Body Piercing Jewelry - Labret, Lip Piercing - Body Piercing
Lip Piercing
Defying Convention for the Adventurous.
Lip piercing, usually very common among the punk and Gothic subcultures, is slowly but surely entering the mainstream in recent years. It also has a long standing history in tribal cultures, especially those of Native Americans. Later it entered the youth as an expression of nonconformist ideals. Today, however, it is quite mainstream.
The term ‘labret’ refers to both the piercing and the kind of jewelery worn in it. Lip piercing is one of the most painless and safest piercings owing to the fact that the lip is usually thin and there are no large blood vessels or complex ganglia in them. A lip piercing also heals faster than most other piercings. Before getting your lip pierced however, think carefully, and also commit yourself to a reliable and hygienic body piercer.
The root of the word Labret is the Latin Labrum, meaning ‘lip’. Technically a labret piercing is any piercing that involves the lip, although it is more commonly used to refer to lower lip piercings, especially the ones closer to the chin. Technically however, even piercings of the upper lip are labret piercings. One or multiple labret piercings are common among youth today; especially youth connected with rock music and punk music scenes. Any jewelery, regardless of whether it is a stud (barbell or curved barbell types) or a ring, is referred to as labret. There are various types of labrets. A vertical labret is one that goes through the top of the lower lip, while snakebites are paired labrets. A lowbret is located further down near the chin. Monroe piercings are labret studs worn on the upper lip where Marilyn Monroe had her famous mole.
Remember to take special care of your piercings after you get them. Wear suitable, safe implant grade surgical stainless steel jewelery. Make sure that there is no damage to teeth and that the jewelery does not get embedded in the lip. Labret studs are designed with a wide plate which goes inside the mouth and a screw-on attachment such as a ball or spike on the outside for aesthetics. Studs and rings are common. Snakebites and angelbites commonly feature rings, while single piercings feature studs.
Remember however, that popular though the labret piercing may be, it is still to some extent a social taboo. Individuals with lip rings sometimes face some difficulty finding employment and being accepted. They may also have trouble when they require dental care. Also, at least six weeks are required for the labret piercing to heal. Be ready to spare that little time to let your piercing heal, in order to prevent infection.
The procedure followed while piercing is very simple and is carried out without anesthesia. It is less painful than tongue piercings and is also faster. However, make sure that the piercer holds the lip up to light to ensure that there are no veins running through the part to be pierced.
A vertical labret goes through the center of the lip, perpendicularly to the lip. The needle enters between the lower lip and the teeth and exits through the center of the lip on top.
However, if you do decide to go in for it, wear microbananabells of the size suitable to the thickness of your lip.
If you are adventurous, go for the more complicated piercing. It is called the horizontal labret and goes parallel to the lip. Think of this as an industrial piercing on in the lip. If the needle goes insufficiently deep, the jewelery may be sloughed off. So this piercing needs extra care.
All in all, lip piercings are unique and have the advantage of being less painful than other piercings. There are various kinds of jewelery and piercings you can opt for. Just that you need to know what makes you look the best.