Labret Piercing: Pain, Healing Time, Cost & Jewelry

A labret piercing sits centred below the lower lip, above the chin, passing through to exit inside the mouth against the lower gum. “Labret” also describes the flat-back stud style of jewelry used here and in many other lip and facial piercings, which is where some of the naming confusion around this piercing comes from.

Photo by Nicholas Renaud via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

It is one of twelve lip placements, and types of lip piercings compares all of them side by side.

Placement

The standard labret sits in the centre, roughly midway between the bottom of the lower lip and the top of the chin. Off-centre versions exist, generally called a side labret, placed to one side rather than centrally.

Whatever the position, the piercing exits inside the mouth, which is what makes the dental question the most important thing to get right on this page.

Pain

About 3 out of 10. The skin below the lip is thin and the needle passes in a moment. What people are less prepared for is the swelling over the following few days, which is more noticeable than the pain of the piercing itself.

Healing

Two to three months. As with other lip piercings, it looks and feels finished well before the channel has fully matured, and that gap is exactly when problems start if the jewelry is not managed correctly.

• Days 1-5: noticeable swelling, tenderness, some difficulty eating and speaking clearly.
• Weeks 2-6: swelling resolves, crusting on the outside, settling.
• Weeks 6-12: the channel finishes maturing.

Downsize as soon as swelling allows, generally within two to four weeks. The APP says a shorter post is vital once swelling subsides, to avoid damage to the teeth and gums, covered below. Piercing downsizing explains it for every placement.

The gum and tooth question

This is the part that matters over years, not weeks, and it is specific to any piercing that exits inside the mouth.

The flat disc on the inside of a labret stud should sit flat against the inner surface of the lip, not pressed into the gum line. If the post is too long, or the disc too large, it rests against the gum instead, and sustained contact there can cause gum recession over time, which a 2023 systematic review reports in lip piercings. The same jewelry can also chip the lower front teeth if it makes regular contact with them.

Reduce the risk by:

• Downsizing the post the moment swelling allows.
• Choosing a small, flat, smooth disc rather than a large decorative back.
• Having a piercer check the fit periodically, since lip shape and swelling change over the first months.
• Telling your dentist about the piercing so they can monitor your gum line at check-ups.

Aftercare

Like other piercings that exit in the mouth, a labret needs both an inside and an outside routine.

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

No sharing drinks, cutlery or kisses for the first couple of weeks, and keep the jewelry away from your teeth rather than clicking or playing with it. Full general routine in the aftercare guide.

Jewelry

Start with a flat-back labret stud, 16 gauge, around 10 mm post, in ASTM F136 implant-grade titanium, downsized to roughly 6 to 8 mm once swelling drops. Lip piercing jewelry covers studs, rings and what the dental research says.

Rings are the classic upgrade once fully healed, but they move constantly against the inside of the lip and teeth while healing, which is both uncomfortable and one more thing dragging on fresh tissue. Start with the flat back. Threadless or internally threaded jewelry keeps the post smooth going in and out. See the material guide.

The flat back guide covers post lengths and gauges by placement.

Vertical labret, briefly

A vertical labret is a related but distinct piercing: rather than a single point entering below the lip and exiting inside the mouth, it enters below the lip and exits through the lip itself, so both visible jewelry ends sit on the outside. It has its own healing considerations and is not the same aftercare or jewelry situation as a standard labret. Ask your piercer specifically if this is the look you want, since the two are often confused.

Problems

Gum irritation or recession is the labret’s specific long-term risk, covered above. If you notice gum sensitivity, redness, or the gum pulling back near the piercing, see your dentist.

Irritation bumps on the outside, usually from a post that needs downsizing or from makeup or skincare near the piercing, respond the same way any irritation bump does. See piercing bump vs keloid.

Infection near the mouth needs prompt attention: spreading redness, thick coloured discharge, swelling that increases after the first week, difficulty swallowing, or fever means a doctor the same day.

A lump that spreads beyond the piercing and keeps growing over months is a different problem: see the keloid guide.

Cost

$30 to $70 for the piercing in a US studio, plus $20 to $60 for a titanium flat-back stud.

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.