in and basically forget about them. They go to work, to the gym, to bed, into the shower, on vacation. So here's a fair question almost nobody asks before buying: is the earring you wear around the clock actually built to be worn around the clock?
Most aren't. The material and the back of the earring, the parts you never look at, are doing most of the work, and it's where the biggest differences hide. Let's compare the three you'll actually run into.
Butterfly Backs: cute front, problem back
Butterfly backs (the little pinch-on backs) are what most starter earrings come with. They look fine from the front, but the back is where they fall short.
- They have to be fumbled on behind your ear, and people often push them on too tight causing dead skin buildup that could lead to bacteria and infection.
- Those tiny grooves and the open "wings" of the butterfly back are perfect hiding spots for gunk, product, and bacteria.
- The pointy post tip can dig into the side of your head when you sleep or lean on it.
They're fine for a quick dressy moment. As a permanent, wear-them-forever setup, they're the weakest option of the three.
Screw Backs: a step up, with a catch
Screw backs thread onto the post to stay put, so they're more secure than a butterfly back and less likely to slide off on their own. That's a real upgrade. But there are two things worth knowing.
- Many use external threading, meaning the threads are on the post itself. That threaded surface has to pass through your piercing channel (the fistula) every time you insert it, which can tug and irritate the very tissue you're trying to keep happy.
- The backs are small and still need to be twisted on by feel, so they're among the easiest to loosen and lose.
Better than butterfly, but not the finish line.
24/7 Flat Back Studs: the actual gold standard
This is the one built for the job. Flat back studs (also sometimes called labret studs) are what piercers reach for, and once you wear a good one you understand why.
Here's what sets them apart:
- They load from the back. The flat disc sits against the back of your ear and the post comes through the back to the front, where the gem or charm attaches. No reaching behind your ear and fumbling with a tiny back.
- The back is flat and smooth. Nothing pokey pressing into your skin when you sleep or rest your head, which makes them genuinely comfortable to keep in overnight.
- They use internal threading or push-in (threadless) styles. The post that travels through your piercing is completely smooth, so nothing drags on the channel going in or out. This is the detail that matters most for comfort and sensitive skin.
- They're made to live in your ear. Implant-grade titanium flat backs are lightweight, skin-safe, and designed to stay put. Waterproof, sweatproof, and swimproof, so the shower, the gym, and the pool are all fine.
- You never have to take them out. Less fumbling, less swapping, less disturbing the piercing means less irritation overall.
The detail that changes everything: internal vs. external threading
If you take one thing from this, make it this. Threading direction is the whole game.
- External threading: threads on the outside of the post. That ridged surface scrapes through your piercing every insertion.
- Internal threading: the post is smooth and the threads live inside it, so the part passing through your ear is seamless.
- Threadless / push-in: no threads at all, the front simply presses into the post. Smooth, secure, and easy.
The best studs in general are internal or threadless, and your piercing can feel the difference.
Why flat backs win for the piercings you actually have
Flat backs aren't just for lobes. They're the go-to for helix, tragus, conch, forward helix, and stacked ear looks, because the flat disc sits flush and comfortable in spots where other types of backs would catch. If you've built a curated ear, this is the back that makes it wearable all day, every day.
They also tend to be less bulky (especially when you're wearing several of them in one ear) and hold jewelry more securely, which matters when the piece is one you'd hate to lose down the shower drain.
Conclusion
All three go in your ear. Only one is designed to stay there comfortably for the long haul. If you want earrings you can genuinely wear 24/7, sleep in, swim in, and forget about, flat back titanium studs are the answer, and it isn't close.
Body Candy carries 24/7 flat back studs in implant-grade titanium, internally threaded and push-in styles, in the shapes and gems you actually want to wear. Put them in and get on with your life.
