Seven Styles of Eyebrow Piercing

Before we start, let’s take a moment to remind you of the proper way to clean a piercing. Make sure you have clean hands before disinfecting your piercings and be sure you’re not using a harsh antiseptic, like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This can actually make healing slower because it kills off new cells, as well as an infection.

Instead, use something gentle like benzalkonium chloride (Bactine) or liquid antibacterial soap.

We’re going to start with the more basic, yet ever-popular styles of piercings and then move onto more unique alternatives. Let’s dive in!

Vertical

The most common eyebrow piercing is the vertical style. It goes straight through the bridge, leaving two holes, and typically takes around six weeks to heal.

Unfortunately, because it’s a surface piercing, it may migrate. Migration usually happens because the body is rejecting what it sees as a foreign object. You can see migration after only a few weeks, or it may happen slowly over time. 

This condition can be started due to an allergy to the metal you’ve chosen. Be sure to speak to your piercer about your best options. Still, you can lower your risk of infection by maintaining a healthy diet, keeping your stress levels down, and taking a multivitamin (especially one that contains zinc and vitamin C!)

Horizontal

Probably the next most common eyebrow piercing after vertical is the horizontal position. This usually rests right above the bridge of the eyebrow in, you guessed it, a horizontal position.

All piercings, especially surface piercings (a piercing that rests on a flat part of the body), can run the risk of migration or infection. However, if you make sure you’re not allergic to your metal of choice and ensure you’re cleaning your piercing well, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.

Just because the conventional position for this piercing is the tail of the eyebrow, it doesn’t mean that it’s the only possibility. You could put it pretty much anywhere you like, using whatever jewelry you desire.

When it comes down to it, as long as your piercer approves of the position, you can make your piercing as unique to you as you wish.

Multiple

Often, people start with one piercing and quickly realize that they need more. No matter what part of the body they are displayed on, multiple piercings are a great way to not only express yourself, but to decorate your body as you please.

Multiple eyebrow piercings are a popular choice. Some people may be satisfied with a single stud, though others may want multiple vertical or horizontal bars or rings. 

You do need to be extra careful when you have multiple piercings in this area. The skin is delicate, and your piercings won’t be anchored in the same way as they are when pierced through cartilage. 

With that in mind, clean your piercings regularly and make sure each fully heals before getting any new jewelry.

Bridge

This piercing moves slightly away from the eyebrow itself. It’s placed horizontally on either side of the nose bridge.

The targeted area needs a sufficient amount of flesh to be safely pierced. If the skin is super tight, then the piercing might be insecure, leaving it vulnerable to moving around.

Though it may look as if it penetrates bone, this type of piercing only goes through the skin of the nose. That may make the process a reasonably pain-free experience.

Of course, the subsequent potential swelling may cause some discomfort. Bridge piercings typically take about ten weeks to heal, and they preferably shouldn’t be removed until the twelfth week.

Anti-Eyebrow

While not technically an eyebrow piercing, the anti-eyebrow piercing still falls into this category.

Typically, the anti-eyebrow will be oriented based on the position of the eyebrow. However, instead of above, through, or below the eyebrow, this piercing is below the eye, the same distance as the eyebrow itself.

Again, the most common placement is roughly where the end of the eyebrow is, nevertheless, you can put it anywhere you like, including closer to your nose.

This piercing takes a similar amount of time to heal as the vertical and horizontal choices, roughly six to eight weeks. A salt water or a saline pack are two great ways to keep your piercing clean and speed the healing process.

T-piercing

The T eyebrow piercing is a mixture of a horizontal and vertical piercing. These combined form a shape that resembles the letter “T,.” They are usually constructed at the end of the eyebrow, closest to your ears.

As the holes are close together, you need to be extra cautious when caring for your piercings. It is imperative that you follow your piercer’s aftercare instructions, and ensure the piercing is kept clean.

This particular piercing style is a great option for those who either love both vertical and horizontal piercings or those who want to be a little different without getting into spiral territory. A T-piercing is the perfect combination of the classic, with a bit of a twist. 

Spiral

A spiral eyebrow piercing is similar to the vertical, but rather than only two holes, you’ll end up with anywhere from four to six. A single piece of jewelry will twist through each of the holes in a spiral form, much like its name.

You may have to wait anywhere from three months to a full year before you can safely change out this piece of jewelry, so be sure it’s something you really love.

You can also get something called a spiral ring which is similar, yet requires a special type of piercing placement. Rather than a straight line, this usually has four holes in a rectangle shape.

Finally, you should note that getting a spiral piercing will likely cost more than other types of eyebrow piercings on this list, due to the extra work that goes into it.

Summary

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to picking a piercing type. Depending on your personal preference, you may choose a spiral over an anti-eyebrow piercing. Each looks stunning in its own way, and there’s really no right answer here.

Hopefully, we’ve given you the information you need to start your journey with eyebrow piercings. As always, make sure you talk to your piercer if you have any questions or concerns before you take the plunge.