On Lip Piercings: A Complete Guide To All Lip Piercings Types
The lips can say so much, and when you adorn them with piercings, they say a whole lot more. With such a wide array of lip and facial piercings, it can be hard to find the right piercing for you. Whether you’re looking for a sleek and simple single lip piercing, or you’d like to go all-out with quadruple lip piercings, you’ll love the canvas that the lips provide. Here is a complete list of all lip piercings to make your lip piercing journey a little easier.
Labret Piercing Jewelry
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labret
Labret piercing: The labret piercing is centrally located just below the lower lip.
Jewelry: The labret piercing is one of the more versatile, and it can wear various hoop styles (like captive bead rings, seamless hoops, and clickers), flat back lip studs, and circular barbells.
Healing: Standard healing time for a labret piercing is 6 to 8 weeks.
Side Labret
Side labret piercing: Simply stated, a side labret lip piercing is a single, off-centered piercing of the lower or upper lip, usually done with a 14G or 16G needle. This is probably the most common lip piercing type and what you might think of when you think of a lip piercing.
Jewelry: Hoop jewelry, like captive bead rings (CBRs), seamless hoops, or clickers, circular barbells, flat back labret studs
Healing: Side labret piercings typically take 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal.
Monroe
Monroe piercing: Consisting of a single piercing appearing on the right side of the upper lip, Monroe piercings are named for the beauty mark that the late Marilyn Monroe sported on her lip.
Jewelry: Flat back stud
Healing: The Monroe piercing takes at least 2 to 3 months to heal.
The Medusa
Medusa piercing: Also known as the philtrum piercing, the Medusa piercing appears in the skin above the upper lip at the center.
Jewelry: The Medusa piercing only takes flat back lip studs.
Healing: Typical healing time for the Medusa piercing is 2 to 3 months.
Medusa Piercing Jewelry
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Fun Facts About Lip piercings
Vertical Labret
Vertical labret piercing: Simultaneously similar and quite different to the labret piercing, the vertical labret piercing lives up to its name as a piercing done vertically with an entry hole going through the bottom lip itself and an exit hole going through the labret.
Jewelry: A curved barbell is the only jewelry that can be worn in a vertical labret piercing.
Healing: Vertical labret piercings may take 6 to 8 weeks to completely heal.
The Jestrum
Jestrum piercing: similar to the Vertical Labret but on the upper lip; with an entry point just above the center top lip and and an exit point the center of the top lip itself, a Jestrum piercing is basically an upside down vertical labret.
Jewelry: Jestrum piercings can only wear curved barbells. Add some variety with interesting ball ends.
Healing:A Jestrum-style procedure will have an estimated healing time of 6 to 8 weeks.
The Ashley
Ashley piercing: An adaptation of the vertical labret, the Ashley piercing is placed on the bottom lip itself. Unlike the vertical labret piercing, the exit hole appears on the inside of the mouth rather than the outside.
Jewelry: You will wear a flat-back labret stud in your Ashley piercing.
Healing: Healing the Ashley piercings can take 6 to 8 weeks.
Double & Quadruple Lip Piercings
Snake Bites
Snake bite piercing: Emulating the look of fangs, the snake bite piercing consists of two side labret piercings placed on either side of the mouth.
Jewelry: Various hoop styles (like the captive bead ring, seamless ring, or clicker rings), circular barbells, or flat back lip piercing studs.
Healing: The estimated healing time for a snake bite piercing is 6 to 8 weeks.
Cheek Piercings
Cheek piercings: Usually performed as a pair, cheek piercings are facial piercings meant to emulate the look of dimples or accentuate the look of existing dimples.
Hardware: Cheek piercings are typically limited to labret studs. Most opt for a simple bead in order to maintain the dimple aesthetic, but you can also go for diamonds or charms for a more unique flavor.
Healing: With proper care, your new cheeks piercing should heal in approximately 8 to 12 weeks.
Dahlia
Dahlia piercing: Placed at the corners of the mouth, the Dahlia piercing is usually done in pairs, though a single piercing provides a unique alternative. Also called the Joker piercing, its aesthetic is meant to emulate a stretched smile.
Jewelry: The Dahlia piercing only takes flat back studs. Opt for gemstone ends for a more unique look.
Healing: The Dahlia piercing takes around 6 to 8 weeks to heal.
Find out more about the Dahlia piercing here.
Angel Bites
Angel bites piercing: Nearly identical to the snake bite piercing, an angel bites piercing is performed on each side of the upper lip.
Jewelry: Angel bite piercings wear flat back lip studs.
Healing: Angel bite piercings take at least 2 to 3 months to heal.
Dolphin Bites
Dolphin bite piercing: This unique piercing consists of two piercings centrally placed close to each other below the lower lip.
Jewelry: This piercing type is most commonly decorated with flat back lip piercing studs. However, you can also wear various hoop styles and circular barbells as well.
Healing: The dolphin bite piercing takes at least 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal.
Find out more about dolphin bite piercings here.
Spider Bites
Spider bites piercing (or viper bites piercing): This piercing style differs from the dolphin bites piercing only because it will sit on either the right or left side of the mouth, rather than in the center.
Hardware: Similar to other double-pierced types, this piercing looks fantastic with simple labret studs, slender seamless hoops, small CBRs, or even circular barbells.
Healing: The spider bites piercing could take anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months to completely heal.
Find detailed information about the spider bites piercing here.
Cyber Bites
Cyber bites piercing: The cyber bites piercing combines the Medusa and labret piercings.
Jewelry: A flat back stud must be worn in the Medusa piercing. For a truly alluring look, try combining a lip ring in the labret piercing with a stunning stud up top.
Healing: The Medusa part of the cyber bites piercing will take 2 to 3 months to heal while the labret part will take around 6 to 8 weeks.
Find more information on the cyber bites piercing here.
Quadruple Piercings
Shark Bites
Shark bite piercing: Shark bite piercings consist of two spider bite piercings on either side of the mouth. It’s meant to resemble multiple teeth marks of a shark.
Jewelry: You can wear a variety of jewelry styles with this lip piercing, including flat back lip studs, seamless rings, captive bead rings, clicker rings, and circular barbells. For a truly unique look, mix-and-match lip ring and stud styles.
Healing: Like other lower lip piercings, the shark bite piercing will take around 6 to 8 weeks to heal. Because there are a significant number of piercings involved, healing may be more uncomfortable than other lip piercing types, and you may consider only getting two piercings at a time.
Find out more about shark bites piercings here.
Canine Bites
Canine bite piercing: Comprising four piercings, each appearing in the Monroe, Madonna, and either side labret piercing locations, the canine bite piercing is the piercing you turn to when you want your lips completely decorated.
Jewelry: The lower lip can be decorated with labret studs, seamless hoops, captive bead rings, or curved barbells. You can only wear labret studs in the upper lips.
Healing: The lower lip piercings will take 6 to 8 weeks to heal while the upper lip piercings will take 2 to 3 months.
