Piercing Guide & FAQ

Internally threaded jewelry has a tiny female thread (a hole) inside the bar, and the decorative top has a male thread (a screw stem) that screws into it. Nothing rough passes through your piercing channel — only the smooth post.

Quickest tell: look at the post end. If you see a small round hole at the tip of the post, it's internally threaded.

This works for flatback labret studs and barbells.

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water; pat dry with a clean paper towel.
2. Lay both pieces (the post/bar and the decorative top) on a clean surface so you don't drop them.
3. Insert the post through the back of your piercing — flat disc behind the ear, post pointing out the front. Hold the disc gently from behind to keep the post stable.
4. Bring the decorative top up to the front of the post. Align the screw stem with the threaded hole.
5. Turn the top clockwise ("righty-tighty") until snug. Two or three full turns is usually enough — do not overtighten.
6. Gently wiggle the top to confirm it's secure. If it spins freely, screw a half-turn more.

If the threads aren't catching, you've crossed them — back out fully and start the threading again at a slightly different angle.

Hold the post or flat disc steady from behind, then turn the decorative top counter-clockwise ("lefty-loosey"). Once it unscrews fully, the post slides out.

Tip: do this over a clean cloth or tray. The screw-on tops are tiny and bounce.

• Cross-threading — forcing the top on at the wrong angle. If you feel resistance after a quarter-turn, stop and back out. Forcing it strips the threads and ruins the piece.

• Overtightening — finger-tight is enough. You can't make it more secure with force; you can only break it.

• Confusing it with externally threaded jewelry — externally threaded pieces have the screw threads on the post (the part going through your piercing). Oumo doesn't sell externally threaded jewelry; if a piece you have feels "rough" going through your piercing, it's likely external — not safe to wear.

Threadless jewelry uses a push-pin system. The decorative top has a slightly bent thin pin sticking out the back. You bend the pin a touch more, slide it into the hollow post, and friction holds it in place. No screws, no threads.

Threadless is the easiest closure to swap — once you've practised once, it takes 10 seconds — and it's our most popular system for cartilage flatbacks.

The pin is the magic. Get the bend right and the rest is easy.

1. Wash your hands; pat dry with a clean paper towel.
2. Insert the post through the back of your piercing (flat disc behind, hollow post out the front).
3. Pick up the decorative top by the front, exposing the pin sticking out the back.
4. If the pin is straight, gently bend it about 5–10° with your fingertip. The bend is what creates tension. Don't bend it sharply — a slight curve is enough.
5. Line up the pin with the opening of the hollow post. Push straight in until you feel resistance and a small "click" — the pin is now seated against the inside wall of the post.
6. Tug gently on the top. It should not pull off with light pressure. If it does, bend the pin a tiny bit more and re-insert.

Hold the flat disc behind the piercing steady. Pull the front decorative top straight outward with firm, even pressure. It will pop off.

Don't twist or wiggle — just pull straight.

The pin doesn't have enough bend. Take the top off, look at the pin from the side, and gently increase the bend by 5°. Re-insert. Most "loose" threadless pieces just need a slightly more aggressive bend.

If you've bent and re-bent the pin many times, it can fatigue and break. Keep adjustments minimal — small tweaks are enough.

A clicker is a hinged hoop that opens like a tiny gate. Press a small lever (usually integrated into the design) and a section of the ring swings open; close it back and you'll hear a satisfying "click" — that's where the name comes from.

Clickers are popular for septum, daith, and conch piercings because they're secure once closed and don't need any tools.

1. Wash your hands.
2. Hold the clicker between your thumb and index finger. Find the small notch or hinge — usually opposite the decorative front.
3. Press the segment outward / sideways gently — it should swing open about 90° on the hinge. Don't force it; if it's not opening, you might be pressing the wrong section.
4. Slide the open end of the ring through your piercing.
5. Once it's seated, close the segment back into the ring. Press until you hear a clear "click" — this means the closure has engaged.
6. Gently rotate the clicker in your piercing to confirm it's fully closed.

Press the same hinge open as you did during insertion, slide the ring out, and re-close it for storage so the hinge isn't stressed open over time.

Most stuck clickers are caused by skin lotion, hairspray, or saline residue gumming up the hinge. Rinse with warm water and a soft toothbrush, dry, and try again.

If a clicker has been worn continuously for a year+, the hinge can stiffen — bring it to your piercer to re-tension; don't pry it forcefully.

A seamless ring is a continuous hoop with a hidden gap on one side — no clasp, no hinge, no visible closure. Once it's in your piercing, it looks like a perfect unbroken ring. The gap is where the two ends meet, and it's tight enough that it's barely visible.

