Before getting a medusa lip piercing, you should know about the process, potential risks, history, and how to choose the right piercer. This is a piercing that is located between the bottom of your nose and your upper lip.
History of the medusa piercing
You have likely seen several women wearing a medusa piercing, but you are also likely wondering when this piercing became popular and how it evolved. This piercing became a popular hit during the mid-1990s. It was named by a Canadian hairdresser. This piercing is placed in the philtrum, which is the indentation slightly above your upper lip. The piercing is called a medusa simply because it sounds more attractive than an inverse labret or a philtrum piercing.
Medusa lip piercing inserting process
You should know that a medusa piercing is considered to be both an oral and a body piercing. As a result, you will need to take care to ensure it is healing properly. The actual piercing process will involve the piercer sanitizing the area to be pierced, and the cleaning substance may sting for a few seconds. From there, the piercer will use a small needle to pierce the area.
A traditional piercing gun, like the ones used to pierce ears, cannot be used because it would go through too much skin. Due to the close location to your gums and the skin on your face not being the toughest, this piercing can be a little painful despite the needle being fairly small. However, the pain will only last for a few minutes, and you will need to do some simple maintenance for aftercare for a few weeks after the procedure.
Most piercers will recommend that you start off with a smaller stud for the actual ring, but you will be able to stretch it out a little later.
Medusa Piercing Risks
Like all good things in life, philtrum piercing also come with a few risks.
The most common risks associated with medusa piercings are:
- Infection
- Tooth Erosion
- Gum Recession
- Scarring
First of all, if the needle being used is not clean, you run the risk of acquiring an infection. The good news is that piercers get in a lot of legal trouble if they are caught using unsanitary equipment and needles, so you will likely not have a problem here.
Another potential risk is that the site will become infected if you do not follow the aftercare instructions provided by your piercer. These will be very simple to follow, so again, you will not likely have any long-term issues as long as you follow the simple instructions.
Finally, some of you may not have any tolerance for pain whatsoever, so just seeing the needle might make you feel a little sick to your stomach. However, piercers are typically trained in basic medical care, so if you have any issues, they will know how to provide you with the required attention.
Choosing the right piercer for your medusa piercing.
One other thing you need to know before getting this, or any type, of piercing is how to choose the right piercer. The first thing you can do is to research various piercing studios on the Internet and read their reviews. This is a rare industry where even happy customers will be glad to leave reviews, so you will not just be reading negative feedback as you would with businesses in other industries.
You may also consider talking to your friends or relatives to find where they have had piercings done. These people will have your best interest in mind, so if they know of a place they have been happy with, they will tell you. However, they will also tell you if they have used a piercer or heard of one who did an absolutely horrendous job.
You could also visit various piercing businesses and talk to the piercers. You might ask them how much they charge and how much experience they have in the field. Piercers will also typically keep a portfolio, which will show photos of the work they have done, and you can look at these to determine how good they really are.
Finally, the best piercers are certified by the Association of Professional Piercers, which is commonly referred to as the APP. This organization is very rigorous about ensuring that piercers are up-to-date on piercing techniques and that their equipment is clean. Piercers in this organization are the best ones to use because they do not want to lose their membership eligibility and their reputation.
Medusa piercing examples gallery
A medusa piercing can be a great way to give yourself a little more unique appearance. However, before you consider getting this piercing done, you should know what to look for in a good piercer. You should now be much more educated in regards to what this piercing entails and where it is located on the face.
By the way, check out our favorite ear piercing and try to not fall in love with it... the Pinna Piercing.
"a little painful despite the needle being fairly small. The healing time is However, the pain will only last for a few minutes."
Really, only a little painful? For me, it was VERY painful. As far as the pain only lasting a few minutes, well I had to soak my lip in ice water for 2 hours after. It was very painful.