The Guide to Modern Piercings: Doubling Up

Almost any type of piercing can be “doubled up,” or done in pairs, and some are even meant to be. But with contemporary piercings and styles in a state of constant evolution, it’s a little bit hard to keep up with shifting trends. Here are some multiples that you probably already know about:

Double-ups on the helix piercing, anti-eyebrow, bridge, nose, brow, lip, dimple, and belly piercing. But did you know that every set of paired lip piercings has a contemporary nickname?

How about these lesser-well-knowns? Combos of a Medusa piercing and a labret are called “cyber bites,” and pairs of bridge piercings and tongue piercings are known as “double erls” and “venom bites” respectively.

Then there are some piercings that don’t definitively have a different double pronged name, but may be commonly called by one regionally. For example: in the Eastern U.S. a set of anti-eyebrow piercings made directly underneath the lower lash lines of a woman’s eyes will often be called “butterfly kisses.” In other regions, this term can be relatively unknown. And it’s the same with other piercings, like the oft termed “bracer,” which is a set of multiple wrist or arm surface piercings, and the “cage,” a pair of crossing industrials.

Some other fun doubles to sneak a peek at? The dolphin bite, joker bite, ear weave piercing, and the double bull ring.