What Is Basic Body Jewelry?
Basic body jewelry comes in all varieties. Some piercings require a single, specific style of jewelry, while other piercings can accommodate multiple styles. Whether the piercing you’re getting will work with one type of jewelry or twenty, there’s typically one style of basic body jewelry that is optimal for a fresh piercing — a style that not only fits well in the piercing site, but also allows for the healthiest recovery process. Basic body jewelry, most often worn in new piercings, has the following distinguishing features:
- It’s made from reliable materials that are unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, such as implant grade stainless steel, high-quality titanium, and BioPlast.
- It’s extra large to allow for swelling during the healing process (i.e. it has extra length or a wider diameter than you might expect).
- It’s autoclavable; all basic body jewelry used in a new piercing must be sterilized for your protection.
Ideal Starter Jewelry by Piercing
Apadravya
Bridge
Cartilage
Cheek or Dimple
Christina
Dermal
Dydoe
Earlobe
Frenum
Fourchette
Guiche
Hafada or Scrotal
Industrial
Lip Web (Frenulum)
Navel
Nipple
Nostril
Prince Albert
Princess Diana
Septum
Surface
Tongue
Tongue Frenulum
Triangle
Vertical Clitoral Hood (VCH)
Ampallang
Standard starter jewelry: A straight barbell is most commonly worn in ampallang piercings and certifiably the ideal option for this horizontal piercing. In some rare instances, a curved barbell or a D-ring may be worn. The size of your starter ampallang jewelry will vary according to your anatomy.
Apadravya
Standard starter jewelry: As with an ampallang piercing, a straight barbell is most commonly worn in apadravya piercings and are certifiably the ideal option. There are no other practical options for this type of piercing. The size of your starter apadravya jewelry will vary according to your anatomy.
Bridge
Standard starter jewelry: Curved barbells and bent barbells are common starter jewelry for this type of piercing because they follow the natural curve of the nose. Additionally, curved and bent barbells don’t place any undue pressure on the healing fistula; this is especially important for surface piercings, which have the highest risk of migration and rejection. Only sometimes is a straight barbell a certifiably better option for a bridge piercing depending on the shape of your nose. We always recommend listening to the size and style recommendations of your piercing artist based on your anatomy.
Cartilage
Standard starter jewelry: Labrets make excellent starter jewelry for cartilage piercings. Captive bead rings and variations like segment rings are also common starter jewelry for cartilage piercings, but it’s good to bear in mind that a labret stud is less likely to get caught in a hair brush, comb, or other products. Additionally, wearing lighter body jewelry like a labret stud will help minimize soreness during the healing process. Cartilage piercings do not tend to swell very much during the healing process, but can stay tender for upwards of 6 months, and therefore have a longer healing process than most other piercings.
Cheek or Dimple
Standard starter jewelry: Long labret studs and straight barbells ranging from 1/4” up to 2” in length are the most advisable options for cheek or dimple piercings. Barbells need to be long to account for swelling that is common during the cheek or dimple healing process.Once your cheek or dimple piercing is fully healed, it is safe to switch to closer fitting labrets. Our UFO black labret studs are especially comfortable as cheek or dimple jewelry.
Christina
Standard starter jewelry: This unique piercing uses a special kind of barbell, which is essentially an L-shaped surface barbell. The decorative end of the jewelry is aligned with the barbell, while the other end of the barbell sticks out at a 90 degree angle. After your Christina piercing is fully healed, you can change the ends of your barbell for a customized look.
Note: Do not try to change your Christina barbell on your own during the healing process. If you have any issues with your starter jewelry, consult your piercing artist.
Dermal
Standard starter jewelry: Dermal anchors are the most commonly used body jewelry for dermal piercings. Dermal anchors (appropriately) “anchor” your jewelry in place. Dermal anchors come in a variety of shapes and sizes. All of them have “feet” to keep them secured in the piercing site; your skin grows around the feet and through the holes of the feet, firmly securing the anchor in place.
The type of dermal anchor used depends on how fleshy the piercing site is; fleshier areas like the face may require dermal anchors with a small round base, such as skin divers or skin anchors. Less fleshy areas, such as the chest, can support more varied jewelry options. A professional piercing artist will recommend the right starter anchor for you based on your anatomy and your dermal piercing.
Dydoe
Standard starter jewelry: Short straight barbells are the most common and certifiably recommended body jewelry for dydoe piercings. Since this kind of piercing is typically done in pairs, short barbells lend themselves to parallel alignment. Starter barbells for your dydoe piercings can range anywhere between 1/8” and 1/2” depending on the girth of the penis.
