Vertical labret piercing is a popular and very effective piercing style. Unlike the most common labret piercing (positioned below the lower lip), a vertical labret goes through the lower lip itself, vertically. This piercing is actually parallel to the tissue inside the lip.
Benefits and Disadvantages
Vertical labret offers not just a different visual style than the regular labret piercing, but it also offers some advantages. It’s important to understand that a common labret piercing has a hole on the inside of the mouth. It means that the back of the jewelry sits near the gum line, so it can damage it. Another problem is that it can damage the teeth. With vertical labret piercing, no part of the jewelry sits inside your mouth. The barbell simply goes through the lip, from top to the bottom. It provides more comfort and less risk to any gum or teeth damage.
On the other hand, vertical labret piercing may take longer to heal. It also tends to be more sensitive and requires more aftercare. Some food can irritate the piercing so you need to be careful during the healing process. Once it’s healed, however, vertical labret piercing offers unique visual style and it poses less risk to your tissue.
Vertical labret piercing requires a pretty straightforward procedure and it typically doesn’t last long. Your lip will be marked and measured. A clamp will be used before the needle is inserted. The actual piercing is made using a needle and the whole process takes about five seconds so it’s over pretty quickly.
Typically, the piercing is done from bottom up, with a 16g needle. The pain depends on your tolerance level but is typically not that bad and it’s quickly over.
The most common jewelry used for vertical piercing is a barbell. It’s possible to choose between straight and curved barbells. Curved barbells tend to be more comfortable and easier to wear, especially during the healing process.
While vertical labret piercing procedure is not difficult and it doesn’t last long, one common problem is swelling. Be prepared for a lot of swelling after getting your piercing done. This is why most piercers recommend longer barbells for your initial piercing. The swelling should go after a few days, but you need to follow the aftercare instructions carefully.
Typically, the healing period takes 8 to 10 weeks. Make sure to clean your piercing several times a day. Sea salt solution works the best, or you may use a regular salt solution or a mild anti-bacterial soap. It’s important to touch your jewelry as little as possible: don’t turn it and don’t play with it. It’s best to touch it only while you’re cleaning your piercing and then leave it alone.
Since vertical labret piercing is not the most common piercing type, it’s not easy to find jewelry specially made for this type of piercing. Luckily, it’s perfectly comfortable to wear standard jewelry made for many different piercing types, so it’s not difficult to find suitable jewelry for your vertical labret.
Straight and curved barbells seem to work the best. There are many different styles to choose from: the simple and elegant barbells or the more elaborate styles. Most of the times, the lip jewelry tends to be simple but effective.
When choosing jewelry for yourself, keep in mind to shop at reliable stores; it’s important to use only high-quality, body-safe jewelry. Another thing to keep in mind is the barbell length- it will largely depend on your lip.