How to Change Your Piercing Jewelry
Flat backs, clicker hoops, and seamless hoops each open a little differently. This guide will help you identify what you have, put it in, and take it out.
Before you begin, make sure your piercing is fully healed, then wash and dry your hands. Work over a clean surface, take your time, and stop if anything feels painful or resistant. A professional piercer can always help.
Start with the jewelry you have
Piercing jewelry is built differently from standard earrings. Flat-back studs use a smooth post called a labret instead of a butterfly backing. Cartilage hoops are finished with closures designed to pass through a piercing without a sharp end.
MIRU piercing jewelry is made in solid 14k gold or implant-grade titanium. Choose the material, gauge, and post length that fit your piercing and anatomy.
Gauge is the thickness of the post. Length is the wearable length of a flat back. If you are unsure of either measurement, start with our jewelry sizing guide.
Flat backs come in two closure styles: push pin, with a slender pin that fits inside a hollow labret, and threaded, with a front that screws into the labret. Hoops are either clickers, with a hinge and snap closure, or seamless, which open with a sideways twist.
01 — Flat back
Push Pin
A push pin flat back has a slender, bendable pin that fits inside a hollow labret. The slight bend creates the tension that keeps the front secure.
- Insert the labret from the back of your ear.
- Slide the pin halfway into the labret.
- Gently press the pin against the labret to add a slight bend.
- Push the pin in fully to secure it.
To remove it: hold both ends, then gently pull them apart while twisting the front.
02 — Flat back
Threaded Screw
A threaded flat back has a front that screws into the labret. It offers a secure fit, but the small pieces take a little patience to align.
- Insert the labret from the back of your ear.
- Place the front against the opening and make sure the threads are aligned.
- Hold the labret still while rotating the front until it feels secure.
- Check the connection every few days and tighten it gently if needed.
To remove it: hold the labret, then rotate the front in the opposite direction to unscrew it.
03 — Cartilage hoop
Clicker Hoops
A clicker hoop has a small hinged segment that opens and snaps back into place. Look closely—the hinge and closure are designed to be subtle.
- Find the hinge and closure point.
- Gently pull the hinged segment outward until it opens.
- Guide the open hoop through your piercing.
- Press the hinged segment into the closure until it clicks.
04 — Cartilage hoop
Seamless Hoops
A seamless hoop is a continuous circle without a hinge. It opens with a sideways twist and should return to a fully closed circle once it is in place.
- Hold each side of the opening.
- Twist one end forward and the other backward so the hoop forms a small spiral.
- Guide one end through your piercing.
- Reverse the twist until both ends meet and the hoop is fully closed.
Do not pull the ends straight apart. That can distort the circle and make the hoop difficult to close.
Still not sure?
Use our jewelry sizing guide to find the right gauge and post length, or read our guide to starter jewelry for a new piercing.
If you need a hand identifying your jewelry, email hello@maisonmiru.com. For help changing jewelry in person, visit a professional piercer.
Piercing jewelry for your next stack
What customers say
"This ring is the perfect dainty ring for your cartilage. Once it's in and closed you can't see the clasp so it always looks perfect. The clasp holds well and hasn't opened on me unless I've opened it. It's also so comfortable I forget I'm wearing it."
"I've been searching for this type of earring forever! I have 8 piercings...[so] I need earrings that can stay in for long periods of time because there's no way I'm taking all those in and out every day, I need light enough jewelry as to not weigh down my lobes, and I need smooth edges so when I'm laying down, things don't pinch. The flat back earrings hit all those points! I hate how messy traditional earring backs look and the flat back earrings are so elegant they could be worn both directions honestly."
"This fits my Tragus piercing perfectly. The shipping was quick and efficient. I had an issue with the post office unrelated to MIRU and the customer service from MIRU was top notch in helping me. Highly recommend buying this earring and from this company. Will be purchasing more!"
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