Dahlia piercings sit right at the corners of the mouth, one on each side, angled outward so they extend the line of the lips. They are also sold as dahlia bites or joker bites.
The name comes from the 1947 Black Dahlia murder case, in which the victim’s face was cut at the corners of the mouth. It is an unpleasant origin, and it is why a lot of studios prefer joker bites.
The honest problem: this one moves
Every lip piercing has to heal in tissue that moves. Dahlias have to heal in the part of the face that moves most.
The corner of the mouth stretches with every word, every smile, every yawn and every bite of food. The channel through it is short. A short channel in constantly moving tissue is the standard description of a placement prone to migration, and dahlias live up to it.
That does not mean they cannot work. It means you should go in expecting a higher failure rate than a labret or snake bites, and be willing to have them removed early if one starts to migrate rather than waiting to see.
Signs to act on: the jewelry sitting visibly closer to the surface than it did, the tissue over it thinning, or the openings widening. Any of those means see your piercer, not wait it out.
Placement and anatomy
The exact position at the corner matters. Too far in and it reads as a badly placed labret; too far out and it sits on cheek tissue that moves even more.
The shape of your mouth decides how much room there is to get this right, and mouths vary a good deal here. A piercer should assess it, mark both sides, and be candid if your anatomy does not leave a good window. Some faces simply do not have one.
Both should be marked and pierced in the same appointment. Corner symmetry is very noticeable when it is off.
Pain
About 4 out of 10, a step above a standard lip piercing. The corner of the mouth is more sensitive than the lip and the tissue is slightly thicker.
Swelling in the first few days is comparable to other paired lip piercings, and it is most annoying at the corners because that is where your mouth folds when you eat and speak.
Healing
Two to four months, longer than most lip piercings because the site does not rest.
- Days 1-5: swelling and tenderness at both corners, awkward eating.
- Weeks 1-4: swelling drops, crusting outside, white discharge inside. Some intermittent irritation is normal here where it would not be elsewhere.
- Months 2-4: slow maturing, with the migration risk highest through this period.
Downsize at three to six weeks. An over-long post at the corner of the mouth catches on everything and keeps the channel moving, which is exactly what you are trying to avoid.
The dental question
Two flat backs sit inside the corners of your mouth. That position makes it easier than usual for a disc to rest against gum rather than soft tissue, so fit deserves particular attention.
Downsize on schedule, ask for the smallest comfortable disc, and tell your dentist so the gum margin gets checked. Recession does not grow back.
Aftercare
Outside: sterile saline twice a day, patted dry with clean paper towel. Inside: an alcohol-free antibacterial or saline rinse after eating, after anything other than water, and after smoking. No alcohol-based mouthwash.
Be more careful than usual with food for the first month, not just the first fortnight. The aftercare guide has the routine.
Jewelry
Flat-back labret studs, 16 gauge, implant-grade titanium, long posts to start and downsized once the swelling drops. Threadless or internally threaded only. See the materials guide.
Keep studs rather than rings here even after healing. A ring at the corner of the mouth catches constantly, and on a placement already prone to migration that is a risk not worth taking.
If you like the look but not the odds
- Snake bites sit further in on the lower lip, in tissue that moves considerably less, and heal far more reliably.
- Spider bites give an asymmetric look on more forgiving tissue.
Cost
$60 to $140 for the pair in a US studio, plus jewelry. Tip 15 to 20 percent. Budget for the possibility of removal and a follow-up appointment; on this placement that is a realistic outcome rather than a pessimistic one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dahlia piercing?
A pair of piercings placed right at the corners of the mouth, one on each side, angled outward. They are also called dahlia bites or joker bites. Each passes through the corner tissue and exits inside the mouth.
Do dahlia piercings hurt?
About 4 out of 10. The corner of the mouth is more sensitive than the lip itself and the tissue is a little thicker, so it is a step above a standard labret.
Do dahlia piercings reject?
They migrate more than most lip piercings. The corner of the mouth moves with every word, every meal and every expression, and constant movement in a short channel is what drives migration. Expect a higher failure rate than a labret.
How long do dahlia piercings take to heal?
Two to four months, longer than most lip piercings because the site never stays still. Some settle well; others stay intermittently irritated for the whole period.
Where does the name come from?
From the 1947 Black Dahlia murder case, in which the victim's face was cut at the corners of the mouth. It is a grim origin for a piercing name, and many studios use dahlia bites or joker bites instead.
Are dahlia piercings bad for your teeth?
They carry the same flat-back risk as other lip piercings, and the position near the back of the lip means the disc can sit against gum rather than soft tissue more easily. Fit and downsizing matter, as does telling your dentist.
Sources
- Association of Professional Piercers - Suggested aftercare for oral piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/oral-aftercare/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Jewelry for initial piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/jewelry-for-initial-piercings/
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy) - Oral piercingshttps://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/oral-piercings
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This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.