Surface piercings are a type of piercing that are found on flat parts of the body, such as the chest or upper cheek. They give a double-pierced look that sits flat against the skin, and a surface bar follows the plane of skin, while a standard piercing is pierced through the plane. Standard piercings have an entrance hole with an exit hole that is usually directly behind the entrance hole, whereas with a surface piercing the entrance and exit holes are next to each other on the skin surface. Surface piercings can be difficult to heal and are the most likely to be rejected as they only break through small amounts of skin, leaving less skin to keep the piercing secure. Proper placement and jewelry selection by an experienced body piercer can help alleviate this problem. Surface piercings have a much higher risk of rejection than other piercing types, and the body will push it to the surface of the skin causing it to "grow out". A healed surface piercing can last from a few months to a lifetime.

Some examples of surface piercings include the corset piercing, which is a series of bilaterally symmetrical piercings normally done on the back, intended to be laced like a corset, and the Christina piercing, which is located at the mons pubis. It is important to note that surface piercings should not be confused with dermal piercings, which stay in place with a dermal anchor that’s placed beneath the skin and only has one piercing point.

In summary, surface piercings are a type of piercing that are found on flat parts of the body, giving a double-pierced look that sits flat against the skin. They have a higher risk of rejection than other piercing types and can be difficult to heal. Proper placement and jewelry selection by an experienced body piercer can help alleviate this problem.