What is a labret piercing?
A labret (LAY-bret) piercing goes in your bottom lip. Some people prefer to get this piercing in the very center of their lower lip. Others prefer an off-center placement, and may get this piercing closer to the corner of the lip (or another location that isn’t perfectly centered). Labret piercings typically go just beneath the bottom lip, rather than inside the lip itself. Alternative types of labret piercings include: Vertical lip piercing: A piercing that goes directly through the lip (also known as an “Ashley” piercing). Horizontal labret piercing: A type of surface piercing that extends horizontally across the surface of your lower lip. Snake bite piercings: A pair of labret piercings spaced evenly beneath your lip.
How to Get a Labret Piercing
Visit a reputable piercer to get a labret piercing done. Look for a piercer who has extensive training, and who works at a clean studio with proper sterilization practices (like using an autoclave). A trustworthy, well-qualified piercer should also have accessible spore tests for their workspace to prove how clean and sterile it truly is. Pro tip: Look for a piercer or piercing studio that’s endorsed by the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). Click or tap here to find APP-certified piercing professionals near you. According to professional piercer Roger Rodríguez, “You’re either going to a studio that is fully disposable or one that sterilizes the equipment in-house. At a disposable studio, the needle always gets thrown away no matter what. Alternatively, the tools are put in a tray after every procedure where they’re stored; from that tray, they’re put into a cleaning process.” Never try to pierce yourself at home—it’s super important to work with a pro who knows what they’re doing.
Labret Piercing Process
Your piercer creates the piercing with a hollow needle. If you’ve been on the piercing side of TikTok, you’ve probably seen in-studio clips of individuals getting a labret piercing. This process involves using a hollow needle to create the piercing, after which the jewelry is placed. Your piercer will likely use a clamp to hold your lip in place so they can make the piercing cleanly and easily. The gauge size of the needle depends on different factors, including the type of jewelry you’re getting (though many professionals advise getting a post as your initial jewelry). Your piercer will know the best option for you—feel free to ask them to walk you through it! A potential con of getting a labret piercing can be gum erosion (if the piercing is placed too low). However, an experienced piercer will understand these risks and place your piercing accordingly.
Your piercer switches out the jewelry after 3–4 weeks. During the initial piercing appointment, your piercer will insert a long piece of post-style jewelry into the piercing site—this is to factor in for the extra swelling that your piercing will experience at first. After 3 to 4 weeks, you’ll go back to your piercer and have the jewelry switched out for something smaller. You might have seen TikToks of people with new labret piercings complaining about how long and unwieldy the initial piece of jewelry is. This is a normal (albeit frustrating) part of the process!
Labret Piercing Healing Time
A labret piercing can heal in just 2-3 months. A big pro of oral piercings (e.g., labret piercing, tongue piercing, etc.) is that they heal more quickly and efficiently than piercings in other locations. In just a few months, your labret piercing should be completely fine. In some cases, labret piercings can heal in a matter of weeks (like 24 days). Ultimately, healing times will look a little different depending on the individual.
Labret Piercing Aftercare
Wash your hands before cleaning or handling your piercing. A new piercing is a fresh wound, which you definitely don’t want to get it infected. You always need to wash your hands thoroughly before touching it, as you would handle any other wound. In general, it’s not a great idea to touch or handle a new piercing unless you absolutely have to.
Clean your piercing 3 times—once in the shower and twice with a saline rinse. Whenever you hop in the shower, use some of the warm water to rinse off the piercing. Additionally, take time twice a day to give your piercing a good rinse with saline. Clear away any crud around your piercing that you can find, and blot the surrounding skin dry with a piece of clean gauze. While you’re in the shower, Rodríguez suggests “creating a lather of soap while you bathe. Put the soapy suds on your piercing, let the water rinse it, and that’s it.” Go over the jewelry regularly with a clean toothbrush to dislodge any plaque.
Practice good oral hygiene as your piercing heals. Brush and floss your teeth as you normally would—brushing twice a day and flossing once daily is a good benchmark. It’s also a good idea to clean out your mouth with mouth rinse (that’s alcohol-free) around twice a day. Whenever you eat or drink something, be sure to rinse off the piercing to keep it clean. If you smoke, be sure to rinse out your mouth after doing so.
Stick to a healthy, low-stress lifestyle to promote healing. Take small steps to stay as happy and healthy as possible, like eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and keeping to a healthy sleep schedule. Try to keep emotional stressors to a minimum, too—research actually shows that this type of stress can delay the healing process of a piercing (or any type of wound). Rodríguez emphasizes that “staying hydrated and drinking a lot of fluids is the best way to take care of a piercing.” He also stresses the importance of eating well.
Avoid playing with your new piercing. Rodríguez stresses that “you should not twist, turn, rotate, move back and forth, or bend the area around that piercing. Piercings are designed to break the skin and stay still—they’re not supposed to move back and forth.” Rodríguez explains how “the premise behind a piercing is that it’s a cut. When you get a cut, you get a scab. And when you get a scab, it’s eventually going to heal. So, if that jewelry is being twisted, turned, moved, or picked at, you’re picking off a scab. You pick at a scab, and it’s going to bleed, scab over again, and eventually scar.”
Avoid foods or substances that could irritate your piercing. Stick with milder, less spicy foods that are room temperature as your piercing heals, and steer clear of especially sour or salty foods in the meantime. It’s also not a great idea to smoke or vape frequently, chew tobacco, or chew gum during the healing process. You should also avoid: Drinking through straws Drinking alcohol (especially while your piercing is bleeding) Sharing utensils and plates with other people Participating in sexually intimate activities that require use of the mouth Tip: Steer clear of lip makeup while your piercing heals. Whatever makeup or skincare products you typically use, apply them far away from the piercing site.
Labret Piercing Pain Level
A labret piercing feels like getting a quick pinch. Pretty much all piercings hurt to some degree—but labret piercings are definitely on the mild side. While you should still expect a small amount of pain, the process definitely won’t be excruciating. Lip piercings often swell a lot, so you may experience more pain after the fact than during the piercing process itself.
Labret Piercing Cost
The cost of a labret piercing and jewelry can be less than $100. Piercing and jewelry costs ultimately depend on the piercing studio you visit, but you shouldn’t have to spend much more than $100 (maximum) on the cost of the piercing plus the jewelry. To save a little money, choose a more inexpensive jewelry option that your studio offers. This estimate doesn’t account for tipping your piercer, which can be a nice gesture to thank them for their service.
Labret Piercing Jewelry
Posts From the get-go, you’ll likely get a labret post in your initial piercing. This is essentially a bar of metal that goes through your lip—it has a metal backing that helps keep the jewelry in place. The front of the piercing (that yourself and everyone else will see) is a ball (or other decoration) that’s attached to this post. Labret posts are pretty customizable and can feature a lot of different styles, like balls, gemstones, spikes, and more. Confirm with your piercer what jewelry size is best for you and your piercing.
Rings Rings are a stylish, ring-style jewelry option that are best to consider after your initial piercing has healed. The natural structure of this jewelry doesn’t heal really well, so it’s not the best option to start out with. Consult with your piercer to find the perfect ring size for your labret piercing.
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