A prominent form of body alteration recently that has significantly increased in popularity is labret piercing. It entails inserting a decorative piece of jewelry through the lower lip to provide a distinctive and eye-catching appearance. For those looking to show their personality and sense of style, labret piercings have emerged as a major fashion statement with a profound cultural and historical past. This piercing technique needs careful attention and appropriate aftercare to ensure both the wearer’s health and safety and cosmetic appeal. In this post, we’ll dig into the exciting world of labret piercing, how it’s done, and the critical considerations for anyone considering getting one.
What is Labret Piercing?
The typical location for a labret piercing is just below your lower lip, in the nook where your lips meet your chin. Although the labret piercing is sometimes mistaken for a lip piercing, it is officially classified as a facial piercing and seldom touches the actual lip. A labret stud, a barbell with a bead on one end and a flat disc on the other is typically used to complete standard labret piercings. Switching from a stud to a hoop is possible once the piercing has completely healed.
Types of Labret Piercing
Several variations of labret piercings pierce the lip, including:
Vertical Labret Piercing
The vertical labret piercing, performed through the lower lip’s center with one bead lying at the bottom and the other at the top, is frequently performed using a curved barbell. This tends to emphasize your lip’s natural curvature.
Inverse Vertical Labret Piercing
Both sides of the barbell usually are visible outside your mouth when you have a vertical lip piercing. Both ends protrude from the bottom, one at the top of the bottom lip and the other at the bottom, close to the chin. To get an inverse vertical labret piercing, also known as an Ashley piercing, one side of the jewelry is fastened within your mouth by putting it through the outside of your lower lip.
Horizontal Labret Piercing
This procedure is dangerous to execute and is categorized as a non-viable piercing. Our studio does not perform these piercings, and we do not advocate for anyone who does. Additionally, you can receive side labret piercings extending further towards the corners of your mouth and double labret piercings placed side by side or stacked on top of one another. One common type of side labret piercing is the snake bite.
Side Labret Piercing
As the name suggests, the side labret piercing is still below the lip, but the puncture is situated to the right or left of the center. People frequently opt for the side labret piercing when changing their labret into another piercing, such as a dolphin or snake bite.
Lowbret Piercing
This piercing is also centered beneath the lip but positioned as low as the lip will allow. This variation is popular with hardcore body moderators since it provides extra room to stretch the piercing. However, you may still wear a straight labret stud in this manner without pursuing significant changes. Because of its position, you should know that this piercing will rub against your gum line more than a regular labret piercing.
The Procedure of Labret Piercing
Ensure you visit a licensed professional piercer in a facility that has undergone regular health department inspection. To determine whether the store is reliable, check online reviews.
- The procedure is completed swiftly. The general steps are as follows:
- The piercer will wash your bottom lip in a disinfecting solution and water.
- To ensure that no potentially contagious bacteria in your mouth could get into the piercing region, rinse it thoroughly with an antibiotic mouthwash.
- The region inside and outside of the lip where the piercing will be done will be marked by the piercer with a marker.
- In order to maintain your lower lip in place while they examine your mouth, they will gently draw it outward while clamping it with a specific tool.
- The designated locations will be punctured with a needle from top to bottom in a forceful, quick, gentle manner to reduce pain.
- They’ll carefully and gradually remove the needle.
- A bent barbell or another piece of jewelry will be inserted into the newly opened piercing by your piercer. To secure the barbell, they will also add any beads.
Pain Level of Labret Piercing
The labret piercing rates are lower on the pain scale than other lip piercings. Lip piercings are typically more painful than different piercing kinds because of the numerous nerve endings in the lips and the skin around the lips. Labrets that pierce the lip directly, like the vertical labret, are more painful than those that do not because of their placement.
The labret piercing needs one penetration; therefore, the discomfort you experience won’t last long. You can anticipate swelling and pain in the initial days following the piercing as your body starts to heal. During this period, keep an eye on the piercing; if the swelling doesn’t go down after a few days or you have a lot of blood or pain, it could be infected.
Healing Time of Labret Piercing
Most labret piercings will appear entirely healed in as little as 4-6 months. The inner wall might not have finished repairing itself by the time the exterior area looks to have recovered, so it’s crucial to be gentle with them and continue caring for them for up to 9 months. As a result, the longer you stick to your cleaning and maintenance schedule, the better the outcomes will be.
