Labret, Beauty Marks, Cheeks, etc.. Piercing Jewelry

This section covers the choice of jewelry best suited for Labret, Beauty Marks, Cheek, and numerous other names by which a Labret piercing or group of Labret piercings is known. Often, there is considerable confusion between a labret and a lip piercing. A Labret piercing is done horizontally from the mouth outward. It is usually placed above or below the gum line, and the jewelry is often either a Labret Stud or a Fishtail Labret. Although placement varies greatly, they are essentially all the same piercing, with the same concerns and needs when it comes to jewelry.

Jewelry Style:

When it comes to Labret piercing, it's essential to consider that the jewelry and piercing will be in contact with clothes and bedding during and after the healing process. Therefore, the jewelry needs to be simple, without points or edges that can get caught on things, but still allow room for swelling, discharge, and cleaning. 

When it comes to Jewelry style placement and the number of piercings the piercee plans to have in the future, it dictates the choice between Labret Studs and Fishtail Labrets. If the piercing is below the lips and far down in the traditional Labret placement, then a Fishtail is the best choice. Otherwise, the workhorse is the Labret or Flatback Labret Stud.

• Labret Stud or Flat Back Labret:
  • The Advantages:
  1. The flat disc has a low profile in the mouth to reduce the risk of damage to teeth, gums, and bones.
  2. Lower profile than rings, which makes speaking and eating easier.
  3. Piercings can be grouped in small areas.
  • The Disadvantages:
  1. The hard metal disc is often in contact with gums and teeth, which can lead to damage.
  2. Length can not be adjusted, and the jewelry will need to be replaced entirely after healing to reduce the risk of damage to teeth, gums, and bones in the mouth.
• Fishtail Labret:
  • ​​The Advantages:
  1. No sharp edges in contact with gums and teeth. This reduces the risk to teeth and gums.
  2. It can be adjusted once the piercing is healed to fit the piercing and the piercee's mouth.
  • The Disadvantages:
  1. ​​Since it is a piece of wire with a ball on one end, nothing is holding the jewelry in place, and it can fall out on its own if it is not in the correct position.
  2. The wire takes up more room in the mouth, which limits placement and can affect eating and speech.
  3. Since it has a larger profile, piercings can not be grouped together.
• Jewelry that should be avoided during Healing:
  • ​Rings and other circular jewelry:
    • ​​Due to the location of the piercing and the angle at which the piercing is done, a large width has to be used to clear the edges of the mouth. This increases the difficulty of making jewelry, eating, and talking, and increases the risk of damage to teeth, gums, and the bones in your mouth.
    • Rings that are too tight can cause the piercing to migrate or tear. It can also cause scarring or other problems in a healed piercing.
  • Ear Piercing Studs and other traditional jewelry:
    • ​​The jewelry is often too short to accommodate the thickness of the piercing area, which prevents swelling and can cause the jewelry to become impacted in the piercing. Additionally, if the jewelry is too tight, it can block both the discharge and the flow of oxygen, which can prolong healing time and/or increase the risk of infection or other complications.
    • The backs or locks are loose and can be tightened with normal wear.
    • Often, the jewelry material is not body-friendly. Even those marketed to individuals with metal sensitivity are only plated.
    • In most cases, they cannot be sterilized correctly.

​Size of the Jewelry and Weight:

• ​Gauge:​

As a refresher, gauge refers to the thickness of the wire used to make the jewelry. Body piercing jewelry typically starts at 18-gauge and ranges up to 0000-gauge. The smaller the number, the thicker the jewelry will be. As I'm sure you know, the denser the jewelry is, the more weight it carries and thus the more stress it puts on the piercing during the healing period. Additionally, the thicker the jewelry, the more tissue that needs to be produced, resulting in a more extended healing period. Although in most cases, an 18-gauge piercing will heal in about the same time as a 12-gauge piercing.

When choosing the gauge of the jewelry, the jewelry needs to be thick enough to reduce rejection or migration and have resistance to tearing, but light enough that it will not cause added stress during healing. Due to the softness of the tissue and the fact that they are more prone to migration than other piercings are, I don't suggest piercing with jewelry thinner than 14g. 

• Width:

​​Swelling is a massive factor with oral piercings. Often, the tissue will swell as much as a 1/4 of an inch, depending on the piercer's health, diet, and habits. When choosing the length of the jewelry, I always ask questions about the person's diet. If they smoke, additional length must be added to the jewelry to accommodate the potential swelling that may occur. With Labret piercings, it is always best to give the piercing extra room during the healing period and avoid the harrowing experience of the piercing area swelling beyond the length of the jewelry and impacting. This could lead to scarring and the body producing tissue over and around the jewelry. If the jewelry is too short, there is an increased risk of blocking the discharge, which can lead to infection and other complications.

Even with a healed piercing, the jewelry should not be tight to the body. Jewelry that is too tight increases the risks of tearing, migration, scarring, and other problems.

In conclusion, nothing replaces the first-hand knowledge of a professional piercer when it comes to choosing the correct jewelry. There are vast differences in shape and size, and often, what works for 99.99% of the public is not the best choice for you. The goal of this is to provide you with a working understanding of jewelry selection, so that you can have an informed discussion with your piercer about what will work best. Every piercer understands that one of the motivations for getting a piercing is fashion, but jewelry that will produce the best outcome should always consider fashion last. Think of the jewelry used for the piercing as temporary, or trainer jewelry, that will be replaced with your preferred choice once the piercing is healed.