Labrets

How a labret is built

Three parts: a flat disc that rests against the skin, a straight post that passes through the piercing, and a top that screws onto the post.

The flat back is the whole point. A butterfly back or a ring presses and catches; a smooth disc sits flush. Lip and medusa, monroe, tragus, conch, helix, flat, lobe: same piece, different placement.

Internally threaded is what we make. The thread is cut into the inside of the post, and the top carries a small male thread that screws into it. Nothing threaded passes through the piercing, so the post that goes through your skin is a smooth cylinder.

Externally threaded is the cheaper way to do it. The thread is cut around the outside of the post, so the screw travels through the piercing every time you change the top. It's the difference you feel rather than see, and it's the reason a labret can cost £5 or £25.

Threadless pieces use a bent pin held by tension instead of a screw. Different system, not interchangeable with threaded posts. A threadless top will not fit an internally threaded labret, or the other way round.

Getting the size right

Post length is the distance between the disc and the top, and it's the measurement that decides whether the piece sits flush or stands proud. Ours come in 6mm and 8mm, listed on the product.

6mm is the everyday length for a settled ear piercing. 8mm suits thicker tissue, a lip or medusa, and anywhere there's more to pass through. If you're not sure, the piece you're wearing now is the answer. Take it out and measure the post between the disc and the base of the top.

Gauge is the thickness of the post, and it has to match the piercing you already have. 1.2mm (16g) is the standard most UK piercers use for a labret, with 1mm (18g) common in ear placements. This is not a number to guess at: take your current piece to a piercer and have it measured, or ask the studio that pierced you what they fitted.

Our measuring guide covers how to measure what you own, and the gauge-to-millimetre conversion chart converts between the two systems. If you were pierced recently you were probably fitted with a longer post, so ask the piercer who did it before you downsize.

The metals

316L surgical steel, in plain, gold, rose gold and black finishes. The bulk of this collection and the sensible everyday choice. Hard-wearing, easy to clean, and the least painful thing to lose.

Solid 14K and 18K gold. Around thirty pieces here are genuine solid gold rather than plated, in yellow and white. They're priced accordingly and described as solid on the listing.

Bone and coconut on a small number of designs, including tea-stained and coffee-stained bone, for anyone who wants an organic top on a steel post.

Stones and gems. Fourteen across the range, including turquoise, white and blue opal, black onyx, pearl, abalone, emerald, garnet and aquamarine, plus cubic zirconia on the sparkle-led designs. Cut individually, so colour varies piece to piece.

Tops are interchangeable across our internally threaded posts, which is the practical argument for owning one good post and several tops.

Common questions

What size labret do I need?

Two numbers: post length and gauge. We stock 6mm and 8mm posts: 6mm for a settled ear piercing, 8mm for a lip, medusa or anywhere with more tissue. For gauge, 1.2mm (16g) is the UK standard for labrets and 1mm (18g) is common in the ear, but check what you're actually wearing rather than assuming.

What does internally threaded mean?

The thread is inside the post, and the top screws into it. Nothing sharp or threaded passes through the piercing when you change the top. Externally threaded pieces put the screw thread on the outside of the post, so it travels through the piercing each time.

Can I use a labret in my ear?

Yes. The flat back is why labrets are worn in tragus, conch, helix, flat and lobe piercings as well as the lip. The disc sits flush behind the ear instead of catching.

Will your tops fit my existing labret?

Only if yours is internally threaded and the same gauge. Internally threaded, externally threaded and threadless are three different systems and don't interchange. If you're unsure which you have, a piercer will tell you in seconds.