There are many ways to show your individuality. An extraordinary hairstyle or original hair color, unusual clothes or tattoos, bright accessories and an informal appearance. Lip piercing is one of the methods of showing individuality and uniqueness. Needless to say that lip piercing is common in both sexes?
Types of lip piercings
There are several main types of lip piercing: Monroe - the piercing is performed above the upper lip on the left
Madonna - the piercing is also located above the upper lip, but on the right side
Vertical labret - the lip is pierced through and strictly vertically
Medusa - piercing is located in the hollow above the upper lip
There are also various variations and combinations of these piercings, known as Jestrum, Horizontal Lip, Dahlia, Angel Bites, Cyber Bites, Canine Bites, Dolphin Bites, Spider Bites, Shark Bites, Snake Bites (there are other names for lip piercings, invented by lovers of exotic combinations)
Jestrum - similar to a vertical labret, but the upper lip is pierced
Horizontal Lip - the puncture is located on the lower lip, strictly horizontal (as a rule, such a puncture bleeds heavily and does not heal well)
Dahlia - two piercings on the corners of the lips (sometimes this piercing is called a Dahlia bite)
Angel Bites - connection of two piercings Madonna and Monroe
Cyber Bites - a variant of the placement of Medusa and a central puncture under the lower lip
Dolphin Bites - two punctures are located in the central part under the lower lip
Spider Bites - double piercing of the lower lip, located in the corner on one side
Shark Bites - a similar puncture, but the punctures are performed symmetrically on both sides
Snake Bites - a similar piercing, but in this version only one puncture is made on each side
Which decoration is better to put first?
As the first jewelry inserted into the “freshly pierced” hole, experienced piercers recommend using a labret with an extended barbell made of a medical alloy. The medical alloy minimizes the risk of infection and further development of infection at the site where the integrity of the skin is broken, and will also reduce pain after the procedure itself.
The elongated rod of the “primary labret,” in turn, will ensure comfortable wearing of the jewelry in case of existing swelling , under favorable conditions for wound healing, which persists for several days after the immediate “breaking through” of the lip.
Using other types of earrings for a “fresh” piercing can provoke painful sensations during skin regeneration, and also create a risk of damage to the “hole” itself, due to the possibility of touching, pulling, or catching on an earring with a “complex” design.
Lip piercing jewelry
measuring 1.6x10/12 mm are suitable for the initial healing of lip piercings
Jewelry for lip piercing must have a margin of length for swelling after the piercing , and in no case should it press or be butted. Rings or circular rings can be inserted into the puncture after at least 3 months. We recommend using PTFE material for a vertical labret puncture ; it is softer than titanium, and healing is much better with it. You can replace it with a titanium banana after 1-3 months. We strongly advise against placing jewelry made of gold, silver or surgical (medical) steel ; they contain nickel, which, while in the body, begins to oxidize, which causes a lot of unpleasant moments, so choose jewelry made of titanium , it is one of the most hypoallergenic metals. If you are just thinking about this piercing, but have not yet decided, there is a lip piercing, this is a good option to try on the jewelry and see whether you like this piercing option or not.
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.
Puncture procedure
So, how to do a lip piercing? After selecting the jewelry, you need to mark the puncture. In the case of side lip piercings (Monroe and Madonna), the piercing can be done almost along the entire perimeter, the main thing is that you like the place. But the upper lip piercing and the lower lip piercing (Medusa and vertical labret) are performed strictly in the center.
First, the master disinfects the puncture site and makes a point, then holds the skin with a clamp and performs a through puncture, after which he carefully inserts the labret using a taper and screws the screw on. A lip piercing is done fairly quickly, so it is considered a not particularly painful piercing.
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.
Lip piercing care
Caring for a lip piercing requires careful care . First of all, you will need antiseptic sprays octenisept or miramistin, treatment 2 times a day.
For 3-4 weeks you will have to exclude baths, saunas and hot baths (after taking a shower, treatment is also necessary).
For the first time, we advise you to exclude hot, salty and spicy foods; this also promotes faster healing.
In case of injury and inflammation, baneocin ointment (apply 2 times a day, maximum 5 days). For good healing, exclude any mechanical injuries, do not use cotton swabs/cotton pads when processing, if dried blood forms, do not pick at it under any circumstances, but simply treat it with an antiseptic, in which case it will wash off on its own over time. Replacing the primary decoration with a shorter one (downsize) after 2-3 weeks .
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.
What piercings are not customary for men?
Girls decorate themselves mainly for the sake of aesthetics and to comply with fashion trends. With the help of earrings and other accessories, girls emphasize the beauty and seductiveness of the female form. In addition to traditional areas, young women decorate the skin in the collarbone area, in the hollow between the breasts, and the navel. More extreme types of soft tissue punctures, popular among girls - the so-called. a corset, when the area of the back, ankles or wrists is pierced with needles in two rows, after which rings are inserted there, through which a decorative lace or ribbon is threaded in the form of a corset tie.
The male way of decorating himself is more restrained in terms of decorativeness. Representatives of the stronger sex do not use earrings with stones, rhinestones, or beads; instead, they prefer to wear simple metal products made of titanium, medical steel and other alloys.
Flaws
What disadvantages of lip piercing should you be prepared for in advance:
- many contraindications;
- the salon procedure is not available until the age of 18, although it is possible from 16, but only in the presence and with the permission of the parents;
- very dangerous consequences of infection (HIV, sepsis, meningitis, etc.);
- decreased sensitivity of the lips;
- diction is impaired;
- after healing, a scar remains, and it is no longer possible to puncture again in the same place;
- inconvenience and discomfort when eating and kissing;
- Not all companies, due to their dress code, allow their employees to wear such extreme jewelry;
- The attitude of most people around me towards pierced lips is very negative.
You won’t have to deal with all of these troubles, but if you read the reviews, these shortcomings are some of the most common.
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.
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.
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.
