How to Remove Flat Back Earrings (The Easy Way)
If you are new to flat back earrings or a new earring wearer altogether, you may need to know how to remove flat back earrings. If you have new piercings, you are probably even more hesitant to try removing your earrings because of sensitive ears or fear of causing pain.
Don’t worry, removing flat-back earrings is not as complicated as it seems, and if you’re in a situation where the earring is stuck for one reason or another, we’ve got you covered here!
What Are Flat Back Earrings?
There are many various types of earrings and flat back earrings are one of the lesser known. Flat back earrings are a type of earring with a hollow post style backing and a small flat disk that sits on the back of the ear.
This type of earring is a favorite for expert piercers because it’s more comfortable and sanitary for the wearer than the typical butterfly back earrings that are on most earrings.
Flat back earrings have a long post back of the earring that is hollow and is inserted through the back of the ear. The front of the earring also has a post on it that is inserted through the hollow post of the back piece.
Push-Pin Studs Vs Threaded Screw
There are two different types of flat back earrings, those are push-pin and threaded screw flat back earrings. Push-pin studs have a bendable post that is inserted into the back post of the earring.
The post is supposed to be bent with a subtle hinge that is what holds the decorative front end of the earring in the hollow flatback post.
Threaded screw earrings are similar in design, but the decorative piece of the stud, or the front post, is threaded and screws into the internally threaded stud or flat back post. This is the most secure earring you will find, which is why many piercers prefer it for piercing jewelry.
Screw-in studs are the perfect starter earrings for any age because the closure point is out of site and provides the safest earring backs because it’s very difficult for it to work out of your ear by accident.
How to Remove Flat Back Earrings: The Ultimate Guide
If this is your first time removing this style of earring, it can feel a little tricky to get the hang of taking them out. With a little patience and this complete guide, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Follow these simple steps for the removal of a flat back post.
When attempting to remove earrings you always want to have clean hands. Once washed, follow the below steps.
1. Get a good grip on the front piece of the earring with your dominant hand’s index finger and thumb. Push backward on the front of the earring in order to move the flat back away from the ear lobe so you can get a grip on the rest of the earring the same way in the back.
2. For the threaded screw style flat back earring, once you have a good hold on both ends of the earring, twist the front and the back in opposite directions to begin unscrewing the threads.
Keep in mind that not all earrings are threaded the same so you may need to try gently in one direction, then simply change directions if the earring doesn’t seem to be unscrewing.
You should be able to feel the release of the threads beginning to move at the beginning of a spiral thread, which will let you know you are turning in the right direction.
3. For a push pin style flat back earring, simply get a good grip on the front and back of the earring, as explained above, and then give it a good, slow twist and tug to release the post from the hollow stud back.
You will not have to twist this style as much as the threaded style, it just needs a little half-turn as you’re pulling to release the front piece of the earring.
What To Do When A Flatback Earring Back Is Stuck
If you frequently wear earrings or you have had a pair of earrings in for a long time without removing them, you could experience the jewelry malfunctioning.
Sometimes the back and front of the earring can get stuck together in the ear lobe. This can happen because of poor threading, poor maintenance of the earring, or dead skin cells buildup on the jewelry.
No matter the type of earring you are wearing, if it gets stuck it can feel a little stressful. The steps for removing it will depend on the kind of earrings you’re wearing.
Just remember not to panic and even though it might seem like a good idea, never use a pair of tweezers. Tweezers don’t offer a steady hold and you have a better chance of hurting yourself than removing a stuck earring.
You can get all the details for removing different earring backs that are stuck on our post, How to Take Off Earrings That Are Stuck, to learn different ways to remove it, and how to prevent this from happening in the future.
What To Do When An Earring Post Is Stuck In Your Ear
If your ear piercing is new, your piercer probably told you to clean it regularly and turn the post in your ears several times a day so the skin wouldn’t try to grow and heal itself around the piercing.
This is totally normal and will quickly happen if you don’t follow those instructions. It can also happen long after the piercing is done after you think your ears are healed completely.
Depending on skin sensitivity, sometimes when you wear earrings that are not of great quality, they can irritate this piercing and re-injure it. When this happens, your ear may once again try to heal itself and if you are wearing earrings at that time, your earring may get stuck in that healing process.
The best way to remove the earring is to apply a warm saline solution and gently try to twist the earring. Use a tablespoon of salt in a small bowl of warm water and continue to reapply and massage the earring and ear lobe and then try to turn it again.
If this doesn’t work you can also try using petroleum jelly.
Repeat this process until the earring breaks free.
If all else fails when it comes to earring removal, the earring may need to be cut to be removed. This can be done by a professional jeweler or if you have someone at home to give you a hand with a set of wire cutters.
Take plenty of care doing this and be sure to maintain your jewelry and piercings well to prevent these issues in the future.
With a little practice, removing your earrings will be a breeze, even if you run into an issue with a stuck earring. Follow these steps and you’ll be good to go!
