Labret Piercings Unveiled: Everything You Need to Know About Style, Placement, and Aftercare

A labret is one of the most common types of piercing jewelry around the world, and there are many good reasons for that.

What is a labret?

A labret is incredibly simple piercing jewelry. It consists of a straight rod with a flat disk on one end and any design at the opposite end!

The thing that all labrets have in common is that their flat disk minimizes the friction between the jewelry and the skin.

What kinds of labrets are there?

Labrets differ in their closing mechanisms, which have standard names in the piercing industry. These are some of the different types:

• Push-in labrets: a small rod attached to the decorated end inserts into the hollow rod.
• Externally threaded: the rod is screwed into the decorated end.
• Internally threaded: the decorated end is screwed onto the rod.

In which piercings can I wear labrets?

A labret is used in tragus, helix, and many other kinds of ear piercings. This is for a straightforward reason. Labrets are comfortable and hygienic because there is a minimal chance of collecting dirt - like dust, hairspray, makeup, or earwax - in their lock.

When worn in a lip piercing, the labret's flat disk is placed inside the mouth. This reduces the chance of hurting your teeth and gums, which would quickly happen with a regular locking ball in your mouth. Additionally, labrets are available in many lengths, making it easy to fit them to your lips and ears perfectly.

What is the standard size of a labret?

The most common measurement for labrets is a 1.2 mm thread thickness.

Depending on the thickness of your lips and ears, you’ll most likely use labrets that are 8 or 6 mm long. However, for more specialized piercings such as cheeks, the thread thickness can easily be 1.6 mm and the bar length can reach 10-14 mm.

What materials can I use?

The most common material is undoubtedly surgical steel. The reason for that is it’s a comparatively cheap material. However, PTFE and Bioplastic have become extremely popular due to their softness, especially around the mouth.

Titanium is a favorite for those who have allergies. And finally, who doesn’t love gold? 14 karat alloy is perfect for labrets since it is hard enough to endure regular use.