Labret & Lip Piercing Guide: Styles, Sizing & Jewelry That Actually Fits

"Lip piercing" gets used as a catch-all term, but it's actually an umbrella covering a handful of distinct placements — each with its own look, its own healing quirks, and its own jewelry requirements. If you're considering one (or you've got one and you're finally ready to understand what you're actually wearing), here's the breakdown.

The Main Lip Piercing Styles

Labret: The classic centered placement, sitting just below the lower lip. Clean, versatile, and one of the most common starting points for anyone new to lip piercings.

Monroe: Placed above the upper lip, slightly off-center, mimicking the look of a classic beauty mark (named after Marilyn Monroe, obviously). A subtler, more stylized statement than a centered labret.

Medusa (Philtrum): Centered directly above the upper lip, right in the philtrum groove. Bold and symmetrical, sits differently than the off-center Monroe.

Vertical Labret: Instead of piercing straight through, this one enters through the top of the lip and exits through the inner lip surface, creating a jewelry look where both visible ends sit on the outer lip.

Ashley: Pierced through the center of the lip and out through the inside of the mouth — one of the more involved lip placements, with a longer healing consideration since the jewelry sits partially against the teeth and gums.

Each of these looks similar at a glance (a small stud on the lip) but the anatomy, angle, and entry point are completely different, which is why "just get a lip piercing" doesn't really work as a plan — you need to know which one you want first.

Standard Gauge & Jewelry for Lip Piercings

Most lip piercings run 16G, occasionally 14G depending on placement and personal anatomy. For a refresher on what that means in millimeters, check our gauge conversion chart.

Labret studs (flat-back posts) are the standard jewelry style for nearly all of these placements — the flat disc sits comfortably against the inside of the lip or gum line without the irritation a ball-back post can cause against soft tissue.

Avoid using standard barbell-style jewelry with a rounded back for fresh lip piercings — the flat-back labret design exists specifically to protect your gums and inner lip tissue from irritation and enamel wear over time.

Healing Time & Care

Lip piercings typically take 6 to 8 weeks to heal on the outside, though the inner mouth tissue can heal faster than the outer skin.

A few care specifics unique to lip piercings:

• Rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash after eating, in addition to your regular saline routine on the outer piercing
• Avoid spicy, acidic, or extremely hot food in the first couple weeks — irritation from food is a bigger factor here than with most other piercings
• Watch for gum recession on Ashley, vertical labret, and other placements where jewelry contacts the gum line long-term; switching to a shorter post length once healed can help

Downsizing Your Labret Post

Just like navel piercings, labret studs are typically fitted with a longer post initially to accommodate swelling. Once healed, downsizing to a shorter, snugger post reduces the chance of the jewelry catching, rotating, or irritating your gums — don't skip this step once you're cleared to swap jewelry.

Choosing Your Style

If you're undecided, here's a quick gut check:

• Want something classic and versatile? Labret.
• Want something subtle and asymmetrical? Monroe.
• Want something bold and centered? Medusa.
• Want a unique dual-point look on the outer lip? Vertical labret.
• Ready for a more involved placement? Ashley — but talk it through with an experienced piercer first.

Shop Lip Jewelry

However you decide to wear it, the jewelry should work with your anatomy, not against it. Browse our full labret and lip jewelry collection — flat-back posts sized right for comfortable, long-term wear.