Should You Wear Externally Threaded Jewelry?

Externally ThreadedAs you probably know, Internally Threaded jewelry is the way to go. This jewelry is much more comfortable and body-friendly, and it’s recommended by experts all over the world. What about externally threaded jewelry, then? Is it completely useless and dangerous to wear? Here are some things you need to know.

Internal vs External: The Difference

It’s easy to tell a difference between internally and externally threaded jewelry. “Threading” refers to the threaded jewelry pieces, such as barbells (straight, curved and circular barbells) and labrets. Jewelry pieces without threading (such as Captive Bead Rings) do not fall into this category.

Threaded jewelry pieces have a post (shaft) and a bead. The way the bead is connected to the post determines if jewelry is internally or externally threaded.

  • Internally threaded jewelry has a threaded ball, while the post receives the threading.
  • Externally threaded jewelry has a threaded post, while the ball receives the threading.

Therefore, it’s easy to tell the difference. Open your barbell and take a look at the post. If it doesn’t have a threaded rod,  it’s internally threaded. If it has a threaded rod, it’s externally threaded.

It’s clear why internally threaded jewelry is better. Since the post is what goes through your piercing, it’s much more comfortable and safer to use if it’s smooth. This is particularly important for initial piercing. The threaded post can hurt the new piercing and prolong the healing, lead to infections and cause other problems.

This is why it’s important to choose internally threaded jewelry. Also, internally threaded jewelry tends to be of higher quality. Most of the cheap, badly made jewelry is externally threaded, which is yet another reason why you should avoid externally threaded jewelry.

Is External Ever OK?

Most of the time, no. You should always choose internally threaded jewelry and choose only this type of jewelry. That being said, there are some minor problems with internally threaded jewelry you should know about.

For example, the ball on the internally threaded jewelry has to be screwed in really tightly in order to keep jewelry in place. The ball is more likely to fall out this way, which can be a problem and a danger, especially for some piercings, such as oral piercings. In this situation, there might be a danger that you might swallow the ball.

However, this is not a reason to use externally threaded jewelry. Instead of using externally threaded jewelry, you should regularly check your internally threaded jewelry to ensure the ball is screwed in tightly.

Another thing to note about external jewelry: some really small gauges, such as 20 gauge and 18 gauge, are very difficult to make internally threaded. Furthermore, it would be tricky to screw in the ball on such jewelry. Therefore, jewelry made in such a small gauge is often made externally threaded.

That being said, you should avoid externally threaded jewelry in other situations. If you really, really like an externally threaded jewelry piece, you might wear it from time to time, but never as initial jewelry. Also, if you really wish to wear an externally threaded jewelry piece made sure it’s made of body-friendly material.

About Donna:
Donna Carlson is a staff writer for TheChainGang. She combines her love for body piercings with adult fun, such as sex toys, BDSM and other forms of pleasure. She says: “Piercings and sex toys often complement each other in the most sensual ways. I am happy to help you discover new ways to pleasure yourself and your partner. With a bit of practice, anyone can learn how to enhance their love life. And with a bit of courage, anyone can enjoy body piercings”. In addition to intimate piercings and adult toys, Donna also writes about body jewelry and other piercing adornments.

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