orbital piercing

[Kelt9]

Can a circular barbell be put in an orbital piercing? If so, will you just see the balls from the outside and the rest of the barbell from behind the ear? I'm planning an ear project and want a particular look where the end pieces are the only parts showing on the outside of the ear. I'm thinking I could use cones or spikes for the ends and it will match my navel.... but I'm not sure how the jewelry rests in an orbital pierce.

BTW the rest of the project includes a rook and tragus piercings. Mmmm crunchy. :D

[RoguePhoenix]

If the jewelry fits, you can use it. It won't ncessarily only show the balls. It may show some of the barbell also.

But, I am curious, if you only want the balls to show, why not just wear two barbells in the piercings? It would give the deisred effect you want for sure.

I dunno. Guess it has something to do with always doing things the hard way. LOL

Yes I only want the ends to show, not the shaft.

[RoguePhoenix]

LOL.

Well, it's hard to say for sure, but I would say that there is a very good chance that you would see at least a bit of the barbell with an orbital/circlular barbell. But, you could try and if it doesn't look the way you want it to, you can just switch to two barbells.

[Kelt9]

I was thinking that the shaft of a circular barbell may extend too far, but a curved barbell wouldn't have a sharp enouch curve. The only solution I have thought of to this would be to have a circular BB cut down and rethreaded.

If I were to just use individual barbells, wouldn't they have to have a very short shaft as well? Hmmm.

[RoguePhoenix]

I wear straight barbells in my rim piercings. They are short, but it's not hard to find BBs of that length.

You could also see if a piercer will custom bend a BB for you.

[Kelt9]

That's a good idea. Maybe I'm hung up on it being one piece of jewelry as opposed to two. If possible I'll see if I can get a bent piece. Otherwise I suppose I'll be reasonable and go with the barbells. Right now I have a sketch of what I want my finished ear to look like. I'm planning on taking it to my piercer tomorrow. I have to admit to some trepidation at getting my first cartilage piercings, but I suppose I'll survive. :oops:

I was just over in the retail section and realized I could possibly use labret studs. Those custom spikey ones are keen. :D

[RoguePhoenix]

Labret studs are great for cartilage piercings. Good luck with your project. :)

[Kelt9]

Thanks for your help. I dunno if I would have arrived at the same (and much easier) conclusion if it weren't for your input. :mrgreen:

[iamblackbird]

That's why we all love Phoenix:)

So are you doing this project on just one ear, or both?

[Kelt9]

You should make her a moderator, Bird. She knows her stuff. 8) Just the one (left) ear. The other will be totally um... normal. :?:

[RoguePhoenix]

Awww, thank you and you are very welcome. :D

[iamblackbird]

Truse me Kelt, she's next on the list.

[Kelt9]

i have an orbital piercing in my cartilage. most of the time i wear a 14g 5/8 seemless segment ring in that but i have a custom circular barbell that fits me the way you are talking about, so yes it can be done.

Do you think I should bother to make it an orbital pierce since I'm only wanting the ends to show? I'm thinking now it might be easier to use the labret studs instead. Also the flat sides would allow my ear to collapse closer to my head in the case of impact.

[RoguePhoenix]

An orbital in cartilage is significantly harder to heal than two seperate piericngs. If you are not going to wear a ring through them, I would definitley go with the labret studs.

[Kelt9]

The more I think about it, the more I'm sold on the labret studs. I have a tendency to make things harder for myself than I need to. Think I'll give myself a break for once.

I'm planning on getting the 2 studs put in then going back for the tragus and rook as separate visits. Otherwise it'll be more expensive all at once and I just bet that my ear will be burning enough without getting them all done at once. I'll be taking my sketch to my piercer to see what she thinks probaby Thursday-ish. Then I can get the right measurements for the jewelry... probably end up getting it from P.P. since their titanium prices are so gosh-darned reasonable. :wink:

I had been considering getting my daith pierced, but it's not too well defined in my ear. From what I've gathered, piercings depend as much on your own body shape as the quality of the pierce. Oh well, the rook will have to do....

[iamblackbird]

I would LOVE to have my rook done.

I have the opposite problem. My daith is incredibly well defined...so much so that the ring would never lay flat in my ear like I want it to.

Poo.

[Kelt9]

Ye gads, I didn't consider that my rook might be too defined to pierce. I'd hate for a CBR to just stick out. Guess I'll need to get my piercer's opinion. If I get a choice, I'll go with the daith. They just look so nice, nestled in the ear.

LOL Maybe I should take a photo of my left ear and post it for suggestions in my gallery. :roll:

[Illyria Jade_mod]

*LOL* At this rate, we're soon gonna have more moderators than users!!!

And I'd definitely go with 2 seperate pieces of jewelry...if you want to combine the piercings later, you can have your piercer custom-bend a piece to fit, but it will heal MUCH easier if you do them seperately.

[iamblackbird]

*grumbles* yeh, I wish I could pierce my daith....but NOOOOOO, not if I want it sticking out silly-like.

[Kelt9]

OK... I've been looking for labret studs and most begin at 3/8". How do I measure the thickness of my ear?

I think the conch section of my ear may better fit a 1/4" shaft, which I found with great difficulty. My tragus is a bit thicker so I'm wondering if I should go with a 3/8" shaft there.

Does anyone have a trick for estimating the proper length of shaft or will I have to get someone to look at my ear for me? I realize that cartilage piercings don't swell but I'd like to minimize any extra length and of course I don't want to pinch the pierce either.

[solnyez]

Cartilage piercings do swell.

It really can be tricky to measure your own ear and figure out the length needed. I guess you can cut toothpicks up into the appropriate lengths and then hold them up and see about how long it would extend on either side?

[Kelt9]

I had been told they don't swell, but I bow to your greater knowledge. To allow for possible swelling, then I'll be looking at the 2 going in my conch to be the 1/4" shafts.... and the slightly longer for the tragus. I think you helped me choose just by relating the info on swelling. Thanks much, Solynez.

....think I'll try the toothpick thing too. :wink: