Eyebrow piercing

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An eyebrow piercing is a vertical piercing through the eyebrow to let jewelry sit in place. A needle about 12–16 gauge is common, and practitioners may use a guiding clamp to help insert it. After the piercing, curved barbells are the most common jewelry, but other options include barbells and captive bead rings. There are also anti-eyebrow piercings (under the eye) and horizontal eyebrow piercings.

Placement can be anywhere along the eyebrow—from directly above the eye to the outer edge near the temple. If the piercing goes too far in, it’s important to be careful of nerves in the area.

Healing typically takes 6–8 weeks for the area to settle around the jewelry, and you might not be able to remove the jewelry for several months to a year without the hole closing. It’s common to have a crust or a small amount of discharge during healing, and a light bruise is also possible due to the blood vessels near the surface. If problems occur, a short course of antibiotics can fix infections; sudden or sharp pain should be checked by a professional.

Eyebrow piercings have a short history. They began in the punk scene in the 1970s and later gained popularity in some nu metal and post-grunge bands in the 1990s and 2000s.