Eyebrow piercing
An eyebrow piercing is a type of body piercing done through the eyebrow, usually vertically. Eyebrow piercings are relatively common facial piercings. They may be pierced anywhere along the eyebrow from directly above the eye to the edge of the eyebrow.
Eyebrow piercings usually take 6-8 weeks to heal, but they are easily irritated, often by casual contact on the part of the bearer, which can lead to much longer healing times or migration. Makeup or other beauty products that are applied to the face can also irritate the piercing or cause it to become infected.
Jewellery
Barbells, curved barbells and captive bead rings are all common jewellery types worn in eyebrow piercings. All of these jewellery types put varying degrees of pressure on the piercing, which can cause irritation or migration over time, especially in fresh piercings. Unlike many other piercings, surface bars or other appropriate jewellery is not always used in the initial piercing, and the use of more commonly available body piercing jewellery often creates an unnecessarily large risk of migration or rejection in eyebrow piercings.
Placement
"The usual place to pierce the eyebrow is at a 35 degree angle from the outside corner of the eye (see illustration on front cover), however, it may be pierced anywhere along the eyebrow from directly above the eye, to the edge of the eyebrow. The eyebrow should never be pierced further in than directly above the eye, because of the presence of the three major Supra-Orbital nerves, piercing one of these nerves can cause permanent damage.
The piercing is usually done at an angle to make the ring sit better, if the piercing is done vertically it sits directly outward and has a greater likelihood of migration (see migration). There is a variation of eyebrow piercings invented by "Angel Binnie" a famous American piercer, this piercing is done horizontally just under the eyebrow so that the ring hangs downwards."[[1]] More recently (in 2007 particularly) it is becoming more and more popular (in the midwest in particular) to pierce one's eyebrow horizontally as it becomes more visible when the piercing is already in place. It does take longer to heal, averaging 8 weeks.
Healing
The piercing will take approximately 6-8 weeks to heal,[[2]] some people may take longer though, the better you care for the piercing the quicker it will heal, and the fewer problems you will have. Eyebrow piercings can sometimes be very problematic, this is for several reasons, the skin where the piercing is done is quite thin, and contains a lot of hair follicles and doesn't have much tissue underneath to give it strength. Eyebrows are there to prevent any dirt from falling into the eyes, and therefore the dirt gets into the wound. The piercing gets knocked around a lot when you sleep, and movement hampers the healing process.
Migration
Migration means the movement of the jewellery out of the skin, in the same way that the body forces out a foreign object like a splinter, it can cause the jewellery to migrate. The amount of skin taken by the initial piercing will decrease until the jewellery eventually grows out altogether. It doesn't matter how well the piercing is done initially, migration can still occur. If you are really concerned about migration, it's best to get the piercing done with a barbell.
Infection
With the piercing being located on the face, it can be subject to a lot of abuse. Touching it with unclean hands, not keeping a clean face, and any sort of trauma can easily lead to an infection. Signs of infection are pain, redness, swelling, and discharge. If an infection is noticed, it needs to be taken care of quickly. The piercing can be treated with a hot compress, twice daily cleanings with unscented anti-bacterial soap, and a mild disinfectant. Alcohol should be avoided on piercings, because it can overly dry out the wound. Neosporin and similar products should also be avoided. They are not approved for puncture wounds, and can prevent air from reaching the site. Some people's bodies react best to the piercing being left alone to heal on it's own. If the infection progresses any, it would be best to immediately contact a piercing artist or doctor. In some cases, antibiotics are the only way to stop the infection. Some doctors will recommend removing the jewellery from the piercing. This is almost NEVER a good option, as the jewellery allows a site for any infectious matter to drain and for air to reach the wound. If the piercing closes up before the infection is gone, it can form a serious abscess that will require much further medical treatment.
History and Culture
Eyebrow piercings are of contemporary origin, for example, like most surface piercings.[[3]] They are relatively common piercings, being socially accepted in a way similar to navel and nose piercings. [[4]] Anti-eyebrow piercings are relatively uncommon piercings.[[5]]