Everything You Need to Know About Anti Eyebrow Piercings
An anti eyebrow piercing sits below the outer eye on the upper cheekbone, in the diagonal position that mirrors the eyebrow above. Also called a teardrop or butterfly kiss piercing, it is a surface piercing with a higher rejection risk than a standard eyebrow. This guide covers placement, glasses impact, pain, healing and surface bar jewellery.Everything You Need to Know About Anti Eyebrow Piercings
An anti eyebrow piercing is a surface piercing placed on the upper cheekbone just below the outer corner of the eye, in the diagonal position opposite the eyebrow. It is also called a teardrop piercing, butterfly kiss piercing or upper cheek piercing. The name references both the position below the eye where a teardrop would fall and its placement as the lower counterpart to the eyebrow piercing above.
Like the standard eyebrow piercing, the anti eyebrow is a surface piercing: the jewellery passes through a superficial layer of skin rather than through a natural fold, cartilage or a clearly defined tissue channel. This means the body treats it as a foreign object and will eventually work to expel it. The anti eyebrow sits on the cheekbone, an area subject to constant micro-movement from smiling, squinting and facial expression, which accelerates the rejection process compared to the eyebrow itself. The anti eyebrow is considered a long-term temporary piercing rather than a permanent one.
Despite the higher maintenance profile, the anti eyebrow creates a genuinely distinctive framing effect for the eye. When placed and healed well it draws attention to the cheekbone and eye area in a way no standard piercing can replicate. For people committed to the aftercare discipline it requires, it is a rewarding piercing.
What to Know Before Getting an Anti Eyebrow Piercing
Does an Anti Eyebrow Piercing Hurt?
Most people rate anti eyebrow piercing pain at 3 to 4 out of 10. The skin over the cheekbone is thin with relatively few nerve endings and the needle passes through quickly. Eye watering after the piercing is common and is a reflex response from proximity to the tear ducts rather than a sign of extreme pain. Swelling over the cheekbone is typically mild and resolves within a week.
Healing takes 6 to 9 months for full tissue maturation. This is substantially longer than most other piercings of similar perceived complexity, reflecting the challenges of surface healing in a high-movement area of the mid-face. The external surface may look settled within weeks but the internal channel continues maturing for months. Do not change jewellery or reduce aftercare based on external appearance alone.
| Stage | Timeframe | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory | Days 1–14 | Possible bruising or black eye; mild cheekbone swelling; eye watering; no makeup near the site |
| Early healing | Weeks 2–8 | Bruising resolves; piercing settles; crusties form at surface bar ends; maintain twice-daily saline |
| Healing | Months 2–6 | Looking settled externally; internal channel still maturing; watch for migration signs throughout |
| Full healing | Months 6–9 | Confirmed by piercer; continue monitoring for migration throughout the piercing's life |
What Jewellery Is Used in an Anti Eyebrow Piercing?
A flat surface bar is the most appropriate starting jewellery for an anti eyebrow piercing. The surface bar has 90-degree angled ends so the decorative tops sit flush and face forward on the skin surface without the bar creating visible pressure ridges beneath the skin. A flat surface bar rather than a round one is preferable: round surface bars can show through the skin as a visible ridge. Curved barbells are not ideal for this placement as the curve creates uneven tissue pressure.
| Style | Best For | Size Guide | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat surface bar (initial) | Fresh and healing | 16G, length matched to placement width by piercer | Best starting jewellery; flat profile minimises visible skin ridge |
| Flat surface bar (healed) | Long-term wear | 16G, shorter bar once fully healed if advised by piercer | Stay lightweight; heavy ends accelerate surface piercing rejection |
| Dermal anchors (alternative) | Alternative format | 16G standard | Two dermal anchors create the same visual without the connecting bar; lower rejection rate than surface bar but requires professional removal |
Implant-grade titanium only. Bioplast (flexible PTFE) surface bars are sometimes used as an alternative to titanium for this placement as the flexibility reduces the rigid bar pressure on the cheekbone skin. Discuss material options with your piercer based on your facial movement profile and anatomy. Never use curved barbells designed for eyebrow piercings in an anti eyebrow placement.
For the standard eyebrow piercing and other body piercings, visit the Eyebrow Piercing guide. For every piercing type in one resource, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub.
Book your anti eyebrow piercing at OSCO London
Anti eyebrow piercings at OSCO London are just £10. Cheekbone anatomy and glasses frame profile assessed at consultation, implant-grade titanium as standard.
OSCO London is a professional piercing studio in Northwood, London. Visit the OSCO London homepage to book your anti eyebrow piercing and discuss cheekbone placement and glasses compatibility with a trained professional.
How to Care for an Anti Eyebrow Piercing
Spray sterile saline at both surface bar ends twice daily. Pat dry with a clean paper towel: never cotton wool, which can catch on the bar ends. Warm saline compresses applied to the piercing for 2 to 3 minutes increase local blood flow, soften debris and help the body drain secretions from the piercing channel. A warm shower running clean water over the site for a few minutes is an effective alternative. Remove crusties using unwoven gauze dampened with saline rather than fingers or tools.
Keep all makeup and skincare products clear of the piercing site throughout the entire healing period. Foundation, concealer, blush, bronzer, highlighter and eyeshadow all fall within range of this placement for most makeup routines. Establish a product-free zone around the cheekbone piercing. Do not sleep on the pierced side: use a travel pillow or place a clean pillow behind you to discourage rolling onto the face.
Avoid glasses frames that contact the piercing site during healing entirely if possible. If essential, discuss padding or positioning options with your piercer. Monitor the jewellery position weekly throughout the life of the piercing. Thinning skin above the surface bar, the bar appearing shorter or the exit holes enlarging are all signs of active migration. Visit your piercer promptly if any of these appear: professional removal at the right time prevents a more prominent mid-face scar.
For a complete guide to every body and facial piercing type, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub at OSCO London, covering all placements from anti eyebrow and eyebrow piercings through to ear cartilage and oral piercings.