Aftercare for Labret Piercing
You must follow specific aftercare procedures and the standard ones as your lip heals. Food, saliva, toothpaste, and other items that frequently enter the mouth provide health risks because the labret is situated on the mouth. This indicates that proper aftercare procedures are crucial for labret piercings.
Here are a few short suggestions to keep your labret piercing content while it heals:
Observe What you Apply to your Face
Infections can be brought on by makeup, sunscreen, moisturizer, and Chapstick getting stuck in the piercing. If you must use these products, remain safe from the piercing and thoroughly wash your face before bed.
Be Careful While Eating
The jewelry is particularly prone to chomping because of where the labret is located, which can destroy your front teeth. During the first several weeks, you must wear a big labret stud and be particularly cautious.
Chewing Carefully
You’ll need to be cautious while learning how to chew around your new piercing since larger jewelry, such as hoops and circular barbells, will pose an additional hazard once you’re healed.
Keep up a Good Oral Hygiene Routine
Act as if you visit the dentist every day. Every meal should be followed by brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. Keep your lips clean because it can be your worst adversary when recovering.
Avoid Touching Anything else the Piercing
Sorry, no kissing or oral play while you recuperate. This also applies to your fingers, scarves, other people’s lips, and even your blankets or pillowcases. Make sure your pillowcase is clean every night if you sleep on your stomach, or cover your pillow with a fresh T-shirt.
Watch your Diet
As the piercing heals, eating spicy or acidic foods can hurt. Additionally, smoking contains contaminants that can lead to illness, and alcohol can impair your immune system. Keep food as far away from the piercing site as possible, and ensure that anything you eat in your mouth won’t injure it.
Risk Factors of Labret Piercing
Redness, swelling, and Discharge
While your piercing heals, some swelling, redness, soreness, and discharge are normal. It’s best to consult with your piercer or doctor to be safe if these symptoms seem severe or worsen.
Infection
The skin around the piercing may feel hot to the touch, have severe rashes, produce a lot of pus, be extremely itchy, or have a fever, in addition to the symptoms above. Any of these symptoms needs to be examined right away. Even though major infections are uncommon if you catch one early on, your chances of successfully fighting it off increase. Therefore, if something is amiss, it’s advisable to get professional advice.
Damage to Gums and Teeth
The most frequent hazards of labret piercings are gum disease, tooth wear, and tooth drift. Although your piercer will measure you and put your piercing carefully to avoid the tooth/gum line, all three of these are brought on by the jewelry or disc rubbing against the teeth and gums. If you feel your jewelry wearing on your teeth and gums or suffer soreness in those places, talk to your piercer about moving to a different type or size of jewelry.
Scarring
The risk of scarring comes with all types of lip piercing.
Allergic Reaction
People with allergic issues with different metals should avoid these types of piercing.
Labret Piercing Jewelry
Labret studs work best in standard labret piercings, though you can also occasionally wear rings. Curved rings and barbells can be worn with vertical or side labret piercings. Whatever the design, ensure your piercing is completely healed before switching out your jewelry.
Cost of Labret Piercing
An expensive labret piercing is available. They cost as little as $20 or as much as $100. Price should be a minor factor in where you get your labret pierced. To get a quality piercing, look for a seasoned professional. Inexperienced piercers could use dangerous equipment, the wrong technique, or punch you in the wrong place. Avoid taking a chance and choose experience above money. In addition, your initial jewelry should be crafted from premium materials like 14k gold or platinum. Many people are allergic to metal, so you don’t want to take the chance of getting a rash as you heal, especially if this is your first piercing.
Conclusion
A mesmerizing form of self-expression that has fascinated people worldwide is labret piercing. It originates in many different cultural traditions and has become a well-liked fashion trend encouraging people to express their creativity and individuality. The process calls for careful planning and prudent aftercare, but the finished product can be a gorgeous and distinctive addition to one’s style. A labret piercing, whether a straight stud or a more ornate piece of jewelry, may make a dramatic statement and improve one’s appearance. It is crucial to approach labret piercing with the proper knowledge, consideration, and the help of a qualified piercer to ensure a safe and victorious end.
