All You Need to Know About Lip Piercings – Part I

A lip piercing can be so much more than just a ring through the lower part of your lip. You could get them on the side of the upper lip, centred on the indent beneath the nostrils, or symmetrical so-called Angel Bite piercings with each sitting on either side above your top lip. Most types of lip piercings don’t actually pierce the lips themselves. Rather they are placed through the skin above or below the upper or lower lip – with the exception of the vertical labret piercings. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the types of lip piercings available – some you may never have thought to look for. 

Labret

Horizontal lower lip piercings puncture the skin beneath the lower lip. One side of the jewellery remains visible, and the other is hidden on the inside of the mouth towards the teeth. When it sits in the centre of the the lip, it is known as a labret piercing. You can wear anything from labret studs to captive rings and circular barbells to labret lip loops. It could even be stretched over time to fit a plug. Vertical lip piercings heal in about six to eight weeks. 

Medusa

Meanwhile, for a Medusa piercing, one that sits in the centre above the top lip below the nose in what is called the philtrum, or Cupid’s bow – that little divot just above the lip, labret studs are the only sensible option. However, they make for a very impactful piece of jewelry, no matter how small. Medusa’s heal in between eight to 12 weeks. 

Monroe/Madonna

Piercings that sit above the right or left side of the upper lip are known as Monroe, Madonna, or Crawford piercings interchangeably depending on their location, as they mimic the moles each of these stars wore/wear naturally. Just as with the Medusa, studs are the only sensible jewellery option. Monroe piercings also take between eight to 12 weeks to heal. 

Bite piercings

The same goes for getting two of them. When two piercings sit symmetrically on either side of the upper lip they are known as angel bite piercings. They are sometimes also called ‘anti bite’ piercings, as they sit in the opposite place of snake bite piercings, which are done in the corresponding place below the bottom lip. 

When it comes to ‘bite’ piercings, you have several options to choose from. Snake bites are double punctures of the lower lip, and sit at an equal distance from the centre. With spider bites, the punctures are located close to each other and to the corner of the mouth. Dolphin bites are two piercings sitting close to each other on either side of the centre of the lower lip, whereas shark bites are double punctures on each side towards the corner of the mouth. Canine bites are angel and snake bites in constellation. These heal in ranges from four to 12 weeks.