Aufsteck-Labret

A threadless labret is a two-part piercing jewellery system consisting of a flat-back post and a decorative top. The top is fitted with a tension pin that, when slightly bent and pressed into the hollow end of the post, holds the top securely in place without any threading. Removing the top requires a firm, straight pull to release the tension.

The decorative top has a thin pin extending from its back. Before insertion, this pin is bent slightly — typically between 15 and 45 degrees. When pressed into the post, the bend creates friction against the inner walls of the post tube, holding the top in place. The greater the bend, the more tension — though over-bending can deform the pin over time.

A threaded labret top screws onto the post using an internal or external thread. A threadless labret top presses into place using a bent tension pin with no threads involved. The posts are not cross-compatible — threadless tops cannot be used on threaded posts, and vice versa.

Most cartilage piercings in the UK — helix, tragus, conch, flat — are pierced at 16g (1.2mm). Nostril piercings are often 18g (1.0mm), though 16g is also used. Medusa and philtrum piercings are typically 16g. If you're unsure, check your piercing documentation or ask your piercer before ordering.

For most healed cartilage placements, a 6mm post is standard. An 8mm post is common for placements where the anatomy requires a longer bar, or where some residual swelling is present. Medusa and philtrum piercings may require 8mm to 10mm. Your piercer can measure the correct length for your specific anatomy.

Not reliably. While pin diameters are broadly standardised, post tube tolerances vary between manufacturers. A top from one brand may fit too loosely or too tightly in a post from another. For best results, use tops and posts from the same manufacturer or a confirmed compatible range.

Threadless flat-back labrets are used by professional piercers as initial jewellery for certain placements because the flat back is better for tissue health than a protruding threaded end. However, the jewellery used in a new piercing should be selected and fitted by your piercer — not self-inserted. Do not change jewellery in an unhealed piercing without professional guidance.

Implant-grade titanium to ASTM F136 is the recommended choice for anyone with metal sensitivities or a nickel allergy. It is entirely nickel-free and biocompatible. Surgical steel contains nickel and is not appropriate for nickel-sensitive individuals, even though nickel release rates in healed piercings are generally low. The term hypoallergenic does not guarantee nickel-free construction — always check the specific material grade.

Threadless labret jewellery is suitable for a wide range of placements including helix, flat, tragus, conch, nostril, medusa, philtrum, lip, and flat lobe piercings. The flat-back design makes it particularly well-suited to placements where the back of the post sits against cartilage or soft tissue.

Push-fit jewellery presses a top into a tube end and relies on physical tolerance — the tightness of the fit — to stay in place. Threadless jewellery uses a bent tension pin as the active retention mechanism. They look similar and are often confused, but the systems are mechanically different and the components are not interchangeable.