Monroe Piercing
From LoveToKnow Tattoos
If you are looking for unique body modifications, consider a Monroe piercing. Facial piercings have become more common than ever these days. With more people choosing to adorn their faces with jewelry, it's harder to find a piercing that's unique.
What is a Monroe Piercing?
A Monroe piercing is a lip piercing that is placed above the upper lip in emulation of a beauty mark. If the piercing is on the left side of the face, it is usually called a Monroe, after the famous actress Marilyn Monroe, who had a birthmark (beauty mark) on that side. If the piercing is done on the right side of the face, it is sometimes called a Madonna, after the singer, who has a beauty mark on that side.
How the Piercing is Done
A Monroe is a piercing that is very subjective, unlike other body piercings. This piercing can be placed in many different locations on the upper lip, depending on personal preference. A Monroe is generally pierced with a smaller gauge labret stud (either 18 gauge or 16 gauge), but can sometimes be pierced with a barbell.
Procedure
- First, the piercer will mark the spot for your Monroe with a permanent ink marker. He or she will often give you a couple spots to choose from.
- You will be instructed to rinse your mouth with mouthwash, usually a medical strength variety. This will help to sterilize your mouth.
- Your upper lip will be clamped and held in place by the piercer, and then a hollow needle will be passed through the lip.
- A labret stud or barbell will be placed in your lip - which will often be longer than the size you'd like. This is to allow for swelling, and most piercing shops will have you return in two to three weeks to have a shorter bar placed.
- Your piercer will give you aftercare instructions, and you will need to use an antiseptic mouthwash (such as Listerine) as well as cleaning the Monroe piercing on the outside.
Specific Aftercare for Monroe
- Brush your teeth three times a day (more if you can). This cuts down on the amount of bacteria in your mouth, and allows less bacteria to reach the piercing site.
- A sea salt rinse can also help to reduce swelling and heal your piercing. Put about 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (not regular table salt, but this salt can be found grocery stores) into eight ounces of warm water. Stir to dissolve. Rinse your mouth for at least 15 seconds after eating anything or smoking.
- At the time you are cleaning the outer portion of your piercing (usually morning and night) be sure to check the ball or gem on your barbell or stud. It should be tight in order to avoid losing this part of your jewelry.
Monroe Cautions
As with any facial piercings, there are some problems that can occur with your new Monroe. Your upper lip will often swell after your piercing - sometimes quite noticeably. Be sure to allow time for your swelling to go down if you are planning for a big event or pictures. Monroes are also quite prone to infection if proper aftercare is not followed. Above all else, do not play with the piercing. The less you touch your Monroe, the better. Smoking (tobacco or anything else) can affect the ability to heal, as can the consumption of alcohol. The typical healing period for a Monroe is three to six weeks.
Other Lip Piercings
There are several other lip piercing spots that are seen as complimentary to the Monroe. A labret piercing,which is underneath the bottom lip, is also a popular choice. A medusa is a lip piercing that is done through the philtrum (the sunken place in the middle of your upper lip). There are also typical lip piercings, which are seen as rings around the bottom or upper lip.
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Comments
Kuku, You'e sharing great information with our readers. Thanks so much!
-- Contributed by: Jodie MichalakAs a body piercer I have a few tips to improve this article if you don't mind :)
Firstly an 18 gauge should NOT be used in a monroe piercing as it is far too thin. A bar that is too thin will slice through flesh in the same way as a cheese wire goes through cheese, it can cause the piercing hole to widen or can tear through the skin creating unslightly rips. usually a 16 gauge is used but 14 is also common.
Secondly a piercer should never mark with a permenant marker as the ink could cause an allergic reaction or cause problems when it is left inside the piercing hole (An open wound). A piercer should use a medical grade water based marker - the same thing a doctor would use to mark you for surgery. The fact that it is water based means your body can absorb and assimilate the ink harmlessly instead of it lingering inside the piercing causing problems. As it is medical grade the ink is also suitable for sensitive skins.
To do with mouthwash: It is not medical strength it is diluted (50/50 with water) non-alcoholic mouthwash. At the piercer's it maybe antibacterial / antiseptic but at home for the rest of the piercing aftercare you should try to avoid antibacterial mouthwash as it will strip the piercing of all the good bacteria helping it to heal and the chemicals will burn the fistula (piercing hole) irritating it and prolonging healing time, alcohol based mouthwash has a similar effect too. To be honest it is just best to rinse your mouth with the salt water solution as it is much kinder to the piercing! Listerine is alcohol based and far, far too strong for piercings.
Brushing your teeth multiple times a day is likely to irritate the piercing more than anything else as the chemicals in toothpaste aren't very piercing friendly either, getting a nice new toothbrush is essential as they harbour lots of bacteria and if yours is a bit old it can cause problems. Natural toothpastes are worth giving a go during your healing time - they actually taste quite nice too and wont sting or bother your piercing quite so much!
With oral piercings rinsing your mouth after eating, smoking and drinking sugary or alcoholic drinks is essential to clear the piercing of debris and anything potentially harmful. Ideally you should refrain from kissing (and other forms of intimacy), drinking alcohol and smoking for at least two weeks.
Monroe healing time is not 3-6 weeks. It is actually 3-4 months as only half the piercing is inside the mouth (fastest healing area of the body) and so doesn't heal as quickly as piercing entirely within the mouth such as tongue piercings.
I hope this helps you improve your article. If anyone reading this would like a fully detailed (explaining how and why your piercing heals / needs to be cleaned the way it does) aftercare sheet or just some general piercing advice feel free to visit my site at: titaniumsenthralled .co .nr and poke me as much as you like!
Hope this helps people out! Ku xxx
-- Contributed by: Ku KuDennise, So glad these tips have been of help to you. Keep reading our articles for more useful info. Thanks for your feedback!
-- Contributed by: Jodie MichalakThis page has been accessed 16,769 times. This page was last modified 02:12, 2 February 2007.
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