Seamless rings give the cleanest aesthetic, but they're the trickiest closure to handle because you have to physically twist the ring to open and close it.

1. Wash your hands.
2. Hold the ring with both hands, fingers on opposite sides of the gap. Locate the small gap (it's almost invisible).
3. Twist the two ends in opposite directions — one toward you, one away — like opening a tiny shower-curtain ring. The ring should now have an offset opening you can slide a wire through.
4. Slide one end through your piercing.
5. Once it's seated, twist the two ends back to align. The gap should close almost completely. Use your fingernails to nudge the ends together if needed.

Important: don't pull the ends apart sideways (like opening a circle into a wider C-shape). That permanently deforms the ring. Only twist along the ring's plane.

Twist the gap open the same way as insertion, slide the ring out, and twist closed for storage. Each open/close cycle weakens the metal slightly, so seamless rings are best worn continuously rather than swapped daily.

This usually means the ring was over-twisted during insertion. Try gently working the ends back into alignment by twisting in the opposite direction, then squeezing inward (toward each other) along the ring's plane.

If the gap stays visible, the ring may be deformed — bring it to your piercer to re-shape, or replace.

A horseshoe is a curved, U-shaped barbell with a small ball or cone screwed onto each end. It's open at the bottom — that's the "horseshoe" gap — and the two balls hold it in place through the piercing.

It's the most flexible closure in piercing: you can flip a septum horseshoe up to hide the jewelry, or wear it down as a visible ring. Common for septum, daith, eyebrow, and circular nostril looks.

1. Wash your hands.
2. Unscrew one of the two end balls (counter-clockwise) and set it aside on a clean surface. Leave the other ball on.
3. Hold the bare end of the curved bar and gently slide it through your piercing, following the curve of the bar.
4. Once the bar is seated through the piercing channel, screw the loose ball back onto the bare end. Turn clockwise until snug — finger-tight only, do not overtighten.
5. Gently rotate the horseshoe in the piercing to confirm both balls are secure.

Both ends of an internally threaded horseshoe have the same female thread, so it doesn't matter which end you remove.

Hold the bar steady with one hand. Unscrew one end ball (counter-clockwise). Slide the bar out of the piercing — pull along the curve, not straight. Re-attach the loose ball to the bar for storage so it doesn't get lost.

Most often the threads have minor wear, or the ball wasn't fully tightened. Try: re-tighten with clean dry fingers (skin moisture lubricates the threads and reduces grip); if it still loosens within a day, the threads may be stripped — replace the piece.

If you have a habit of touching/spinning the horseshoe, that motion gradually unwinds one of the balls. Mindfulness helps; some people switch to a clicker which has no screw threads to loosen.

A curved barbell is a slightly arched bar with a small ball, gem, or decorative top on each end. The curve matches the natural angle of certain piercings where a straight bar wouldn't sit comfortably — most commonly rook, snug, eyebrow, vertical labret, and navel piercings.

Like a horseshoe, both ends unscrew. Unlike a horseshoe, it doesn't form a full circle — the bar is closed at both ends with decorative elements rather than left open at the bottom.

1. Wash your hands.
2. Unscrew one end of the barbell (counter-clockwise). Set it aside on a clean surface. Leave the other end attached.
3. Insert the bare end of the bar into your piercing, following the curve. For navel piercings, insert from below; for eyebrow and rook, from whichever side the existing channel was pierced from.
4. Once the bar is fully through, screw the loose end back on (clockwise) until snug. Finger-tight only.
5. Gently rotate the piece a quarter-turn to confirm both ends are secure.

Important: do not try to insert a curved barbell with both ends already attached — you'll catch the channel and irritate it.

Hold the bar steady. Unscrew one end (counter-clockwise) and set it aside. Slide the bar out, following the curve. Re-attach the loose end to the bar for storage.

Your piercer chose the shape based on your anatomy at the time of piercing. The general rule:

• Curved barbell: rook, snug, eyebrow, vertical labret, navel.

• Straight barbell: tongue, industrial, nipple.

• Flatback (labret stud): all single-point ear cartilage piercings (helix, tragus, conch, flat, lobe), nostril, lip.

If a curved piece feels tight or twisted in a piercing where the original installer used a straight bar, you may need a different curve radius — bring it to your piercer rather than forcing the fit.

Easy. Rinse under warm water, use a drop of mild fragrance-free soap if needed, rub gently with your fingers, rinse, pat dry with a soft cloth or paper towel.

For deep cleaning a piece you wear continuously, soak in warm sterile saline for 5 minutes once a month — that's it. Titanium does not tarnish, oxidise, or react with sweat, so you won't need anything more aggressive.