Earlobe
Standard starter jewelry: Captive bead rings or variations like segment rings and hinged rings are ideal starter jewelry for earlobe piercings. No matter how much your earlobes may swell during the healing process, a ring with a healthy diameter won’t put any pressure on your new piercings.
Note: Only wear stud earrings after the healing process is complete. Stud earrings can put a lot of pressure on healing fistulas, which can stagger, slow, or even stop the healing process. Additionally, we always recommend being pierced with a sterile needle as opposed to a piercing gun. Piercing guns operate by punching and tearing through the skin of the ear lobe, which is not healthy for recovery.
Frenum
Standard starter jewelry: Straight barbells are the ideal starter jewelry for frenum piercings of any variety. Occasionally, a D-ring may be inserted if the frenum piercing is placed just below the head of the penis.
Fourchette
Standard starter jewelry: Typically, small rings like captive bead rings, segment rings, or circular barbells are worn in this rare vulva piercing. The size of your starter jewelry will vary according to your anatomy.
Guiche
Standard starter jewelry: D-rings and captive bead rings are most ideal for the shape of the guiche. A bent barbell can also be worn as starter jewelry in a guiche piercing, so long as it’s long enough to straddle the width of the guiche. The size of your starter jewelry will vary according to your anatomy.
Hafada or Scrotal
Standard starter jewelry: Captive bead rings are typically the ideal starter jewelry for scrotum piercings, or any piercing in the pubic area, even after the healing process. Variations of captive bead rings, such as segment rings and seamless rings, may also be used. The size of your starter jewelry will vary according to your anatomy.
Industrial
Standard starter jewelry: It just about goes without saying that the industrial barbell is the most common starter jewelry used in an industrial piercing. Industrial barbells are typically 14g or 16g extra long straight barbells. They most often measure around 1-1/2” (~38mm) in length.
Note: Consider asking your piercing artist to insert 16g labret studs or captive bead rings as starter jewelry in your industrial piercings. This will allow for a more comfortable healing process that is less prone to infection. After the healing process, which often takes upwards of 6 months for cartilage piercings, you can remove the studs or rings and easily slide an industrial barbell into place.
Labia (Inner and Outer)
Standard starter jewelry: Given the delicate flesh of the inner labia, a small 20g captive bead ring or circular barbell is the most common and comfortable starter jewelry for inner labia piercings. Heavier gauge captive bead rings or circular barbells with larger diameters are typically used for outer labia piercings, because the outer labia has much thicker, sturdier flesh.
Labret
Standard starter jewelry: A standard labret stud is ideal for a new labret piercing. This standard body jewelry will not put pressure on a healing fistula because the shaft is long enough for the thickness of your lip. Additionally, the simple design of the labret is much less likely to constrict a swollen lip than, say, a lip loop labret.
Note: A lip loop labret is not ideal as starter jewelry for a fresh labret piercing. Its shape and heft require a snug fit, which can potentially cause permanent damage during the sensitive healing process.
Lip
Standard starter jewelry: Labret studs and captive bead rings are the two most commonly used types of body jewelry for lip piercings of all varieties. Circular barbells are also frequently used for lip piercings. All three styles are perfectly acceptable and certifiably Standard starter jewelry for lip piercings, with the exception of Monroe and Medusa piercings, which do not accommodate rings.
Note: If you choose a labret as your starter jewelry, it needs to be sufficiently long (approximately 3/8”) to account for swelling during the healing process. Listen to your piercing artist’s recommendation for a suitable length.
Lip Web (Frenulum)
Standard starter jewelry: More often than not, horseshoe barbells with smaller diameters and gauges (around 20g) are used as starter jewelry for lip web piercings (also known as frowney and smiley piercings). Sometimes, a 20g or otherwise smaller gauge captive bead ring can also be used as starter jewelry.
Navel
Standard starter jewelry: Curved barbells, whether they be bent barbells or standard belly button rings, are the ideal starter jewelry for navel piercings. A captive bead ring can also be used, but it’s second best to a curved barbell of any variety. Your piercing artist will likely use a 7/16” long belly button ring or curved barbell to account for swelling during the healing process. Most belly button rings are available as 14g barbells in standard 7/16” (~11mm) or 3/8” (~10mm) lengths.
Note: The only difference between a bent barbell and a belly button ring is the size of the bottom ball. The bottom ball on a belly button ring is typically much larger than the bottom ball of a bent barbell. Bent barbells typically come with 2mm balls.
