• A woman with a labret piercing.sexy black woman image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  A labret piercing resides in between the lower lip and the chin. A professional piercer places the piercing where it will heal safely in respect to the person's teeth and gums, while taking into account where the piercing looks aesthetically pleasing on the face.
  Ask the piercer any questions you have and voice any concerns before signing the paperwork at the shop. Check with work or school first to make sure the labret piercing does not violate a dress code.
  
  

Teeth and Gum Damage

• When piercing a labret, the piercer inserts jewelry that is long in length or large in diameter to allow for swelling. After the initial swelling has passed, usually two to four weeks from the date of the original piercing, a shorter or smaller in diameter piece of jewelry needs to replace the initial jewelry. If the person refuses or forgets to downsize the jewelry, this results in the larger or longer piece rubbing against the teeth and gums. This also increases the risk of the gum recession and chipping of the teeth. When replacing jewelry with a smaller version, the jewelry is snug against the inside of the lip and has limited mobility. Professional piercing jewelry is made of stainless steel, titanium or niobium. Chewing on the jewelry also increases the risk of enamel wear and chipped teeth. Pushing on the jewelry with the tongue combined with chewing results in the skin around the piercing stretching and leads to the client having trouble finding jewelry that fits properly.
  
  

Irritation and Infection

• During the healing period, labret piercings experience irritation, which is normal. The piercing is red, swollen, exudes fluids and forms crusts on the jewelry. The person often misinterprets normal healing irritation with an infection. If the person does not follow the aftercare guidelines given by a professional piercer, an infection is possible. The person should avoid touching the piercing with dirty hands, participating in activities such as deep kissing and oral sex and must clean the piercing daily to avoid infection. Unlike the symptoms of normal irritation, an infection has thick fluids exuding that have a bad odor and the person will experience severe pain, redness or swelling. The pain, redness and swelling are a mild discomfort when attributed to normal irritation. Allergic reactions are also common when wearing improper jewelry in the piercing. Purchase labret jewelry only from a professional piercer to avoid allergic reactions. Clothing stores, gas stations and flea markets carry jewelry with high nickel content.
  
  

Scarring

• Every recipient of a labret piercing will have minimal scarring. A correctly performed piercing that heals results in a scar the size of a pinhead once the jewelry is removed and the piercing closes. If a friend or nonprofessional performs the piercing, the resulting scar is much worse. Improper needles, such as sewing needles, heavy jewelry and incorrect aftercare products lead to a large scar underneath the lip. Products such as alcohol, which increase swelling of the piercing, are too harsh to the healing skin and burn the tissue. An infection from tools and needles that are not properly sterilized also lead to large scars.