Lip Piercings: What you Need to Know and Remember

Lip piercings are some of the most popular types of piercings. Both boys and girls are into them, as lip piercings are super fun and versatile.

Today, we will be talking about the different types of lip piercings, what to remember when getting one, how to care for it, and many more!

What are the Different Types of Lip Piercings?

There are a few different types of lip piercings, which we will be discussing below.

The Labret Piercing

Labret piercings are done on the center of the lower lip. It kind of looks like you are using two types of jewelry when in fact, you are only using one.

The piercer usually pierces from the lower lip itself and exits the needle under the bottom lip. The jewelry used for this type of piercing are lip loop labret, captive rings, and circular barbells.

The Medusa Piercing

The Medusa is usually situated directly on top of the upper lip. It is always done in the center and studs are the most popular choice of jewelry for this piercing.

The Monroe Piercing

Just like the medusa piercing, the Monroe piercing is done on top of the upper lip. However, this one is situated on either the left or right side of the upper top lip. Studs are usually used as the jewelry for the Monroe, too.

The Angel Bite Piercing

The angel bite piercing is a type of Monroe piercing. The only difference is that two types of jewelry are used instead of one. Also, this consists of two piercings, too: one on the right side of the upper lip and one on the left side of the upper lip. Studs are also usually used for this type of piercing.

The Shark Bite Piercings

This type of piercing consists of four different piercings on both the bottom of the lower lip and on the upper lip. The first two piercings are located on both the opposite sides of the upper top lip, while the other two are placed on the bottom part of the lower lip.

The reason that this is called a shark bite piercing is that it mimics a shark bite since there are four holes that need to be done. As for the jewelry, you can either use a barbell or a stud.

The Cyber Bites

The cyber bite piercing is a combination of the medusa piercing and the labret piercing. One is done on the lower lip itself, while the other is done on top of the upper lip. You can use a stud, a CBD, or a circular barbell for these piercings.

The Dolphin Bite Piercings

The dolphin bite piercing consists of a pair of labret piercings. Two types of jewelry will be placed on two piercings on the lower lip. CBDs, studs, lip loops, and circular barbells can be used for this type of piercing.

The Dahlia Bite Piercing

The Dahlia bite piercing is located on both ends of the lips. This piercing is normally used to “extend the smile”, which is why the piercing is called as the Dahlia Bite or the Joker Bite piercing.

Studs are usually used for this type of piercing.

The Snake Bite Piercing

The snake bite piercing is located on the lower lip. Two types of jewelry are also used for this piercing: one on the left side and one on the right.

For this piercing, the jewelry used are CBDs, studs, barbells, or lip loops.

The Spider Bite Piercing

The spider bite piercing consists of two piercings that are close to each other. It is placed on either the left or right side of the lower lip. For this piercing, the jewelry used can be a CBD, stud, or circular barbell.

What to Do Before Getting a Lip Piercing

No matter what type of lip piercing you are getting, you definitely have to make sure to follow these certain rules to make sure that you are going to have a pleasant piercing experience.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Make sure to brush your teeth before going to the piercer to make sure that your mouth is clean and hygienic before getting the piercing done.

You also should floss in between your teeth to get rid of all the food and debris that could obstruct the piercing.

Lastly, take a good amount of antibacterial mouthwash and gargle it inside your mouth for a few seconds. Your piercer will most likely ask you to do this before giving you the piercing, but it is better to repeat it twice than not do it at all.

Rest Properly

You must always get at least 8 hours of sleep before going to your piercer’s shop to get the lip piercing. If you do not have enough rest, chances are you will feel lethargic and sick during the day of your piercing. This is not ideal, as you need a healthy immune system for your piercing to heal properly.

Also, if you are sick during the day of the piercing, make sure to just reschedule your booking and do it when you are completely well.

Do Not Drink and Do Drugs

Alcohol is a blood thinner, which means that it can make your piercing bleed more than usual. Avoid drinking alcohol and doing drugs a few days before your actual piercing to make sure you won’t bleed out and feel sick.

Get your Aftercare Needs

You will most likely feel lethargic and sick after your lip piercing, which is why it is important to grab your aftercare needs before heading to the piercer’s shop.

Go to the grocery store and buy some cotton balls and pads, a pack of sea salt, and some q-tips.

Aftercare Tips for your Lip Piercing

There are a couple of things that you should do after getting your lip piercing to make sure that it will heal fast.

Rinse your Mouth Well

Your mouth is always full of both good and bad bacteria, which is why it is important to keep it clean at all times.

Make sure to rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash or something milder such as a sea salt solution. To create your own sea salt solution, grab your bag of sea salt and dissolve 1 teaspoon of it in a cup of warm water. Mix until the salt has completely dissolved.

Swirl it around your mouth and gargle for a couple of minutes.

Do this two to three times per day to make sure your piercing stays clean. You should also brush and floss your teeth two to three times per day to make sure everything goes well.

Avoid Playing with your Lip Piercing

Do not play with your lip piercing while it is still healing. Playing with it can cause damage and trauma to it, which can later lead to an infection.

Do not play with it with your tongue and avoid letting it get caught on your clothing or jewelry while you are getting dressed. You should also be careful when brushing or flossing your teeth to avoid banging or pulling on it.

Be Cautious with what you Eat

Avoid eating spicy and extremely sour food while your piercing is healing. These types of food can aggravate the piercing itself and can cause you a lot of pain.

You should also be careful when eating to avoid irritating or bumping on your piercing.

