All types of lip piercings, their names, pain, and how to care
Lip piercing is a common practice where men and women apply different styles and jewellery to their lips. Some do it for aesthetics and leisure, while others for tradition and religion. There are numerous types of lip piercings, depending on your taste and preference.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Many traditional cultures embrace diverse forms of body piercings, such as those in the ear, face, hand, legs, and other body parts. Getting them done is primarily painful and requires time to heal. We explore the various lip piercing types and how to care for them.
Types of lip piercings
It is traditionally done on the upper or lower lip. People attach some of the most expensive jewellery in several positions around their lips.
What is the most popular lip piercing?
Multiple sources such as Byrdie, Fresh Trends, and Essential Beauty have highlighted notable lip piercing names you can explore and their positioning. We have combined only the best and most popular:
| Type | Position |
| Labret | Pierced below the bottom lip, above the chin |
| Ashley | Located in the centre of the bottom lip |
| Medusa | Situated above the cupid's bow of the upper lip |
| Monroe | Placed above the left side of the upper lip |
| Madonna | Placed above the right side of the upper lip |
| Bites | Situated at the edges of the top or bottom lips |
| Dahlia | Located on either side of the mouth |
| Jestrum | Situated in the philtrum of the upper lip |
| Frenulum | Placed in the upper or lower lip frenulum |
9. Labret piercing
Source: UGC
Labret is among the most popular styles. It is located centrally, slightly below the bottom lip. There are two types: Vertical Labret piercing (done vertically with an entry hole going through the bottom lip) and Side Labret piercing (situated on the side of a lip).
The curved barbell is one of the most suitable jewellery pieces for the labret style. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal.
8. Ashley piercing
Source: Facebook
Ashley is a bottom lip piercing similar to Labret, but the exit puncture appears inside the mouth rather than below the lip. It offers a single-pierced look. The style suits flat-back lip jewellery and takes 6-8 weeks to heal.
Why is it called an Ashley piercing? The name has no traceable source, but some believe it originated from someone named Ashley.
7. Medusa piercing
Source: Instagram
Medusa is a classy lip piercing style where the jewellery is placed below the septum and above the upper lip. The most common piece of jewellery used is a lip stud. It consists of a flat disc back, a barbell, and a bead or charm screwed to the front. The style takes 8-12 weeks to heal.
6. Monroe piercing
Source: Instagram
The style involves placing one piece of jewellery above the left side of the upper lip. Monroe takes 8-12 weeks to heal. The labret stud is the most common and stunning jewellery used in the style.
5. Madonna piercing
Madonna is another cool piercing above the lip. It is similar to Monroe but placed on the right side of the upper lip.
Source: Facebook
According to Urban Body Jewelry, the style was named after American pop legend Madonna, whose beauty mark was on the right side of her face. Madonna's most popular jewellery is the labret bar or stud. It takes 8-12 weeks to heal.
4. Bites piercing
Source: Instagram
Bites are grouped lip piercings done with labret-style jewellery. The style has different variations to explore depending on the positioning and the number of jewellery used. Here is a breakdown of the various bite styles per Body Candy.
| Name | Type | Position | Healing time | Jewellery used |
| Snake bites | Double | Each side of the lower lip | 3-5 months | Curved barbell, hoop, stud |
| Angel bites | Double | Two sides above the upper lip | 3-5 months | Lip ring, curved barbell |
| Dolphin bites | Double | Lower lip centre | 3-5 months | Labret stud |
| Cyber bites | Double | Centre of the upper and lower lip | 2-3 months | Labret stud |
| Shark bites | Quadruple | Two pieces of jewellery on each side of the bottom lip | 3-6 months | Hoop, ring, curved barbell |
| Spider bites | Double | Two pieces of jewellery on one lower lip side | 1-3 months | Lip ring, hoop, stud, curved barbell |
| Canine bites | Quadruple | One on each side of both lips | 2-3 months | Labret stud, curved barbell, horseshoe, lip ring |
3. Dahlia piercing
Dahlias are double piercings situated at the corners of the mouth. They reportedly got their name from the infamous 1947 Los Angeles murder of Elizabeth Short, known as Black Dahlia.
Source: Instagram
Flat disc back labret studs are among the most commonly used jewellery for Dahlia. It takes around 6 to 8 weeks to heal.
2. Jestrum piercing
Source: Facebook
The style is also called a vertical philtrum or vertical medusa. In Jestrum, the jewellery enters through the middle part of the upper lip (below the septum) and comes out under the lip. Curved barbells are the jewellery of choice for the Jestrum. It takes 6 - 12 weeks to heal.
1. Frenulum piercing
Source: Facebook
It is a single lip piercing through the frenulum (between the teeth and lower lip). This style is one of the most painful and takes 4-8 weeks to heal. The most suitable jewellery is barbells and rings.
How to care for lip piercings
The process is mostly painful and may cause swelling, redness, infection, and discharge on the pierced area. Healthline outlines some important measures for treating and caring for the wound.
- Avoid playing with or removing the jewellery.
- Clean the area twice or thrice daily with a saline or salt solution.
- Apply a warm compress to the outside of the piercing for external symptoms.
- Use ice cold compress.
- Avoid OTC antibiotics, creams, and ointments such as Neosporin that may worsen the infection.
- Always keep the rest of your mouth clean by flossing, brushing, and rinsing with clean water.
Frequently asked questions
People use different types of jewellery for upper, lower, and middle lip piercings. Although the process is painful, many still cherish it to beautify their faces.
- What are the different types of lip piercings? They include Labret, Ashley, Medusa, Monroe, Madonna, Dahlia, Bites, Jestrum, and Frenulum.
- Do lip piercings hurt the most? According to Medicine Net, lip piercings are more painful than those on the ears and nose because the area around the lips is more sensitive.
- Which lip piercing is the least painful? They are relatively painful, but Labret (on the side of the lip) and Monroe are tolerable.
- How long do lip piercings take to heal? They take a different timeframe, from three weeks to eight weeks.
- What is the best lip piercing for thin lips? Dolphin bites are considered perfect for smaller lips because they have a relatively shorter distance between the piercings.
There are different types of lip piercings and jewellery options that go with them. The styles depend on how the jewellery is placed on or around the lips. Some like exploring different options to enhance their facial appearance.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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