Industrial Piercing

There are many different types of body piercings that are available for modifying your image; if you're looking to do something different, yet not too visible, an industrial piercing may be for you.

When many people hear the term "industrial piercing", they become a bit confused. This is probably because most piercings are named after the part of the body that they pass through, and everyone knows humans aren't born with an industrial. In fact, an industrial is a piercing that passes through two holes made in the body :an outer helix piercing connected to a forward helix piercing by a straight barbell. It is comprised of two holes, one on each side of the upper ear, with a long (2.5 to 3 inch) barbell slid between the holes.This gives the appearance of a large bar going through the ear, and there are usually sizable balls screwed on the ends of the barbell.

This piercing was named and popularized by Erik Dakota in the early nineties. The first reference to the industrial piercing (then termed “industrial ear project”) was in Body Play magazine in 1992, alongside the first examples of daith and rook piercings.

The initial piercing is usually done with a barbell. (Using separate jewelry for healing can result in different angles when trying to connect the piercings later.) 14 gauge is usually the starting thickness, with length ranging anywhere from 1 1/8” to 1 3/8”, depending on the ear. While popular, this piercing doesn't work for all ears, as you need to have a defined helix, or ear “ridge,” and enough space for the barbell to sit unobstructed. The piercer must take care to line these holes up so that your barbell will go straight through.

The industrial piercing usually has a specific piece of jewelry used to set off the unique look. A long barbell (the piercer will measure your ear to make sure he or she gets the right length) will be inserted between the helix and anti-helix holes.

Most of the barbells used for this piercing are made of surgical stainless steel, and therefore do not come in a variety of colors of styles. Many people do not take issue with this because the industrial piercing is unique enough on its own. There are some titanium barbells available, but these are not recommended for fresh piercings.

An industrial piercing is certain to attract more interest than a traditional lobe piercing. Just be sure that your piercing professional is very experienced in creating this style of piercing so it's sure to look great on you.