Lip Piercing Aftercare

Healing timeline

• Typically 6–8 weeks; vertical labrets can take up to 3 months.
• The starter post is deliberately long; downsize at 2–4 weeks once swelling drops, or it will rub your teeth and gums.
• Minimum age: 18+ with valid ID.

Daily cleaning

• Wash your hands before you touch the piercing, and otherwise leave it alone.
• Outside: saline twice a day and pat dry.
• Inside: rinse with distilled water any time you eat, drink, or smoke, and use non-alcoholic mouthwash no more than twice a day.

What to avoid

• Avoid spicy, acidic, and messy foods (noodles, chips) and hot drinks for the first two weeks.
• No smoking, vaping, or alcohol while healing — they slow oral healing.
• Don't play with the jewelry against your teeth or gums.
• Skip alcohol, peroxide, Bactine, Neosporin, tea tree oil, and over-cleaning; they irritate the wound.
• Stay out of pools, hot tubs, lakes, and baths until healed; showers are fine.
• Don't change the jewelry yourself during healing — book a jewelry change at the studio.

What to expect

• Some bleeding, swelling, tenderness, bruising, and clear or whitish crust are normal in the first weeks.
• Swelling peaks around day 2–3; ice chips and sleeping with your head raised help.
• A piercing can feel healed on the outside before the inside has closed — keep cleaning for the full window.

When to get help

• Get medical attention for spreading redness, red streaks, fever, thick yellow or green discharge, or heat and swelling that keeps increasing.
• Come in for a downsize as soon as the post rubs your teeth or gums — long jewelry is what causes gum recession.