Labret

A classic lip piercing, the labret sits under the bottom lip and is centered. Although it’s called a lip piercing, the labret doesn’t actually touch the lip. 

A flat disk at the rear of the jewelry sits in the mouth just in front of the lower teeth, stopping the jewelry from falling out or being displaced. On the outer, visible part of the labret, there is a jewel or a metal ball of various shapes and sizes. 

Only a labret should be placed in a fresh lip piercing. But 4 to 6 months after the labret is pierced and provided it’s healing well, a lip ring can replace the bar labret jewelry.

Named after Marilyn Monroe, the Monroe piercing is essentially a labret, the only difference is its placement. The Monroe is placed off-center and above the upper lip to mimic the star’s famous beauty mark.

For a fresh lip piercing, a 10 to 12-mm labret is best as this size accounts for any swelling. After 2 to 4 weeks after the piercing, the labret should be changed to a shorter one to avoid any stretching or distortion at the puncture site, as well as to ensure comfortable and quick healing.