What Is an Eyebrow Ring?

An eyebrow ring refers to the piercing that goes through the surface skin at the outer edge of the eyebrow. An individual may choose to put a captive bead ring in the piercing, though it most often starts with a barbell because these are less likely to cause an infection. The piercing is typically done vertically, at a slight angle, pretty close to the outer edge of the eyebrow. The eyebrow should never be pierced anywhere towards the center of the face, past the middle of the eye, as it can cause nerve damage in that location. An eyebrow ring should always be done by a trained piercing professional the first time; after it heals, the individual can change the jewelry on his or her own.

Most piercers will place a barbell in the piercing instead of a ring; this is because the barbell is more stationary, less likely to move around or be pulled while it is healing. An eyebrow piercing to get an eyebrow ring should always be done with a clean, sterilized needle, never a gun. If the eyebrow ring is pulled, it can cause damage to the piercing, which can lead to an infection or migration of the jewelry. When a piercing migrates, it slowly grows to the surface of the skin until it comes out entirely. This is, unfortunately, relatively common with eyebrow piercings.

The piercer will provide instructions for caring for an eyebrow ring, but it is important to clean it every single day, never to play with it, and to sleep on clean pillowcases at night to prevent infections. Gently washing the area with a warm water and sea salt rinse is a great way to keep the piercing clean and to prevent infection. It is important never to touch it unless cleaning it, though; it is easy to get dirt or bacteria in the area, and an infection on the face is certainly something that should be avoided at all costs.

It typically takes at least two to six months or more for an eyebrow piercing to heal completely, and the jewelry should not be changed for that entire time. It does not take long at all -- sometimes just a few hours -- for a new piercing to close. If the eyebrow piercing does become infected, it might become necessary to remove the piercing, or even visit a doctor for treatment if it does not start to heal very quickly.