Which Labret Piercing Will Suit You?
A labret piercing (also known as a tongue pillar) is found on an individual’s face, below the lower lip but above the chin. Even though it is found more often in the centre of the face, a labret piercing can be placed in other locations in that area. The term “labret” is frequently mispronounced. As the term is not French, despite popular belief, the “t” should be pronounced. Traditionally, the labret piercing was a representation of a person’s status within their particular society. In ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures, it was common for the males to wear a labret piercing in order to emphasise the fact that they were from a higher caste.
Similarly, whenever a mask was made within the society of the American Northwest Coast Indians, a labret form was crafted into the piece if that mask was a representation of someone from a high status. In this country, the labret piercing is often worn to express one’s personality. Whilst a labret piercing can hold a stud or a ring, aesthetically, most people seem to prefer to wear a stud. This could also be because labret studs are more practical being much easier to change than rings. With the variety of studs available nowadays, by choosing to wear a labret stud you will be given more opportunity to be creative and versatile with your body jewellery.
Once the piercing has healed, it is arguable that wearing a labret stud is the most comfortable of all piercings. This is down to the fact that labret studs have a flat disc that sits comfortably against your gums, therefore causing you no irritation. As a result of this, labret studs can also be used in many other body piercings. They would be ideal to use in ear piercings for example, as their flat backs means that the studs are less likely to be caught in clothing or hair. Labret studs are available in a variety of materials including titanium, coloured titanium, stainless steel and plastic retainers.
Thanks to their almost invisible appearance, plastic studs are ideal for use during situations where you would prefer your piercing to be more discreet, such as during work hours or when you attend a job interview. There are various types of a labret piercing, other than the conventional centred position, which are based on where the piercing is positioned on the face. In a vertical labret piercing for instance, a curved barbell protrudes from the top of the lower lip and the centre of the upper chin. A snake bite piercing is where two studs are used to resemble snake fangs, thanks to their position on the face.
Similarly, spider bite piercings are so named because of how they are represented on a person’s face; they consist of two labret studs that are placed next to each other on the same side of the face. Finally, a piercing that is located as low as possible on a person’s face is called a lowbret. With the wide range of labret studs available and the ability to now design your own piece of body jewellery, you can really be creative. In honour of Valentine’s Day, why not wear a heart stud to show off your sensitive side? Or maybe you could choose to incorporate your favourite gem stone into your labret stud.
Processing your request, Please wait....
