Spider bites are two piercings placed close together on the same side of the lower lip, generally toward the corner of the mouth. Each is an independent piercing through the lip and out inside the mouth. They are also sold as viper bites in some studios, which is the same thing.
Where snake bites are symmetrical, spider bites are deliberately not. The asymmetry is the look.
Spacing is the whole job
Two studs on one side of a lip is a small area to work in, and the distance between them decides whether this settles or causes trouble.
Too far apart and they stop reading as a pair. Too close and the bridge of tissue between the two channels is left too thin to be stable. A thin bridge is under pressure from both sides, and it is where migration, persistent irritation and, in the worst case, the two channels merging come from.
A piercer should mark both, judge the gap against the size and shape of your lip rather than a fixed measurement, and show you before starting. If your lower lip is thin, a good piercer may suggest more space than you had in mind, or advise a single labret instead. That is worth hearing out.
Pain
About 3 out of 10 each. The lower lip is thin and vascular and the needle passes quickly.
The second one is generally felt more than the first, because it goes into tissue that is already tender from the first. It is still brief.
Swelling concentrates in one corner of the lip rather than spreading evenly, which can feel more lopsided and awkward than a symmetrical pair for the first few days.
Healing
Two to three months, healing in parallel.
- Days 1-4: peak swelling on one side of the lip, tenderness, awkward eating.
- Weeks 1-3: swelling drops, crusting outside, light white discharge inside.
- Weeks 4-12: the channels finish maturing internally.
Downsize both at two to four weeks. Two long posts in a small area of lip knock into each other as well as into your teeth, so this matters slightly more here than with a single piercing.
The dental question
Two flat discs sit inside your lower lip, close together. Fitted correctly each rests against the soft inner lip. Fitted badly or left on an oversized post, they press on the gum line, and the resulting recession does not grow back.
- Downsize on schedule.
- Ask for the smallest comfortable disc, which matters more when two sit near each other.
- Tell your dentist, so the gum margin behind both gets checked routinely.
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 but water, and after smoking. No alcohol-based mouthwash.
Both piercings sit near the corner of the mouth, which is exactly where food and cup rims go, so be deliberate for the first fortnight. The aftercare guide has the full 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.
Once fully healed, matching small rings are a common change and are what most people picture. Rings move more than studs, so leave that swap until the channels are genuinely mature rather than at the three-month mark.
Related placements
- Snake bites: the symmetrical version, one either side.
- Shark bites: spider bites on both sides, four piercings in total.
- Labret: a single centred stud, and the sensible starting point if you are unsure.
Cost
$60 to $130 for the pair in a US studio, plus jewelry. Most studios discount a second piercing in the same session. Tip 15 to 20 percent.
Frequently asked questions
What are spider bites piercings?
Two piercings placed close together on the same side of the lower lip, near the corner of the mouth. Each passes through the lip and exits inside, and they are usually worn with matching flat-back studs or small rings.
What is the difference between spider bites and snake bites?
Position. Spider bites sit side by side on one side of the lower lip. Snake bites are symmetrical, one on each side. Shark bites are two pairs, four piercings in total.
Do spider bites hurt?
About 3 out of 10 each. The lower lip is thin and quick to pierce. Doing two close together in one sitting means the second is felt more than the first, because the area is already tender.
How close together should spider bites be?
Close enough to read as a pair, far enough apart that a decent bridge of tissue is left between the two channels. Crowding them is the main way this placement goes wrong, and the spacing is a judgement your piercer should make against your lip.
How long do spider bites take to heal?
Two to three months, healing in parallel. Swelling in the first few days is concentrated in one part of the lip rather than spread across it, which some people find more uncomfortable than snake bites.
Can I get spider bites done at the same time?
Usually yes, and most piercers prefer it because the spacing is easier to judge when both are marked together. A few prefer to stage them if your lip is on the thin side.
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.