Your lip may not think that it’s normal to have a piece of metal lodged in it, even though it was done under aseptic conditions. We use sterile 316L (implant grade surgical steel ), and a sterile needle. The only source of potential infection could come from you; therefore, proper aftercare is a priority .

Once your lip is pierced, your body should immediately activate some blood clotting factors to the site of the wound, and use its other mechanisms to help it heal. A mild irritating sting at the point where the needle came through, is normal during the first day or so. A significant amount of swelling of the lip, and a small amount of blood on the inside of the piercing are also normal. A normal piercing could remain tender for a few days. Swelling of the lip is usually only temporary, perhaps a few days. A piercing creates a wound. You will have a wound through your lip. Don’t play with the jewelry with dirty fingers. Keep your mouth clean. Use antiseptic mouthwash often. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE A MIXTURE OF HALF WATER AND HALF ANTISEPTIC MOUTHWASH. You will need to rinse your mouth out with it after you eat ,drink (except water) , or smoke. If you use antiseptic mouthwash that is blue, the inside of your mouth may , after a few days, appear green. If you use mouthwash that is yellow, the inside of your mouth may appear somewhat yellow. The tissues of your mucous membranes are only being stained by excessive mouthwash use. This condition is O.K., however, you may want to rinse with mouthwash less often if the discoloration persists; which means you may need to do less snacking or smoking, which will require less rinsing. Stay well hydrated during your healing process, and drink plenty of water. Your lip piercing may itch after a few days. Don’t scratch at it, pick at it, and try not to play with it while it is healing.

You will be provided with a bottle of Benzylkonium Chloride ( BZK). This solution should be used on the outer portion of your piercing only; on a saturated Q-tip twice a day. Use the Q-tip to remove any debris on the outside of the piercing while cleaning it. Clean the inside of the mouth portion in the evening before you go to bed with a Q-tip and Hydrogen Peroxide, and again in the morning before going out. First wash your hands with soap and water and then with CLEAN FINGER TIPS, while cleaning the jewelry, check that the ball is on finger tight, and spin or rotate the jewelry and use a Q-tip to push away any skin on the inside of the lip that may be trying to attach or grow over top of the jewelry. Try to remove any nasty buildup that will occur on the jewelry. After a few days you will may notice a bump or callous at the piercing site on the inside, and occasionally on the outside. This is a mound of dead cells that usually takes a week or so to go away. Using the peroxide will help clear the dead cells away on the inside of the lip, and the BZK solution on the outside. By no means should you rinse or gargle with peroxide, as this will only kill a lot of normal healthy cells.

 

Discomfort usually comes in sessions and is not constant. Ibuprofen is the drug of choice. (Advil, or generic). It will relieve the discomfort and decrease swelling. Aspirin or Tylenol are not recommended as they tend to interfere with normal clotting. ICE WILL HELP A LOT AND SHOULD BE USED TO CHILL THE LIP AS SOON AS PRACTICAL--- like, when you get home. You can put ice in your mouth or against the inside and outside of your lip as often as you want. Your local pharmacy will carry a few different oral wound care preparations. We recommend GLYOXIDE for those who are in excessive discomfort from the piercing. Glyoxide applied to the inside of the lip wound will quickly relieve pain. The trade off is that it will make you drool or swallow excessively for a while. It may be worth it. If your lip is sore for a few days and you don’t feel like eating regular foods, try foods that you can easily eat like soft foods, yogurt, ice cream, jello, etc.

Your labret was probably pierced with a 14 gauge labret stud with a disc backing. The front piece of this type of jewelry is what will need to be unscrewed if you would like to remove it, or change it. It is either a small ball or a small ball with a gem in it. We often use 3/8 ,7/16, or ½ inch labret studs for an initial piercing. . The jewelry may seem too long at first. Once the lip swells it should fit just right.
When the swelling goes down again, you may want to change to a shorter piece of jewelry. Everyone’s lip is different , and you can decide what size you’d like to live with. We recommend that you become familiar with labret or lip jewelry, and the processes or tools required to change it yourself. We recommend that you obtain a pair of forceps that you need to hold the disc backing of a labret stud in order to unscrew the front. We also recommend for a lip piercing done with a captive bead ring, that you obtain ring opening and closing pliers for that type of jewelry. Lip piercing are done with 7/16 inch or larger rings, to account for any swelling that may occur. Most people prefer much smaller sized rings after swelling subsides. We will be glad to change any piercing for you for a small fee. ( usually $10 ).

It can be said that all piercing eventually heal. The object is to get them to heal soon, with minimal amount of problems or scarring. Vitamin C, multivitamins, and Zinc supplements have been used successfully to speed healing during the first couple weeks. For the life of the piercing, the jewelry should be cleaned regularly. After a month or so, the mouthwash sessions may subside to mornings and evenings. When you feel ready, the jewelry may be removed for a moment or two once or twice a week and cleaned thoroughly, with a Q-tip.

For a lip piercing to be fully healed, to the point where the jewelry can be removed for a few days without it closing up may take a year or two. If you decide that you don’t want to have a lip piercing anymore, just take it out. Continue to clean the wound for a few days. It will heal to a tiny scar, probably undetectable to the naked eye, if removed during the first few months. After several years, there may be a more noticeable scar….more like a dimple in the skin.

If you think you have a problem that is not normal, please feel free to call us, or stop in. We would encourage you to see a doctor if you think you are getting an infection, or if you are having some kind of problem that is causing a concern. Your family doctor may want to have a look, and may want to prescribe antibiotics for a problem case . Headlight Tattoo Inc. maintains a relationship with a Licensed Physician, as required by State code and the Gloucester County Health Department. If you would like to know of a doctor that will see you about a problem with your piercing, please ask, and we will provide the name and location of a Licensed Physician who has agreed to see you. This Physician may charge you a fee.

Healthy living, a high-quality diet, and good hydration will promote healing. Remember……Don’t drink and drive, and be nice to dogs.