Lip Piercing | 10 types | Photos and videos | Monroe and Angel Bite, Snake Bite

Types of lip piercings

1. Horizontal piercing
   The puncture is performed along the lip line, most often the lower one.
2. It is preferable to use jewelry (barbells) made of elastic materials - Teflon, bioplastic.
3. Disadvantage: prevents you from clearly expressing your emotions, smiling or frowning freely.
4. Vertical piercing
   The puncture is performed perpendicularly, at an angle of 90° to the lip (traditional method), or strictly vertically - through the lower lip.
5. Less dangerous for teeth: the piercing is done so that the jewelry - a ring, a banana bar or a labret - does not touch the tooth enamel.

Possible complications and consequences

Piercing is a process that grossly violates the integrity of the skin, which over time can lead to certain complications for its owner.

In addition to the obvious potential danger of infection when piercing a hole in the lip for an earring, common undesirable consequences also include:

• significant damage to tooth enamel, leading to increased sensitivity and, as a result, tooth destruction;
• the occurrence of allergic reactions, the initiator of which may be the material used in the production of jewelry, a non-sterile needle or a solution for disinfecting the puncture site;
• incorrect “fusion” of holes for earrings. Unfortunately, such a consequence is extremely common among “beginners” who pierce their lips and others. It is worth emphasizing that when faced with the described fact, only surgical intervention can correct the situation. Accordingly, it is necessary to carefully choose “your” master, who has extensive experience and a serious approach to business;
• damage to secondary nerve endings, resulting in particular in the “death” of receptors responsible for recognizing the temperature of a dish or even its taste.

Types of jewelry

More detailed article: Jewelry for piercing.

A barbell is a rod with a decoration on one end and a ball on the other. A straight rod is called a barbela, with a slightly curved rod called a navela (or “banana”). Rods vary in size - diameter, length and thickness of the rod.
• A ring is a rod bent into a circle, closed at the ends by a ball.
• A semiring, or horseshoe, is a rod bent in a semicircle with balls at both ends.
• Labret, labret (English labret, comes from the Latin labrum - lip) - a rod with a twist-off ball and a fixed tip-hat. The length of the labret can vary from 6 to 20 mm, the diameter is on average 1.6 mm. Microlabrets are distinguished by a thinner rod - 1-1.2 mm. The term “labret” also refers to the lower lip piercing itself.
• Twist is a half-ring-spiral with balls twisting at the ends.
• The tunnel is a hollow tube with small sides. Installing a tunnel is a complex type of piercing, since expanding the diameter of the puncture to the desired size is carried out gradually, in several stages.

Does it hurt to get your lip pierced?

In the vast majority of cases, a lip piercing is comparable in pain to drawing blood from a finger , and “piercing” the frenulum is considered painless.

However, for the most part, the sensations during the described process depend on the pain threshold and sensitivity of the “daredevil” skin. People who are afraid of pain when “creating” a piercing should remember that the artist can numb the site of a potential hole with special anesthetic drugs.

What material should you choose for your decoration?

• At first, it is recommended to use simple jewelry - labrets or rings without stones or other frills. Materials: surgical implantation titanium, hypoallergenic plastic or Teflon, niobium, 585 or 750 gold.
• Products made from surgical steel, contrary to popular belief, are better not to be used for primary piercings, since the nickel content in it exceeds the norm, which is dangerous if it comes into contact with blood and lymph.
• After the wound has completely healed - in about a month - you can replace the jewelry with one you like, made from any high-quality hypoallergenic material that has good biocompatibility with human tissue. For example, gold, silver, titanium, zirconium, Teflon, acrylic, amber, wood, niobium and much more, including ivory
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How to care for your piercing

If you have a lip piercing, you need to take proper care of it, especially during healing. The first feeling you will experience is discomfort. This will pass quickly, the body needs to get used to the changes, and at first there will be difficulties with diction and eating, this also passes quite quickly. Immediately after the puncture, you must refrain from eating, smoking and drinking alcohol for 3-4 hours. Usually, if you turn to an experienced master, he himself should tell you what and how to do during the recovery period. These recommendations include:

