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Lip Piercing – A Little Information
Lip Piercing
Lip piercing are generally referred to as piercings which are located in the area of the lips. The term ‘Labret’ piercing (from the Latin labrum = lip) is now used grenerally only for jewellery in the lower lip. As time went by, more creative labels emerged that denote the exact fit of each piercing.
For example, the Madonna piercing is placed laterally above the upper lip, reminiscent of the beauty mark Marilyn Monroe wore (and Madonna emulated). A medusa piercing is pierced vertically through the Philtrum (groove between upper lip and nose).
The popular Ashley Piercing is pierced through the lower lip, the closure is located in the mouth interior. This is similar with the ‘Eskimo’ Piercing, which is pierced through the lower lip and emerges perpendicular. The closure is not in the mouth, which is why this type pf piercing jewellery is usually more tooth-friendly.
The so-called ‘bites’ are very popular because of their numerous combination options. The ‘Snakebites’ Piercing is created when a Labret Piercing is pierced on the left and right in the lower lip. The counterpart is the ‘Angle-bites’, which are pierced in the upper lip.
‘Spider-bites’ are two single-sided labret piercings. If the distance between the piercings is slightly larger, it is called viper-bites. Also combinations of different piercing types are possible of course. For example, ‘Shark-bites’ are two spider-bites on the right and bottom left. In addition, there are many other bites, such as joker-bites, dolphin-bites, triangle-bites or T-Rex-bites.
Historical and Cultural Background of Lip Piercing
Like many other piercings, lip piercing has a long history. You may have seen the pictures of African tribesmen with extremely dilated lower lips. For some centuries, some cultures have been inserting huge lip plates into the stretched passages, thus illustrating their ideal of beauty. However, the jewellery can also show ownership claims of a man to a woman. Also common on the African continent is the piercing of the upper or lower lip with nails, stakes, flowers or feathers.
In America, Labret piercings symbolize the tribes of an indigenous ethnic group or the higher rank of a man in such tribes.
Healing and Care of Lip Piercings
The healing period is about four to twelve weeks. In the first 24 hours you should not smoke or drink alcohol. The wound must be cleaned several times a day with a special solution to prevent the formation of dangerous bacteria. It is best to dribble the solution directly onto the wound so that it can flow into the branch canal but always follow the professional piercers instructions and seek advice if unsure.
In addition, you should turn the piercing now and then carefully. Your hands must always be washed in advance to make sure they are free from germs and don’t lead to infections. Even make-up, creams and other cosmetics should not get onto or into a fresh lip piercing. Also, choose a rod that has the right length and thickness.
Types of Lip Piercing Jewellery
There exists a large selection of jewellery for your new lip piercing. Most commonly, a rod (Labret plug) with 1.2 mm thickness and 8 mm to 10 mm in length is worn, but a bar thickness of 1.6 mm is also popular too. For the Ashley piercing, many resort to a plug with 1.2 mm thickness and 8 mm in length. The material is often plastic or surgical steel.
There is also labret-plugs, horseshoe-rings, segment-rings, clamping ball rings (BCR), spirals as well as curved barbells (banana piercing). You can choose from the materials Surgical Steel 316L, Titanium G23, Black Steel, UV Jewellery and Plastic. Our variety of colours, designs, shapes and materials allows you to find just the right jewellery for your lip piercing.
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