Piercing Barbells | Body Jewellery | Cheap Piercing Barbells UK

The piercing barbell is a common type of piercing jewellery that can be worn in a variety of piercing types. Find out more about barbells, below.

What are barbell piercings?

Barbell piercings are a style of piercing jewellery that features a ball on each end of a bar. The ball on one end of the barbell threads onto the bar which holds it in place. Depending on the piercing you have you may need a straight barbell, curved barbell, or circular barbell.

What are barbell piercings used for?

Barbell piercing jewellery can be used in a variety of piercing types. Straight barbells can be used in ear, tongue, surface, and genital piercings. Circular barbells can be used in place of rings in piercings such as septum, smiley and more. Curved barbells are commonly used for eyebrow piercings, some ear and nose piercings, surface piercings and genital piercings.

What size barbell is used for a tongue piercing?

Most tongue piercings are pierced using a 14 gauge size barbell - 14g is a 1.6mm barbell. Your tongue barbell may initially be longer to allow for swelling during the first few weeks. After this, you can change to a shorter length barbell in your tongue piercing which will be more comfortable.

How do you take out a barbell piercing?

To take out a barbell piercing you need to unscrew the balls on the end of the bar. Simply unscrew the ball using your fingers and take out the bar of your barbell piercing. Always make sure to wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap before touching your piercing or jewellery. If the balls are tight you may need to use jewellery pliers to help but make sure they have been sanitised and are specially designed for jewellery.

How do you unscrew a tight piercing ball?

If your piercing jewellery has a threaded ball then you may need jewellery pliers to unscrew the ball. If you have tried removing your piercing barbell using your fingers but the piercing ball is too tight then you can use jewellery pliers to hold on to the ball and unscrew the ball from the piercing bar. Make sure the pliers are specifically designed for jewellery and have been cleaned before use.

Do barbells unscrew both ends?

Some barbells unscrew on both ends to help you easily remove your barbell jewellery but there are some types of barbell that only unscrew on one end. If you aren’t sure which end to unscrew on your barbell, then it is best to talk to your piercer for advice. You can test which end of your barbell unscrews by using your fingers to see if you can unscrew one end.

Barbells come in many forms. The name originates from weightlifting barbells due to the look of a piercing barbell which features two balls on each end. While the most common types of barbell are straight, curved, and circular there are other types of barbell including surface/staple bars, nipple bars, industrial piercing barbell, and barbell earrings.

There are plenty of places you can use a barbell but it is important to get the right type. For example, a barbell piercing ear can mean a curved barbell for a rook or daith piercing and a straight barbell for a conch or industrial piercing. You can even switch your helix piercing to a circular barbell once it has healed!

Here at Blue Banana, we keep plenty of barbells in stock so you can find the perfect size, material, and colour for your piercing. One of the most common materials is a titanium barbell. Titanium first became popular in the 90s and has remained one of the most used forms of piercing material thanks to its durability, non-corrosive nature, and hypoallergenic qualities.

From silver barbell piercing to a range of colours and even rainbow options; you are sure to find something to suit your vibe. Once your piercing has healed you can explore barbell jewellery to easily switch up your piercing.

Body Piercing Jewellery Range:

Picking Out Barbells

It is important to choose the right size and material for your piercing jewellery as your body may react differently to different materials. Getting the right size of straight barbell is important for the health of your piercing. For some types of piercing your piercer may recommend using a longer barbell during initial healing to allow for swelling.

Size: Straight Barbells are measured by the length of the bar and gauge. The first number is the gauge (displayed in mm) and the second is the length e.g. 1.2 x 10mm.
Material: Choosing a high quality material such as titanium will provide you with a hypoallergenic material that is perfect for everyday use. Surgical steel is also a good choice for healed piercings as it is durable.

Inserting/Removing Barbells

Before handling your piercing, always make sure to wash your hands with antibacterial soap.

Changing a barbell is a simple process that can be done at home but if you would like help, especially the first time, then it is best to visit a piercer. They may request that you come in after a few weeks of healing your piercing to have your barbell changed to a shorter bar once the swelling has reduced.

It is important to be patient and not attempt to change your piercing jewellery before the wound is fully healed as this can cause complications. However, once it has healed you can start exploring your options.

To remove your barbell, simply unscrew the ball on the end of the bar. You will then be able to remove the bar from your piercing and replace it with a new one. If you find it hard to remove the ball then jewellery pliers can help.

When inserting your new barbell make sure to push it gently through the piercing hole and always make sure to screw the ball tightly on the end.

Where can you use barbells?

Barbells are an incredibly versatile type of piercing jewellery that can be used in many different types of piercing. You can wear a straight barbell in:

Conch
Helix
Industrial
Pinna
Spiral
Tragus
Venom
Web
Nostril
Septum
Hand
Wrist
Nipple
Female Genital
Male Genital

Other Guides & Ranges

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.