Things You'll Need
Antibacterial soap
Paper towels
Segment rings, also called seamless rings, are a type of body jewelry that give the appearance of a solid hoop going through your piercing. You can wear a segment ring in any piercing in which you would normally wear the more common captive bead ring. Whereas a captive bead ring uses a ball for closure, a segment ring uses a smooth segment of the ring itself. Segment rings thicker than 14 gauge usually require a trip to a piercer for insertion, but you can often insert 14 gauge and thinner rings by yourself.
Step 1
Make sure your jewelry, hands and piercing are clean. Wash your hands and piercing with liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap and use a clean paper towel to blot away excess water.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Lay another clean paper towel on a flat surface. Dispense one pump of antibacterial soap onto the towel. Dip one end of the open segment ring into the soap to lubricate it, which will make insertion easier.
Step 3
Line up the lubricated end of the ring with the outside of your piercing. For a horizontal piercing, such as a nostril or earlobe, push the end of the ring into the piercing horizontally. For a vertical piercing, such as an eyebrow or navel, push the end into the piercing vertically.
Step 4
Rotate the ring until the opening is on the outside of the piercing. Wipe off any remaining antibacterial soap with a paper towel, making the ring easier to grip.
Step 5
Grasp the ring just below the opening with the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand. Hold the ring steady.
Step 6
Hold the closing segment with the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand. Seat the bottom indentation of the segment on the bottom prong of the ring opening.
Step 7
Push the segment toward the ring horizontally until the segment's upper indentation snaps into place with the upper prong of the ring opening.
Tip
Segment rings can be tricky to insert, even for experienced body piercers. If you find that the ring is too tight for you to snap the segment into place, make an appointment with a piercer in your area certified by the Association of Professional Piercers. She will have ring-expanding pliers to make quick work of the job.
Warning
Never attempt to change your jewelry before your piercing is healed. If you feel you must change the jewelry in an unhealed piercing, visit a professional piercer, who can do the job with sterile tools. Never insert jewelry into your piercing that has been in another person's body, even if the jewelry has been cleaned, both piercings are healed or you know the other person well. Sharing jewelry can also share pathogens.
Video of the Day