Avoid Smoking and Drinking Caffeine

Both cigarettes and caffeine have the tendency to dry out the piercing, which can be extremely bad for it while healing. These things can also affect the way your piercing heals, so make sure to steer clear of both while your piercing is still in the process of healing.

Steer Clear of Kissing for a Couple of Days

If you can, you should avoid kissing and oral sex for a couple of days or weeks. Doing one or both of these can aggravate the piercing and can introduce bacteria to it. Let your immune system heal first and get strong enough before you even consider doing these things.

Do Not Change the Jewelry Right Away

Avoid changing the jewelry right away, as this can irritate the piercing. Ask your piercer when you can change the piercing to make sure it’s safe to do such. If you are not sure you can do it, then have the piercer change the jewelry instead.

How Should I Clean my Lip Piercing?

Just like what we have mentioned earlier, the best way to clean your lip piercing is by soaking it in with a sea salt solution. This is gentle enough and won’t irritate your lip piercing. Avoid washing it with antibacterial soap and water, as this can be too harsh for your brand new piercing.

Instead, gargle the sea salt solution if the piercing is inside your mouth, or clean it with a piece of cotton ball and sea salt solution. Soak the cotton ball in the sea salt solution and hold it on your piercing for a couple of seconds. Do not pull or tug on it, as this can further irritate the piercing.

You should also avoid putting creams, oils, and other types of ointments on your piercing while it is still healing. Stick to the sea salt solution and you’ll be good!

How Much will the Lip Piercing Cost Me?

There are different types of lip piercings, which means that the prices will greatly vary. However, you can expect to pay within the $30 – $90 range for the lip piercing, so make sure that you have that amount prepared before you go into the piercer’s shop.

Will the Lip Piercing Hurt?

There are two types of pain when it comes to lip piercings: the initial or piercing pain and the pain that you will experience after the piercing.

The Initial Type of Pain

Well, if you are curious if the lip piercing will hurt, the answer is it definitely will. Every type of piercing will hurt, besides, a needle is going to be pushed through your face or body.

The good news though, is that the initial pain would only last for a couple of seconds.

The lips are filled with lots of sensitive tissue, which can mean that it will hurt a little more.

The Pain During the Healing Period

You will most likely experience pain for a few days after getting your lip piercing done. There will be some type of discomfort such as throbbing and tenderness in the area, which can last for a couple of days to a week.

If the pain lasts for more than a week though, then check with your piercer and doctor, as this might mean that you have an infection present due to your new piercing.

When will my Lip Piercing Heal?

Different types of lip piercing shave different healing periods. You can expect it to heal within six to ten months though. Within this time period, you would have to be completely careful especially when brushing your teeth, eating, and cleaning your piercing.

The tissue around your piercing needs to toughen up and regenerate, so give it time before you decide to remove your jewelry and replace it with a new one.

Lip Piercing Infections, Risks, and Symptoms

The lip piercing is prone to infections, just like any other piercing is. Make sure to read everything below to be aware of the risks, symptoms, and infections associated with the lip piercing.

Lip Piercing Risks

Listed below are some risks associated with different lip piercings.

Piercing-Related Diseases

It’s fairly easy to contract a disease through unsanitized and even used needles. Always check and see if your piercer is using a brand new needle for your lip piercing. If not, then ask them to.

Teeth Wear

Other lip piercings such as the smiley piercing, labret piercing, and other piercings that are inside the mouth are more likely to cause teeth wear.

Your teeth enamel can chip away and can even cause erosion within your teeth, which can then lead to tooth decay.

Always check with your dentist about this matter to make sure you avoid decaying and destroyed teeth.

Gum Recession

This is also possible for inside-the-mouth piercings such as the labret, smiley, and tongue piercings. This can cause the teeth above it to become loose, which can lead to tooth decay or even tooth loss.

You may also feel some type of sensitivity if this happens for a long time, so make sure to check on your teeth and gums always.

Lip Piercing Infections

There is always a risk of infection for lip or any type of piercing. Always follow your aftercare instructions, brush, and rinse your mouth properly to avoid contracting an infection.

Embedding

This literally means that your lip piercing jewelry can get embedded in your lip itself. This may happen if the jewelry hasn’t been touched for a long time or has been there for a couple of years.

To avoid this, take your jewelry out every once in a while and let your lip rest for a few minutes or hours. Do not remove your jewelry until it is fully healed and avoid leaving your piercing without any jewelry for days to avoid the hole from closing up.

Lip Piercing Infection Symptoms

Watch out for these symptoms and visit the doctor right away if you notice it on your lip piercing.

Bloody Discharge and Pus

White discharge and a little bit of bleeding are normal after getting your lip piercing. If it lasts for a couple of days and the discharge becomes yellow or green, then that’s something that you should be worried about.

Visit the hospital right away if you notice yellow or green discharge as well as excessive bleeding in your lip piercing.

Redness Coupled with Tenderness

These are quite normal after getting your lip piercing. However, if the piercing is still red, throbbing, and tender even after a few days or even one week after getting the lip piercing, then it might be time to visit the hospital.

This might mean that you have an infection, most especially if it is accompanied with high-grade fever.

Swelling

Your lip piercing will definitely be a bit swollen right after getting the piercing. However, if your lip swells up and you cannot eat properly, then visit the emergency room ASAP.

Lip Piercing Pictures

Get some inspiration from these awesome pictures that we have compiled of the different lip piercings!

A couple of nose piercings including a cyber bite piercing

A double labret piercing

A beautiful and unique jewelry for the side labret piercing

A cyber bite piercing on a girl

A combination of the labret and snake bite piercing on a guy

A side labret piercing on a boy

A beautiful snake bite piercing