How to Remove Flat Back Earrings
Are you ready to curate a new ear look by changing things up to let your personal style shine? In this post, we go over the basics of an at-home jewelry changeout so you can quickly edit your ear curation. We'll start by explaining how to put them in before moving on to how to remove flat back earrings.
From left to right: 2mm, 5mm, 4mm and 3mm Solitaire Round Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings
At Grayling, we offer what the industry calls ‘Threadless’ Flat Back Earrings. We feel these are the easiest style of Flat Back stud for wearers to work with, allowing much more freedom to swap out your ear stacks at home on a whim! We find that the more earrings you add to your collection, the more exciting it becomes to play your own personal stylist and see what new looks can be curated!
HOW TO PUT IN FLAT BACK EARRINGS (THREADLESS)
Think of putting in flat backs as the opposite of how you would put in standard butterfly back studs. With standard studs, you put the earring through the front of your piercing and then slide the back on the post. For flat backs, you will put the 'backs' or backing post in through the back of your piercing, and then slide the "front" pin into the hollow post and squeeze together to secure the flat back earring with a tension-held lock.
To use our flat backs, you just need the front & the back.
To put the stud in -
- Remove the front piece (the piece with the design) from the backing (the circular smooth post) by simply grasping each end firmly between two fingers, twisting gently in opposite directions, and pulling apart.
- Insert the back piece (the circular smooth post without the design) through the back of your piercing.
- Once that’s in, insert the small pin on the earring front into the channel of the earring back.
- Push from the center point of the earring front, and when you can’t push anymore, you’re done (you might hear a little 'crunch' or 'click')!
It’s a little less intuitive if you’re used to classic stud earrings, but you’ll be able to feel how secure they are immediately. If you’re more of a visual person, feel free to check out any of our flat back earring listings for a video!
From left to right: Glow Ornate Solitaire Crystal, Tiny Trio, and Paradise Ornate Crystal Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings
Even with easier-to-work-with piercings, changing out your look can sometimes feel finicky and frustrating! Don't worry — we've got the solution.
HOW TO PUT IN FLAT BACK EARRINGS: THE SECRET WEAPON
When it comes to jewelry changeouts, Our Flat Back Stud Applicator + Insertion Tool (pictured above) is a real hero. The reviews speak for themselves. The tool makes putting in threadless flat back studs a breeze, so friends or a partner are no longer needed to help you swap out your forever-evolving look. If you're removing your studs for cleaning or changing more than once a year (and we hope you are!) this tool is a game-changer when dealing with how to remove flat back earrings at home.
*This tool is best compatible with lobe and outer cartilage piercings; use discretion when inserting into other piercings, such as a labret placement or other hard-to-reach locations. For those placements, we recommend you use the APP Piercing Studio Location Finder to book a changeout with a local piercer who practices safe piercing.
From left to right: Acacia Curved Leaf and Gaia Floating Butterfly Titanium Flat Back Earrings, Wisp Crystal Pavé Hinged Segment Ring, Euphoria Mushroom, and 2mm Solitaire Round Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings
HOW TO REMOVE FLAT BACK EARRINGS (THREADLESS)
To remove your flat back studs, simply repeat the same movement as above — grab the front piece and back post and gently twist and pull, being careful not to pinch your skin.
Extra Tips for How to Remove Flat Back Earrings:
- Wash and/or use hand sanitizer so hands are clean and dry to avoid slipping
- Use nitrile gloves for a better grip to feel movement
- Have a friend with good eyesight and dexterity assist you
- Close your drain sink drain if you're working at the vanity
From left to right: Lumi Stacked Opal Gem, Aurora Fan Marquise, Aurora Teardrop Bezel-Set, 3mm Aurora Round Bezel-Set, and Aurora Marquise Solitaire Opal Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings
Grayling's flat backs are also known in the industry as threadless labrets. The designs are push-in instead of screw-in and are not internally threaded (a.k.a., the type that requires screwing or twisting). So, in order for Grayling's flat backs to stay secure in your piercing, the post on the front end needs to be bent so it holds tension inside your back.
*You may need to re-bend your flat backs if the post has straightened out due to frequent removal. Loss of tension can occur, resulting in loss of earring front - be sure to check the front post bend each time!
Please refer to the guide below on how to assemble or re-bend your flat back.
To re-bend, you would enter your front into the back halfway, like image #2 shown above, and then gently push the front pin up and bend it. To ensure a snug fit, check to make sure the earring isn't too bent and can close fully by squeezing the front end in all the way.
HOW TO REMOVE FLAT BACK EARRINGS (INTERNALLY THREADED)
While we don’t typically work with this style, Internally Threaded Flat Back Earrings are a secure option. However, they are harder to insert and remove without a professional. Increasingly, we are seeing high-end piercing studios and piercers move to threadless styles. According to Elanye Angel's The Piercing Bible, an estimated 90% of studios prefer threadless jewelry vs. internally threaded styles.
If you have a threaded stud you’d like to remove, we recommend finding a local piercer to assist, especially if it’s your first changeout. It's difficult but not impossible to remove flat back earrings at home. We offer these tips:
- Wash and/or use hand sanitizer so hands are clean and dry to avoid slipping
- Use nitrile gloves for a better grip to feel movement
- Use sticky tack on the front of the stud to assist with grip
- Have a friend with good eyesight and dexterity assist you
- Close the sink drain if you're working at the vanity
From left to right: 6mm Mya Smooth Hinged Segment Ring, Moon, North Star, Deco Snake, and Solitaire Marquise Titanium Flat Back Sleeper Earrings
We hope this post was informative and that you feel a bit more confident changing out your jewelry at home. If you're in the Portland area and need assistance or are interested in a piercing change, pleasecontact us! And if you have comments or feedback about any of our blog posts, we invite you to send us a note, too.
