Lip Body Jewelry

Lip Piercings

With more possibilities and variations available than you might initially expect, the lip piercing is one incredibly versatile fashion statement. Although the general term describes any piercing in and around the lip area, there are actually around 6 main styles of piercing, as well as slight variations of these. Both Madonna and Marilyn Monroe have lip piercings named after them, but that doesn't mean this is a piercing just for women. Lip piercings look great and are versatile enough to be combined with anybody's style.

Taste of Culture

Lip piercings are, and always have been, popular in many different cultures across the globe. Especially in African, American and Indian cultures and ethnic tribes, lip piercings often had a spiritual significance, as well as featuring some pretty adventurous forms of body jewellery. Tribes in Brazil, for example, favoured wearing a stick made of bone or even ivory up to 15cm in length and 4cm in diameter. This piercing would have been made using a pointed monkey bone! Luckily, however, your professional piercer will have a specialist sterilised needle for this purpose.

Lip Piercing Care

It's important for you to remember that a lip piercing is a little more complex than other kinds. Depending on the specific style of piercing you go for, the piercing will inievitably mean you have part of the jewellery on the inside of your mouth. This means that not only will you have the piercing to take care of, but you'll also have to pay a bit of extra attention to your oral hygiene, too. You need to make sure you clean the piercing around three times per day using a hot saline solution, and it's really important you resist the urge to play with the piercing when it's new. Making sure you've got a good stock of mouth wash is also a good idea for after meals, though do check that your mouth wash doesn't contain alcohol. Generally, a lip piercing should only take around 1 to 3 months before it's fully healed.

Body Jewelry Styles and Possibilities

Even before you come to look at the body jewellery available, you've got to decide on the type of lip piercing you want! Labret and lower labret piercings are fairly popular and are located centrally, going through either the top or bottom lip, depending on the labret piercing you choose. Monroe and Madonna piercings are, not surprisingly, located where these iconic women had their beauty marks. You can also have your lips pierced more towards the corners of your mouth, or even right in the corners in a Dahlia piercing. There are almost endless variations on lip piercings you could get done, and don't feel you have to stop with just one!

The body jewellery available for lip piercings is equally as diverse. Labret studs or captive bead rings are generally favoured for the initial piercing and generally these initial pieces will be slightly larger so that any swelling is countered for. Once fully healed, though, the choice is really yours. Whether it's the feminine designs available which take your fancy, such as the silver hearts or stars, or if it's the sophisticated titanium circular rings you're after, you'll find you're spoiled for choice.