• while the wound has not yet healed, you should follow a special diet - nothing hot, cold, sour, spicy or hard, you should refrain from drinking alcohol, and ideally also from smoking;
• At first, you can use throat lozenges - they will help reduce swelling at the puncture site and reduce the risk of infection in the wound;
• during the recovery period, it is advisable to take vitamins, especially group B;
• after eating, rinse your mouth with antiseptic substances so as not to introduce any substances into the wound;
• if the piercing is made under the lip, you should constantly ensure that you chew food carefully to avoid the risk of damaging tooth enamel;
• you will have to give up kissing for a while, this can injure your lip;
• It is strictly not recommended to remove the jewelry from a lip piercing; this may damage the wound that has not yet healed, and the healing process will have to start all over again; in addition, putting the jewelry back will be painful.

Experts recommend keeping the jewelry for at least a year without removing it. And even after that, you can take it off for no more than a day. The piercing hole under the lip heals very quickly if the healing process has already passed.

Angel bite

Angel bite (eng. angelbites) is a puncture on both sides of the upper lip.

Types of lip piercing

There are quite a lot of piercing options, and this also includes piercings made near the lips. Classification is made according to the puncture site and the type of jewelry supplied. There are the following types of piercing:

Labret. This is a piercing of the lower lip in the middle, at the level of the teeth and below the gum level. The name comes from the name of the decoration used.

Horizontal labret. Here the earring, usually a microbanana, is placed horizontally in the center of the lower lip. It is considered quite painful and dangerous, since the wrong choice of puncture depth leads to severe inflammation and rejection by the body or too long healing. Requires especially careful care and careful wearing.

Vertical labret (estrum). For this option, the needle is passed through the border of the lower lip, exiting from the top in the center. In this case, the decoration (microbanana, spiral or ring) should not touch the gum, therefore it is located above its level. This is a safe and fast-healing option, which, however, leaves noticeable marks after removal, which take quite a long time to heal and not completely.

Ashley. It is made exactly in the center of the lower lip, with one of the ends of the decoration located inside the oral cavity. An amazingly beautiful, but equally painful and difficult to heal type of puncture. After removal, large scars remain in the lip. Recently, unusual and elegant wrappers for labrets that imitate precious stones have been used.

It is analogous to a vertical labret for the upper lip. Micro bananas are also used.

Frenum piercing. If a piercing is made on the frenulum of the upper lip, then the puncture is called a “smile”, and if the lower lip is pierced, it is called an “anti-smile”. One of the most painless and quickly growing options. Popular when doing it yourself at home. It must be taken into account that it is not visible with closed lips. It is recommended not to use metal jewelry, which hits the teeth and harms enamel, but silicone jewelry. This can be a ring, including a segmented one, or a circular one.

Often, not single punctures are used, but combinations of them, usually arranged symmetrically and in a certain order. Such combinations are called bites.

Dahlia bite

This is an equally spaced piercing in the corners of the lips. Labrets with various twists are used as decorations. It looks very unusual, giving the owner a certain charm.

Spider bite

It consists of a pair of punctures located next to each other on the side of the lower lip. Can be located on either side of the mouth. Usually rings are inserted into the holes.

Snake bite

It is obtained by piercing the skin under the lower lip on both sides of the mouth. Rings and twisters are chosen for wearing.

Angel bite

This is a double-sided piercing above the upper lip, decorated with labrets.

Shark bite

It consists of two paired punctures under the border of the lower lip, located symmetrically to each other. Segmented rings look good.

Dolphin bite

It is performed using two adjacent piercings under the lips, which are made alternately along a horizontal line. Allows you to emphasize your chin.

We should also consider such classic types of lip piercings as:

• jellyfish, in which the tip of the needle passes through the middle of the nasolabial cavity. Traditionally, earrings with a flat clip are used.