Nipple
Standard starter jewelry: Straight barbells, captive bead rings, and circular barbells are all common styles of body jewelry for new nipple piercings. Straight barbells are our ideal starter recommendation, because they apply a lot less downward pressure on the nipple than circular barbells or rings. After the healing process is complete, you can enjoy your new nipple piercings by dressing them up with more creative types of body jewelry, such as nipple shields.
Nostril
Standard starter jewelry: Labret studs are ideal starter jewelry for nostril piercings. Unlike captive bead rings, labrets can be inserted right after the piercing procedure without sticking out awkwardly during the healing process; the flat disc of a labret also prevents the jewelry from falling out, which can happen with jewelry like nose bones or nose screws. After the healing process, enjoy a wide variety of jewelry options, including fishtail nostril jewelry, nose screws, nose bones, captive bead rings, and much more.
Prince Albert
Standard starter jewelry: Captive bead rings and circular barbells are most commonly worn in new PA and reverse PA piercings. After the healing process, our customers have stretched their PA piercings up to 6g (~4.0mm) and often don PA wands. It is not advisable to wear a PA wand during the healing process, as this jewelry is too heavy for the fresh piercing to support. Sizes for starter jewelry and beyond will vary according to preference and anatomy.
Princess Diana
Standard starter jewelry: Bent barbells are most commonly worn in Princess Diana piercings. We recommend 14g (~1.6mm) barbells for this stimulating piercing.
Septum
Standard starter jewelry: Circular barbells are the most common forms of starter jewelry for the classic septum piercing. 16g (~1.2mm) starter jewelry is also commonly used. Circular barbells are especially favored during the healing process because they allow you to flip the ring up into your nose and keep them hidden when necessary. After the healing process, you can enjoy a wide variety of basic body jewelry for your septum, including tusks, clicker rings, or a septum retainer to invisibly retain your piercing.
Surface
Standard starter jewelry: Surface barbells are the only style of jewelry that is appropriate for surface piercings, such as bridge, corset, or collarbone piercings. These barbells come in varying lengths and have ends that rise at 80 or 90 degree angles according to your preference. Starter jewelry sizes may vary according to your piercing artist’s recommendation; heavier gauge jewelry that is larger than 18g (~1.0mm) is less likely to migrate or be rejected during the healing process.
Note: Surface barbells have configurable ends, but we recommend using flat discs during the healing process. Flat discs are less likely to snag on clothing or other items, and thereby reduce the risk of irritation or inflammation while your piercing is healing.
Tongue
Standard starter jewelry: Straight barbells are the most common type of body jewelry for new tongue piercings. Your barbell will likely have to be longer than 5/8” (~16mm) to account for swelling during the healing process. Tongue piercings typically heal within six weeks. After that time, you can ask your piercing artist to swap out your longer barbell for a shorter, more standard one.
Note: Tongue piercings can be a lot of fun, given the variety of tops and customizable looks available on our site. Shop for koosh balls and other threaded ends to enjoy a totally personalized look.
Tongue Frenulum
Standard starter jewelry: Circular barbells and captive bead rings are the most common types of starter jewelry for tongue frenulum piercings. 20g is the recommended size because the skin of the frenulum is very delicate and fragile.
Note: No two frenulums are identical! Sometimes, a frenulum can be too delicate and thereby insufficient for piercing at all.
Triangle
Standard starter jewelry: This unique, stimulating piercing requires a circular barbell or captive bead ring. Starting jewelry size will vary according to preference and anatomy, ranging from 16g up to 12g (~1.2mm–2.0mm) in thickness. Your piercing artist will recommend the thickness and diameter that is right for you and your body.
Vertical Clitoral Hood (VCH)
Standard starter jewelry: Bent barbells are the most common type of body jewelry for vertical clitoral hood piercings. Sometimes, captive bead rings are used, but most women prefer the look and feel of a bent barbell.
Note: If your anatomy isn’t right for a vertical clitoral hood piercing, ask your piercing artist about getting a horizontal clitoral hood piercing (HCH). An HCH piercing typically uses a captive bead ring as starter jewelry.
More Body Jewelry Size, Style, Help, & Shopping Info
Looking to learn more about starter body jewelry? Use the links below for quick reference to other helpful articles in our Infocenter.
- Typical Piercing Sizes
- Measuring Body Jewelry
- How to Measure Organic Body Jewelry
- How to Modify Your Belly Ring
- Stretching the Size of Your Ears blog post and our FAQs About Ear Piercings article.
- You can also visit our forum anytime to read about other people’s piercing experiences, post questions about your own piercings, and connect with our online community members.