Quick Take: Keeping up with the Threads

For many who are new to the world of body mod, and even some seasoned veterans, you may have heard some interesting things about body jewelry threading. But what’s the difference between “external threading” and “internal threading?” Here’s what to know:

Obviously the threading of an item has to be either on the inside or the outside but sometimes hearing different phrases thrown around can be a little confusing. For starters, the vast majority of body jewelry is externally threaded. This means that when you’ve got the separate pieces of the item lying on the table, the barbell or post portion of the jewelry will have a threaded end like a screw, and the ball or decorative portion will have a hole with matching threads inside.

Internally threaded body jewelry is just the opposite, with a protrusion from the ball containing the threads, and a hollow in the barbell that matches them.

For most people and most piercings, externally threaded jewelry is just fine. There are certain piercings however, like those of the lip, tongue, and ear cartilage, that internal threaded might be preferred for due to ease of use. If you’re not sure or have never tried internally threaded items, now is as good a time as any to see how they work for you. Afterall, you never know; you might just find that internal threading is exactly your cup of tea.