• Madonna, or Crawford, which is performed on the left side of the face, above the upper lip, imitating a mole or spot. If the puncture is made on the right, then it is called Monroe, although, today, this division is not so strict. Microbananas are usually used as decoration - balls with a flat joint, as well as rhinestone wraps.

Since piercing involves contact with the gums and teeth, plastic earrings are used in case of discomfort. This type of piercing is not for men and is optimal for girls, since they do not need to shave this area.

Monroe

Monroe - piercing on the side of the upper lip. Imitates the famous “fly” of actress Marlin Monroe that drove men crazy. However, later a similar “fly” adorned the face of the singer Madonna and some other “stars”, so this type of piercing is called by different names.

The decoration, its shape and size are usually chosen according to personal preferences. But still, some types of piercing have their own rules. So, only labrets are optimally suited for the “angel bite” or Monroe.

Earrings and piercing jewelry

Various types of jewelry are used to decorate lip piercings:

• Microbananas
  . These are small curved rods, traditionally decorated with multi-colored balls. They decorate the piercings of Monroe, Madonna and some others;
• Segment rings
  . They are suitable exclusively for piercings in the oral area; they are not used for planar piercings, as they are inconvenient to use. They are ordinary rings that can be divided into parts (segments);
• Circulars
  . Earrings are similar to rings, but instead of segments, they are equipped with threaded connections on the edges. They can have different shapes (snakes look especially original). Made from titanium, steel alloy and gold;

  
  Lip piercing jewelry

• Labrets
  . Jewelry typical for lip piercings. They consist of a flat surface, which is located on the mucous side, a rod, and a decorative top. The upper part of the earrings is decorated with diamonds or rhinestones.

Lip piercing technique

First of all, all instruments - a piercing needle, clamps and spreaders for rings, tweezers, a ball holder, a stretcher to enlarge the puncture, etc. - are thoroughly disinfected. The master's hands should be wearing sterile surgical gloves to avoid the risk of infection in an open wound.

For facial piercing, use sterile disposable needles with a catheter:

• 15 G - 1.4 mm.
• 16 G - 1.2 mm.
• 18 G - 1 mm.

1. First, a special surgical marker marks the location of the needle entry.
2. Then, use a cotton swab soaked in betadine solution to disinfect the piercing area.
3. The needle passes through the tissue quickly and almost painlessly.
4. The needle is pulled out, leaving a catheter.
5. The jewelry is inserted into the catheter and pulled through the puncture.

The whole procedure takes no more than one or two minutes.

Where can I get my lip pierced?

To carry out a puncture, it is better to contact a tattoo parlor that has the right to conduct medical activities, or a professional piercer. You should pay attention to his work experience, carefully read his portfolio and read reviews.

There is no particular point in going to a clinic or beauty salon. Despite having the necessary education, these specialists do not have knowledge of the anatomy of punctures, nor do they have special tools for carrying out the procedure. You should also not do piercings in untested places, such as clubs, and in the absence of processed instruments.

At the same time, you need to understand that a professional will never use a cosmetic gun, as it is unhygienic. Due to its plastic parts, it cannot be sterilized at high temperatures, and microparticles of biological fluid and epithelium are retained on it, in which bacteria multiply. Good masters puncture only with a sterile needle.

The procedure itself looks like this:

• Using cotton swabs placed on the large salivary glands, salivation is reduced.
• The future puncture site is treated with chlorhexidine or another antiseptic.
• With the help of clamps, the lips are fixed in a position convenient for work.
• If necessary and in the absence of allergies, treatment with lidocaine is performed as anesthesia.
• The needle is pierced through the lip at a right angle.
• A disinfected labret is inserted into the puncture site on the lip.
• The pierced lip is treated with peroxide, and the oral cavity is treated with Miramistin.

Requirements for the master and salon

A piercing salon must have:

• a general license to provide cosmetology services, confirming the right to engage in this type of activity;
• medical certificates.

The piercer (piercer) is obliged to:

• undergo appropriate training;
• have a medical record;
• be certified by the APP (Association of Professional Piercers).

