Face and lip piercings

Face piercings cover three quite different categories, and the differences matter more than the names. To compare every placement side by side, see types of piercings.

Three kinds of face piercing

Through a lip. A labret, side labret, medusa, monroe or vertical labret passes through the lip or the tissue around it. Most exit inside the mouth, and their main long-term risk is dental: jewelry resting against teeth and gums. There are a dozen of them and the names overlap confusingly, so all of them are compared side by side in types of lip piercings.

Surface piercings. An eyebrow, anti-eyebrow or bridge piercing passes through a pinch of skin, entering and exiting on the same plane. The body can gradually push these out over months or years, which is migration, and eventually rejection. Correct depth, a curved barbell and avoiding snags keep the odds low. Eyebrow piercing jewelry explains which jewelry keeps a surface piercing stable, and eyebrow piercing scar covers what happens if one does not.

Single-point piercings. A dermal anchor sits under the skin with only one end showing. These are never permanent.

Knowing which category a piercing falls into tells you what to expect from it. If you are choosing between them, the piercing quiz narrows the field.

The dental question

Any piercing where metal sits against teeth or gums can damage them. The American Dental Association says biting down on jewelry can crack a tooth and that repeated clicking against the teeth can damage them, and a 2023 systematic review (Mosaddad and colleagues) reports gum recession with lip piercings and finds that the longer they are kept in, the greater the likelihood and severity of problems.

Reduce it by:

• Having jewelry fitted so the disc sits flat against the lip, not pressed into the gum line.
• Downsizing on schedule, since a long post moves and knocks against teeth.
• Choosing flat, smooth discs rather than large decorative backs.
• Having a piercer check the fit annually.
• Mentioning the piercing to your dentist so they can watch the area.

Swelling and the first week

Lip and other oral-adjacent piercings swell more than most, and the initial jewelry is sized long to allow for it. Expect three to five days of noticeable swelling, and manage it with cold water and by avoiding spicy, acidic and very hot food.

Downsizing after the swelling drops is not optional here. A long post in a healed lip piercing is exactly what damages teeth.

Aftercare

Face piercings that exit inside the mouth need both routines:

• Outside: sterile saline twice a day.
• Inside: alcohol-free mouthwash or saline rinse after every meal, every drink other than water, and after smoking.

Keep makeup, cleanser and skincare off the outside. Full detail in the aftercare guide.

The rules

1. Implant-grade titanium, threadless or internally threaded. See materials.
2. Downsize on schedule, especially on lip piercings.
3. Curved barbells for eyebrow piercings, not rings, while healing.
4. No makeup on a healing piercing.
5. Watch for migration on any surface piercing: shortening distance between the ends, thinning skin, renewed tenderness.
6. Tell your dentist about any oral or lip piercing.