An eyebrow piercing is a vertical surface piercing, which means the entrance and exit areas go through a flat piece of skin. Piercers mark dots above and below the brow, usually at the outer edge. They then clamp the skin with forceps and use a hollow, beveled needle to make the hole.
Barbells
Barbells are worn in different pierced areas, such as the navel, tongue and eyebrow. When worn in a properly pierced eyebrow, the bar itself is hidden by the skin and the beads sit above and below the brow. The most common material out of which barbells are made is surgical stainless steel, though they may also be made of titanium, niobium or gold.
Some piercers fashion their own barbells for surface piercings using a flexible plastic tubing called Tygon. Tygon can be autoclave sterilized, and the beads from an internally threaded metal barbell can be screwed into either end. The advantage of flexible jewelry is that it moves with the skin, making rejection less likely.
Rejection occurs when a bar or ring pushes its way through the skin, a frequent problem with surface piercings. Using a curved, metal barbell rather than a straight one can decrease the pressure the jewelry exerts on the skin, making this the preferred shape for those who want a metal bar.
Captive Bead Rings
A captive bead ring is shaped like a "C." Between the two ends is an indented bead held in place by pressure. The curve of the ring works in the same way as a curved barbell, exerting less pressure against the skin than straight jewelry. Commonly used sizes for captive bead rings in eyebrow piercings are 1/4 to 5/16 inch in diameter and 18 to 14 in gauge.
Titanium rings are often worn by those who desire a color other than silver, since they can be anodized into blue, pink, yellow or green. Beads can be the same color as the ring or they can contain gems or other stones.
Seamless Rings
Seamless rings come in the same gauges and diameters as captive bead rings, but rather than a bead, they have a small segment of the ring that comes out. When this segment is re-inserted, the ring appears to be seamless and can move freely through the piercing. Unlike captive bead rings, seamless rings require a piercer to insert it. The piercer uses ring-opening pliers to spread the ring just enough to remove and insert the segment. Because insertion requires a trip to the piercing shop, seamless rings are best worn by those who do not wish to change their jewelry often.
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