4 Things to Consider Before Getting A Bridge or Mid-Brow Piercing

Did you know that the ever-popular bridge piercing has existed for thousands of years? Its roots stem from Mesoamerican cultures, like the Mayans and Aztecs, who believed being cross-eyed was a symbol of beauty. Since the bridge piercing is located high on the bridge of your nose in the dip between your eyes, it stays in your field of vision at all times. That’s what made it the perfect method for achieving this cross-eyed look.

Today, individuals all over the world have taken a page from this ancient book by rocking the bridge piercing. It’s edgy, front-and-center, and a great complement to one’s bone structure. Though, it’s not a piercing for everyone. The sheer location and precarious nature of the piercing should be considered before fully committing. Not to mention, if you’re new to piercings, this one can be a bit intense. But, of course, if that’s what you’re going for, more power to you!

In this blog, we’ll go over the top four things to consider before getting a bridge piercing.

#1 Trusting Your Body Piercer

As with any piercing, it’s of the utmost importance to find a piercer who is reputable and experienced. The act of piercing someone shouldn’t be taken lightly. At the end of the day, piercings are open wounds that have a chance for infection. Finding someone who keeps a clean, safe space for their piercings should be your top priority.

Since the bridge piercing is located on the face, it’s important to make sure your piercer has experience with this piercing type. The piercer should take extra caution when placing the piercing, taking precise measurements to ensure it will be centered in between your eyes as perfectly as possible. It might be painstaking, but it will all be worth it in the end. No one wants a crooked piercing—and in the middle of their face, no less!

#2 Jewelry Requirements

While there is no shortage of jewelry shapes and styles for ear piercings, the bridge is less accommodating. Because of its location and how it’s pierced, the bridge piercing uses barbell jewelry only. Rings are too small, unable to stretch across the length of the piercing comfortably.

Don’t get us wrong—there’s nothing wrong with barbell jewelry. In fact, there are so many styles to choose from that are sure to fit anyone’s aesthetic. But we still believe it’s important to know beforehand that your jewelry choices will be limited to barbells only. Specifically, 14 or 12 gauge barbells do the trick, depending on the look you’re going for. As always, have a chat with your piercer to decide what’s right for you!

#3 Wearing Glasses

As previously mentioned, the bridge piercing is located on the face. And like any facial piercing, there is a strong tendency to accidentally bump or snag it. Simple things like washing your face, putting on a shirt, sleeping, and itching your face put the piercing at risk for unwanted movement.

But perhaps the biggest consideration when it comes to the bridge piercing is wearing glasses. Since glasses sit on the bridge of your nose—almost exactly where the bridge piercing is located—it’s important to consider whether or not you wear glasses, and how often.

During the healing process, we recommend using contacts as much as possible to avoid your glasses colliding with the fresh piercing. Not only will it be painful, but it could move the piercing around and cause unnecessary swelling and scarring.

If you only wear glasses occasionally, like reading glasses, for example, be sure to adjust them to sit further down your nose so as to avoid the piercing altogether. This might be tricky at first, but it’s important if you want to commit to your bridge piercing.

#4 Important Aftercare

It’s no secret that any piercing requires a lot of aftercare. But like we said…piercings are open wounds, so they should be treated as such, especially if the piercing is on the face. Swelling or scarring on the face can take away from one’s confidence and create a plethora of other problems down the road.

Luckily with the bridge piercing, there isn’t typically a lot of swelling post-piercing. To keep it that way, one must disinfect it daily with a salt water or saline spray. This goes for all piercings, but especially since the bridge is so close to the eyes, it’s important to avoid harsher methods like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. These solutions can irritate and dry out your piercing which can cause problems later. In the same vein, you should avoid using cotton balls or cotton swabs to clean your piercing, as fibers can get stuck in the piercing and cause irritation or infection.

Perhaps most importantly, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling your fresh piercing so as to avoid any bacteria coming into contact with it. Take care not to twist or turn the piercing, too.

So, is the bridge piercing right for you?

We hope you learned some valuable information about the bridge piercing and if it’s the right piercing for you. If you do go through with it, Urban Body Jewelry has a large, high-quality portfolio of piercing jewelry to fit any style, any time. Specifically, our collection of titanium straight barbells would be perfect for a bridge piercing.