Barbell jewelry is used for body and facial piercings and comes in different sizes, shapes, and materials. The gauge determines the size, and there are different types of barbells, including straight, circular, and banana bars. The material used depends on the healing process and personal preference.
One of the most common types of jewelry used for body and facial piercings, barbell jewelry can differ in size, shape, and the material from which it is made. In general, these options are tailored to the specific area of the body where the barbell jewelry will be worn. Certain circumstances may require some people to wear a flexible plastic piece of jewelry to allow for movement and flexing of the piercing site, such as in a belly button piercing during pregnancy. There is also an option to have an internally threaded bar instead of the more common external thread, which can help prevent irritation at the piercing site, but is often chosen based on personal preference.
The size of the barbell jewelry is called the gauge. Smaller posts have a higher gauge, while larger ones have a lower gauge. Typically, a body or face piercing is pierced with a fairly modest gauge, such as 14. Once the wound heals, the wearer has the option of stretching the piercing to accommodate larger size jewelry.
Barbell jewelry also comes in several different forms. A straight bar is a straight post with two objects on each end to prevent the post from slipping out of the piercing site. Circular bars are structured similarly to straight bars, like a post and two end pieces, but the post itself is curved in a circular position. Banana bars are sort of the middle ground between straight and round bars, where the pole is bent into a banana shape. Barbell jewelry typically features small balls on each end, but can also have blocks, discs, and other shapes.
Straight bars are commonly seen in piercing sites where the piercing openings are directly opposite each other, such as in tongue piercings and certain types of ear piercings. Circle bars are frequently seen in the type of nose piercing called a septum piercing. Banana bars are the bar of choice for belly button piercings.
Barbell jewelry can be found in many types of materials, from metals to plastics. Fresh piercings usually require surgical grade metals to heal properly. Titanium is a popular choice for people with sensitive skin or allergic reactions to other types of metals. Occasionally the balls or other objects on the ends of the bar can be replaced with plastic alternatives. People with tongue piercings often do this to prevent damage to their teeth by accidentally biting into the balls while eating or talking.
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