The Vertical Labret Piercing
The vertical labret piercing is one of the most unique facial piercings. The lip is normally pierced just below the lower lip passing up to come out at the top of the lower lip so that both ends of the piercing are visible. A client will have no eating problems after the healing process and they can eat anything they want. Of course in the first few days they have to avoid some hard food till healing. They don’t face some dental problems associated with the gum or teeth, since these two remain untouched during the piercing. The cleaning of the jewelry is also easy because both ends are on the outside. The type of jewelry used depends on what the client needs and can afford. However, the price of the jewelry is not the only factor to consider when looking for one. They have to consider the jewelry quality, the compatibility with their body and the size and style of the jewelry. Different jewelry is made of different materials such as surgical steel (several alloys), titanium, gold, some biocompatible polymers and even glass jewelry.
For most types of vertical lip piercings, a curved barbell is used as jewelry of choice. Usually, a diameter estimate of between 14G and 16G is used. The diameter is measured by taking the distance between the removable ends which are balls, gems or spikes in a threaded curved barbell. The price of the jewelry depends on the material it’s made of and the size. A 14G double gemmed curved stainless steel barbell goes for $8-10. Titanium barbells range between $15 - $40. The jewelry should be internally threaded and of suitable diameter
to avoid harming the body at the region of placement. The client may experience more swelling, pain and they may take longer time to heal.
A client needs to take care of the piercing area for quick and effective healing. The healing time for a vertical labret piercing is between 6-8 weeks if well taken care of. The healing time may vary depending on the individual’s body and how they take care of the area. Thorough hygiene is achieved by washing with clean, sterile water using gauze to avoid contamination of the wound which would prolong the healing. Avoid rotating or removing the jewelry prior to complete healing. Cleaning the wound with some solutions such as Betadine, alcohols and hydrogen peroxide may damage cells. Sterile saline solutions or a non-iodized sea salt mixture is the recommended after care wash solutions for use. The piercer may give directions on how to prepare the solution. Just in case they don’t, the client can dissolve a quarter spoonful of non-iodized sea salt into a cup of warm bottled water. A mild antimicrobial or germicidal odorless soap may also be used.