When purchasing piercing jewelry, you need to check:

• certificate of conformity;
• sanitary and epidemiological conclusion;
• description of hygienic characteristics of products.

How to make a Monroe (Madonna) piercing at home?

Monroe lip piercing can be done at home. But remember - this is a risk!

So, you need to go to any nearest pharmacy and buy a catheter needle. What is a catheter? A catheter is a tube-shaped instrument. At the pharmacy you need to ask for a large catheter.

Be sure to treat the skin and earring with alcohol and disinfect them. There is no need to process the needle, because it is sterile.

Pierce the front side of the lip with a needle and insert the labret. You need to wash it like this:

1. Washed on one side;
2. Washed the second side;
3. Wait for it to dry completely (required).

Care and healing

If all the rules for lip piercing are followed, temporary inconvenience may occur after the piercing:

• tissue swelling and redness
• slight bleeding
• problems with diction.

If an abscess starts, go to the doctor

, (the body’s protective reaction against infections), which means that the master violated the rules of sterility when working:

• the place was not treated
• I didn't treat my hands
• the decoration was not processed

In order for the wound to heal faster, you need to:

• Maintain hygiene: wash your hands before touching the piercing;
• do not remove the jewelry until the wound has completely healed;
• Avoid water treatments for the first 2-3 days after the puncture;
• 3-4 times a day (every time after meals) rinse your mouth with antiseptics (peridex, stomatidine, lizoplak) or saline solution (1/4 teaspoon of tablespoon or non-iodized sea salt dissolves in a glass of warm, preferably filtered water);
• regularly treat the piercing site with antiseptics (chlorhexidine solution, iodixine, 3% hydrogen peroxide);
• take care of the jewelry both from the outside and from the inside, wipe it daily with a swab soaked in saline or antiseptic solution;
• give up alcoholic beverages, smoking and... kissing for a while!
• follow a diet: nothing sour, salty, sweet, cold or hot - that is, anything that can cause irritation at the piercing site;
• use antibacterial soap and no strong detergents;
• do not fiddle with the jewelry or lick your lips—along with saliva, it is easy to spread an infection;
• make sure that the head of the barbell or labret does not grow into the lip (this happens if the shaft of the jewelry is too short).

On average, complete healing of the wound occurs in 1-3 months

- depending on the type of piercing, care and general health.

If an “emergency situation” has arisen: the puncture has become inflamed, festered, is very painful and does not heal for a long time, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Contraindications

Any body art carries a certain health risk. There are some contraindications for piercing. First of all, these are herpes and other skin diseases. It is not recommended to pierce the skin during colds.

Lip piercing inflammation

Other contraindications for piercing:

• Pregnancy. This is not a categorical requirement, but during lactation and during an “interesting” position, interventions in the body are not recommended;
• Blood diseases. If the piercing should heal, the reason lies in the composition of the blood. If platelet formation time is short or other diseases occur, it is recommended to remove the jewelry;
• It should not be done with any reduced immunity.

The main consequences that lip piercing owners face are swelling, suppuration or infection. If a girl’s piercing has festered, she needs to remove the jewelry, apply an antiseptic compress to the wound and take more careful care of the hole.

But, sometimes, inflammatory processes begin not because of improper care, but because of the wrong material of the piercing jewelry or the weight of the earring. For example, if the labrette is too heavy, it can pull on the skin and interfere with normal healing. In this case, you need to change the decor to gold or silver, but thinner and lighter.

What do people think?

A lot of people really don't like piercings. Moreover, there are also individuals who insult people who have piercings anywhere in their body. Most people perceive piercing as an element of some subculture. They believe that it is harmful to health - both physical and moral.

There are times when the process of piercing any part of the body can be painful and even very painful, but this is rare. Most often, the earring can be removed, but it is not a fact that the piercing will not leave a scar. Monroe's piercing is no exception.

Monroe's piercing receives mixed reviews. Some are for it, but many are against it. First of all, you need to listen to your own opinion.