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Flat back, threadless or backless: which earring for which ear
A flat back earring has a small flat disc fixed to the post behind the ear, and the decorative top goes in from the front, screwed in or pushed in. An earring without a back has no second part: an anchor in the post lies crosswise behind the earlobe. Flat backs are made for piercings and come into their own in fresh and cartilage piercings. On a healed earlobe both work, and they differ in how you put them in.
In short
A flat back earring has a small flat disc fixed to the post behind the ear, and the decorative top goes in from the front, screwed in or pushed in. An earring without a back has no second part: an anchor in the post lies crosswise behind the earlobe. Flat backs are made for piercings and come into their own in fresh and cartilage piercings. On a healed earlobe both work, and they differ in how you put them in.
What is a flat back earring?
It is a stud whose back is a flat disc, fixed to the post for good. The decorative top sits in front and is joined to the post from the front of the ear. Behind the lobe there is nothing with edges, only the disc. That is why flat backs are comfortable on the pillow.
You will also see the word labret. The word comes from the lip piercing, and today it is used for flat back studs in the ear as well. Flat back and labret describe the same build.
How does the top hold on a flat back?
The disc never moves, so the question is how the top stays on the post. There are two answers.
On a threaded flat back, the top has a small screw that turns into a thread inside the post. It holds firmly once it is screwed in all the way. Putting it on takes two hands, and a thread started at an angle can be damaged.
Threadless and push-pin are two names for the same idea. The top has a thin pin that is bent very slightly and pushed into the hollow post. The bend creates tension, and the tension holds the top in place. Changing tops is quick, which is why people who love variety like it. If the pin is not bent enough, the top can work loose, so a quick check now and then is worth it.
Where flat backs are stronger
Flat backs have real strengths, and they are the reason piercing studios use them.
In cartilage, such as the helix, the tragus or the conch, a butterfly back pokes into places where there is no room. A flat disc lies flat. A fresh piercing also needs a stud chosen and set by your piercer, and many studios work with flat backs for that. Many of them offer titanium too, and which metal goes into a fresh piercing is a question for your piercer.
And if you like changing your look, a threadless post lets you swap tops on one post as often as you like.
Where an earring without a back is different
With an earring without a back, there is nothing to assemble. Where a flat back takes a top at the front, this earring carries an anchor at the back that goes through the piercing with the post and then turns crosswise. You set the grip on that anchor, with one hand.
Its place is the healed earlobe, and in cartilage the flat back keeps its lead. The full mechanism, and what “without a back” does not mean, is in Backless earrings: what they are and how they stay in.
Flat back and Baqless earrings compared
| Design | Behind the ear | How it holds | Putting it in | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly stud, for reference | a separate back with two wings | friction on the post | usually two hands | any shop, almost any post | the grip fades with use |
| Flat back, threaded | a flat disc, fixed | a screw in the post | two hands, some practice | cartilage, fresh piercings, firm hold | a crooked thread can be damaged |
| Flat back, threadless or push-pin | a flat disc, fixed | tension of a bent pin | two hands, quick top change | cartilage, swapping tops | a pin with too little bend can loosen |
| Earring without a back | an anchor lying crosswise | the anchor, grip set by you | one hand, no mirror | healed earlobe, nothing loose | made for the earlobe only |
Which earring for which ear?
Picture yourself in the studio for your second hole. The piercer holds out a tray of tiny tops, and you wonder what you will wear a year from now. This list sorts it by the ear you have.
- Fresh piercing: the stud your piercer sets, until it has healed.
- Cartilage piercing: a flat back, threaded or threadless, as your piercer advises.
- Healed earlobe, many looks: a threadless flat back with several tops.
- Healed earlobe, nothing loose: an earring without a back, for every day, for training and for the night.
- No piercing: a clip or a magnet.
If you train in your earrings or sleep in them, our guides to sleeping with earrings in and earrings during sport go further.
Three pairs for a healed earlobe
Two studs and a hoop, all with the same anchor in the post.
- Amity Trace Gold A fine curved line, gold-plated, CHF 52
- Amity Bloom Turquoise Gold A flower with four light blue stones, gold-plated, CHF 77
- Embrace Onyx Silver A hoop with a row of black nano onyx, rhodium-plated, CHF 108
The collection Baqless studs has more.
Questions
Is push-pin the same as threadless?
Yes. Both names describe a top with a slightly bent pin that is held by tension inside a hollow post. Some shops use one name, some the other.
Why do flat back earrings feel better than regular studs?
Because the back is a smooth disc. There are no wings and no post end sticking out behind the lobe, so a pillow or a collar has nothing to catch on.
My flat back top fell out. What happened?
Usually it was not screwed in all the way, or the pin of a threadless top had lost some of its bend. A piercer can check the fit and bend the pin again.
Can I wear an earring without a back in my cartilage?
Not a Baqless pair. It is made for a piercing in the earlobe. For cartilage, a flat back from your piercer is the right choice.
Why did Baqless leave the back out?
Because for a healed earlobe we think one part is better than two. Our eight reasons say why, and who is better off with a classic stud. The common backs are in Earring backs explained.
Last checked on 13 November 2026.
