The difference in one sentence
All three describe how the decorative top attaches to the bar. What separates them is what your piercing feels on the way through.
Internally threaded: the thread is cut into the end of the post, and the top has a small screw that goes into it. The surface passing through your piercing is smooth bar.
Threadless / push-pin: no thread at all. The top has a slightly bent pin that is pushed into a hollow post and held by tension. The surface passing through is smooth, and it is the fastest to change.
Externally threaded: the thread is cut onto the outside of the post, and the top screws over it like a nut. The threaded section passes through your piercing.
Why external threading is a real problem
A screw thread is a spiral ridge with edges. On an externally threaded post that ridge is on the outside of the bar ā the surface in direct contact with the inside of your piercing channel as you insert it.
Every time you fit or remove the piece, that ridge scrapes along the channel. In a healed piercing this is uncomfortable and can cause small tears. In a healing piercing it disrupts the fragile tissue that is trying to form the channel lining.
This is why externally threaded jewellery is excluded from what professional piercers use for initial piercings, and why it is worth checking before you buy rather than after.
| Type | What passes through the piercing | Suitable for healing? | Ease of changing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internally threaded | Smooth bar | Yes | Fiddly but secure |
| Threadless (push-pin) | Smooth bar | Yes | Fastest to change |
| Externally threaded | A screw thread | No | Easy, but scrapes the channel |
The three threading types compared
How to tell what you are looking at
Sellers do not always state it, so here is how to work it out.
- Look at the photo of the disassembled piece. If you can see a visible spiral thread on the bar itself, it is externally threaded. If the bar is smooth and the thread is on the tiny post of the top, it is internally threaded.
- Check the price and the material together. External threading is cheaper to manufacture. It is very common on unbranded steel jewellery and rare on certified titanium from a serious supplier.
- Just ask. "Is this internally threaded, externally threaded, or threadless?" is a one-line question, and a supplier who cannot answer it is telling you something.
Internally threaded or threadless ā which to choose
Both are safe. The choice is about how you use them.
Internally threaded is more secure once tightened, which makes it the better choice for a piece you wear continuously and rarely change, or one you sleep in. The trade-off is that it is fiddlier ā you are aligning a very small screw, often behind your own ear.
Threadless is far quicker to swap, which makes it the better choice if you change tops often or build different looks. It holds by tension in a slightly bent pin, so it is marginally less secure than a tightened thread, and the pin's bend can be adjusted if a top ever feels loose.
Common questions
What is the difference between internally threaded and externally threaded jewellery?
Is externally threaded jewellery bad for piercings?
What does threadless mean?
Which threading type is best for a fresh piercing?
How can I tell if jewellery is internally or externally threaded?
Is threadless less secure than internally threaded?
Sizes and healing times on this page are typical ranges, not guarantees ā anatomy varies and healing differs from person to person. Your piercer has seen your piercing and we have not: check with them before changing jewellery, especially on one that is still settling.