When it comes to buying body jewelry, you may come across the terms “internally” or “externally” threaded jewelry. There is often confusion when it comes to this topic, however, this is something everyone who is interested in body jewelry should know about!
Most barbells have ends that are connected using tiny screw threads. Threads exist on all body jewelry that has an end that screws on and off. These threads can be internal or external depending where on the piece of jewelry the threading is. What is threading? It is the spiral, bolt like ridge that winds around the metal so you are able to screw the jewelry together. Let’s discuss the difference.
Externally threaded body jewelry has the thread on the end of the barbell instead and it is placed and matched up with the threaded hole inside the ball or gem. This means that when you slide your piercing in and out the screw like threading will be going through you as well and then the accessories are screwed into place. So if your piece of jewelry has spiral like ridges on the barbell, you can be sure that it is termed external.
Internally threaded body jewelry means that the threaded part is on the removable end of the jewelry, such as the ball or gem and the barbell that passes through your skin has a drilled hole in it that matches the threading. The barbell is smooth and comfortable, avoiding any possibility of scraping your tissues. Internal threading is typically used for initial, fresh or sensitive piercings because it is safer when taking your jewelry in and out and won’t cause irritation. So, if you notice your barbell has a hole in it and that the ball has threading on it, you can be sure that it is internally threaded.
Manufacturing internally threaded body jewelry is much more challenging. It is difficult to match the tiny screws to fit perfectly inside a 16 or 14 gauge post. Therefore, internally threaded jewelry is more expensive and the majority of barbells are externally threaded. Hope this article helped you to better understand internally and externally threaded jewelry!
