What Is an Anti-Eyebrow Piercing?

An anti-eyebrow piercing is a type of surface piercing that is generally placed at the top of the cheekbone, right below the outer corner of the eye. These piercings can take several months to heal properly, and need to be cleaned daily with salt water and piercing disinfectant. Surface piercings such as the anti-eyebrow are generally considered prone to rejection and may even move slightly during the healing process. Often, the body rejects these piercings entirely, pushing them out of the skin within a few months of their insertion. The anti-eyebrow piercing can, however, last up to two years when appropriate jewelry is chosen, and when the piercing is well cared for during the healing process.

The most widely recommended type of jewelry for an anti-eyebrow piercing is typically known as a surface bar. These bars have small balls at each end that protrude from either side of the piercing. The bar itself is generally slightly curved. Curving the bar helps to take pressure off the skin, and discourages the jewelry from pushing itself out. The bars are usually made of stainless steel and have an average gauge of 14 to 16.

This type of piercing commonly takes several weeks to heal. It may be more vulnerable than other piercings, due to the delicate nature of the skin around the eye. The piercing should generally be cleaned every day while it's healing. Most people use a piercing disinfectant to sterilize the outside of the anti-eyebrow piercing. A cup of hot salt water, or a towel soaked in hot salt water, should then be pressed against the piercing for at least five minutes every day, to help disinfect the inside of the piercing.

It is generally considered best to seek a professional piercing artist for this kind of piercing, since it involves skin and muscle rather than simply cartilage. If the piercing is performed improperly, damage to the nerves or muscle tissues of the face could result. Improper piercing is also generally believed to be far more painful than skilled piercing. These piercings can be performed using a traditional needle-piercing technique, although this technique is sometimes not appropriate to the demands of a surface piercing. Some body art professionals use the dermal punch and taper technique instead, in which a dermal punch is used to create a vertical hole in the skin, and a surgical taper is used to create a channel between the skin and the muscle where the jewelry can rest.