How to Get an Eyebrow Piercing

Reminiscent of the late 20th-century British punk scene, eyebrow piercings have now entered mainstream culture. Skip the safety pins and paper clips and opt instead for a barbell-shaped stud or a ring.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ponytail Holders
• Piercing Locations

1. Choose a piercer that is licensed or has apprenticed for many years. Confirm that he or she works with sterilized equipment and disposable hollow needles and wears new latex gloves for each client, offers only piercing quality jewelry and is accessible post-treatment should you have any questions or concerns.

2. Wear a button-down shirt to your appointment. This way you won't be obligated to pull a shirt over your head - and your new jewelry - when you're ready to change.

3. Bring clips and, if necessary, a ponytail holder to keep hair away from your eyes. Until your piercing heals, you'll want to keep your hair off your face, as it may get caught or tangled in the ring or stud.

4. Close your eyes when the procedure begins. Trying to watch may cause you to tense up or jerk at the sight of the needle. Take long deep breaths to keep calm as the steady hand of your piercer slips the needle in, followed by your new jewelry.

5. Take the aftercare advice of your piercer very seriously. It takes about six weeks to two months for an eyebrow piercing to heal, and in the meantime, it's very susceptible to infection.

Tips & Warnings

• Go with the jewelry that your piercer offers, provided that it's titanium, stainless steel or niobium - the metals least likely to promote infection. The properties of gold may not mesh with your body chemistry.
• When any slight pain subsides, you may forget you've had your eyebrow pierced. Try to remember to take sepcial care when inserting contact lenses, blow drying hair or wearing hats or masks.
• Should you experience excessive swelling, prolonged redness, throbbing pain or sensations of heat in the pierced area, seek immediate medical attention.
• Never remove your ring or barbell if you suspect infection, unless under a physician's recommendation. The bacteria causing the infection may get trapped in your system as the hole begins to seal.
• Piercing can cause nerve damage if the jewelry is positioned improperly, and communicable diseases spread during the procedure if performed with unsterilized or used equipment.

[PoopHitsFan]

on 8/6/2008 I got my eyebrow pieced about three days ago at very professional, very clean local shop. It didn't bleed at all, or swell. Last night i was cleaning it gently with a cotton cloth and H20 saline solution when it started bleeding. It bled all night and has not stopped this morning. The piercer i went to is not answering his phone and there are no other local shops i trust. What is going on? Why wont this **** stop bleeding?

[Mana]

on 3/14/2008 hey!! i want to get an eyebrow piercing..but there's a problem..i have some heart problem..and my doctor said that i shouldn't get any infections..do you know..what i can do to prevent an infection..or will it definetely become infected?? e-mail me at [e-mail] thanks! byeee

[XCuteXEmo]

on 7/1/2007 I got my eyebrow done a month ago, i love it. Except at work i have to wear a bandaid to cover it up. I went to an amazing tattoo and piercing place to get it done, and it only cost me 20 dollars. That even included the price of the jewelery. I know that sounds really cheap, and it was, but it was also one of the best places possible to get it done. They were all very professional and the guy who pierced mine had been doing it for at least 10 years. He recommended using Sea Salt on mine. As in pouring a little bit in hot water and mixing it together. And using a Q-tip to clean around the piercing. Mine is healing very well.

[opinionated1]

on 4/19/2007 DEFINITELY DON'T DRINK! I haven't made that mistake with any of my piercings, but I did with one of my tattoos. I have never had a problem getting tattooed before or since, but for one of them I went in hungover from the night before. Not only did it bleed a lot, it was about 10 times more painful & I became nauseous & just about passed out 3 times. NOT a good experience or a wise idea.

[Jasminec19]

on 4/6/2007 Just take care of the piercing and it will be okay.