Lip piercing is very probably one of the most requested among piercers. And for good reason, since piercings are popular, it is the only model that has remained trendy. In this article, we are going to give you all the information you need to do a lower lip piercing, also called a vertical labret piercing.
What is a vertical labret piercing?
The labret piercing is simply the official way of calling the piercing made on the lower lip. It crosses the skin below the lip and has two balls, one on each side. The vertical labret piercing is similar to the classic labret piercing, except that it crosses the lip from top to bottom using a vertical bar with rhinestones or balls at each end.
How and where to make a vertical labret piercing?
To make a labret piercing, you can imagine, you have to go to a piercer. And as with most piercings, the meeting will take place as follows:
The piercer will welcome you and ask you what piercing you want to do. He will then ask you for your age. Indeed, to make a labret piercing, you must be of legal age, or be over 16 years old and have an adult guide as well as a permit from your parents.
In the case of vertical labret piercing, the piercer will measure the lip to orient you towards the right length of jewelry and he will then offer you a more or less varied range of bars or nails.
When your choice is made, he will invite you to sit down, prepare his equipment, and mark the area to be drilled.
After confirmation from you, he will then disinfect the area and pierce the lip using a hollow needle. When the hole is drilled, the piercer will then place the jewel.
Finally, he will give you various tips before you let go.
Is the labret piercing painful?
Yes, the labret piercing is painful. Indeed, the labret piercing comes into contact with a fragile and sensitive mucosa. Therefore, the pain is high, although it is normally less so than a nipple or navel piercing.
For labret piercing, it is possible to find nails, classic jewelry or even rings. Note however that the diameter, as well as the length, depending on your morphology. Indeed, you can choose to have a 1.2 mm or 1.6 mm hole drilled. Generally, the standard size of 1.2 mm is recommended for women while 1.6 mm is recommended for men.
And as for the length of the nail or the diameter of the ring, you must choose it according to the thickness of the lip/flesh where you make your piercing. Indeed, not everyone has the same thickness of flesh and it is possible to find piercings measuring 6 to 9 mm long. And for vertical labret piercing, then you have to choose a piercing length between 7 and 10 mm. To know your size, just measure the height of the lip, but the piercer will do it to make sure you are directed to the right products.
But what about the prices? Well, the average cost is 50 euros. Of course, it depends on the material with which the piercing is made, but also its length and type.
Healing of vertical labret piercing and maintenance
Generally, the labret piercing takes 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal. Nevertheless, it is possible that the wound takes longer to heal, whether it is due to an illness, such as diabetes, poor lifestyle habits, poor maintenance of the piercing or even complications such as infection. . In addition, alcohol prevents scarring! So never put it on the wound. And then if you do, you’re going to really hurt, much more than when piercing.
Risk of infection and labret piercing
As with all piercings, it is possible to get infected when you have your lip pierced. In addition, be aware that this is an area very sensitive to this because many things can contaminate the wound. Among other things, beverages, food, tobacco, or skincare creams and make-up can contaminate the wound both inside the mouth and outside.
How to properly maintain your labret piercing?
The care to maintain a vertical labret piercing is a little different from that to be done with, for example, an ear-piercing. Here is the care to be done twice a day until your wound heals:
Start by washing your hands properly and dry them before you start.
First prepare a mouthwash diluted with ¼ of product and ¾ of water that you will make for 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse.
Then clean the outside of the piercing, that is to say, the part in the open air, with mild antibacterial soap and a cotton swab. You can also use a water and sea salt solution if you prefer.
Dry your skin and then apply a little physiological saline. You will be able to gently move the jewel to avoid the excessive formation of crusts.
Dry your skin again and apply an antiseptic solution for the first 15 days. This will properly disinfect the wound and best avoid infections.
It is important to follow this frequency of care carefully. And when you eat, do not hesitate to rinse your mouth with water, and if possible with a diluted mouthwash to avoid contamination of the internal wound.
What are some things to watch out for after a labret piercing?
- Always wash your hands before touching your piercing, either to touch the part outside or inside the mouth.
- It is important not to smoke during the healing period of the labret piercing because the products contained in cigarettes can greatly irritate the piercing, which can lead to severe pain.
- When you brush your teeth or do dental care, it is more than likely that you will irritate or pull on the piercing. So be careful with this.
- Do not play too much with your piercing to avoid causing pain and irritation.
- Properly clean your piercing and follow all the advice from your piercer.
- Be careful when putting on clothes so as not to catch your piercing.
- Avoid applying make-up while the piercing is healing, as makeup may contaminate the wound and complications could result.