Yes. Titanium is fully shower- and sweat-safe. It's chlorine-tolerant and salt-water tolerant. The metal itself won't be affected by any normal exposure.

(Whether your piercing can handle pool water is a separate question — see Aftercare & Healing for fresh piercings.)

Dry and separate is enough. A soft pouch, a small jewelry box with compartments, or even a clean small zip bag works. Titanium won't scratch other titanium pieces during normal storage.

Avoid: piling pieces in a drawer where they can scratch each other; storing damp.

The metal won't. Titanium is harder than gold and corrosion-resistant — pieces can last decades. The exceptions: anodised colours can dull over years of wear (your piercer can refresh them), and threadless pin tension fades after many bend/insert cycles (replaceable).

Be gentler than with bare titanium — the gold layer is thin. Wipe with a soft microfibre cloth after every wear. For deeper cleaning, use lukewarm water with a tiny drop of mild fragrance-free soap, rinse, and pat dry immediately.

Avoid: ultrasonic cleaners, polishing creams, jewelry-cleaning dips, anything abrasive. Even toothbrushes are too rough.

Three main culprits:

• Sweat and chlorine — pool sessions and intense workouts. Rinse with fresh water and dry immediately after.

• Skincare and hairspray — alcohol and silicones in skincare products dissolve the bond. Always do skincare and styling before putting jewelry back in.

• Friction — frequent removal and re-insertion abrades the plating where it touches the piercing channel. If you wear gold-plated daily, leave it in.

Each piece in its own small pouch or a compartmentalised box. Gold-plated rubbing against gold-plated wears off the plating at the contact points. Keep dry; humidity accelerates plating breakdown.

Plated jewelry is consumable; even with perfect care, the plating will eventually thin. When you see the underlying titanium or stainless start to show through, it's time to retire that piece. The good news: the metal underneath is still safe (titanium-base) or wear-tolerant (stainless-base), so it won't suddenly become irritating — it just stops looking gold.

Warm water + mild fragrance-free soap. Rub gently with your fingers, rinse, pat dry. A soft microfibre cloth brings the shine back.

For tarnish or build-up: a soft toothbrush is fine on bare stainless (not on plated). Skip ultrasonic cleaners and abrasive polishes.

Short exposure is fine — a quick shower or daily workout won't damage stainless. But continuous exposure to chlorinated pools, hot tubs, or salt water can cause surface pitting over time.

Habit: rinse with fresh water and dry after sweat-heavy sessions. Don't sleep in damp stainless jewelry.

Stainless steel can develop a thin oxide film from sweat and skin oils — looks slightly dull or has a sticky feel. It's harmless but cosmetic. Wash with warm soapy water and dry; the shine returns.

If you see actual rust spots, the piece has reached the end of its life or was damaged — don't continue wearing.

With reasonable care, several years for a regularly worn piece. Stainless is hard and corrosion-resistant; the failure mode is usually surface pitting from chlorine or salt water, or scratching from drops, rather than the metal "wearing out".

S925 is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper). Both silver and copper react with sulphur in the air and on skin, forming a thin black or yellow layer on the surface — that's tarnish. It's normal, harmless, and reversible.

What accelerates it: humidity, perfume, hair products, sulphur-rich foods like eggs and onions on your hands, and time stored in open air.

Three methods, gentlest to strongest:

• Polishing cloth (softest) — buy a silver-specific polishing cloth (impregnated with anti-tarnish compound). Rub gently. Works for light tarnish.

• Mild soap and warm water — for build-up. Rinse and dry immediately with a soft cloth.

• Silver dip (strongest, use sparingly) — chemical dip cleaners remove heavy tarnish in seconds. Rinse thoroughly afterwards. Don't use on pieces with anodised or oxidised dark accents — it'll strip them.

Avoid: toothpaste (too abrasive — it scratches), aluminium-foil-and-baking-soda hacks (effective but rough on detail).

The single biggest improvement: store sealed. Use small zip bags (anti-tarnish strips inside if possible) or a sealed jewelry box with anti-tarnish strips.

Keep dry. Don't store in the bathroom (humid). Avoid contact with rubber bands, latex, and wool — all accelerate tarnish.

We don't recommend it. Sweat, chlorine, and humidity all accelerate tarnish. For workouts and water, switch to a titanium piece and put the silver back in afterwards.

The copper in the S925 alloy reacts with sweat and skin oils, leaving a green or grey mark on skin. It's harmless (not an allergy), washes off with soap, and is more common with cheaper silver, low-quality alloys, or in humid weather.

If the discolouration is bothering you, it's a sign that S925 isn't a great daily-wear material for your body chemistry — switch to titanium for everyday and reserve silver for occasions.