This was my second piercing done, both large gauges, both done within a day after the other. I had been wanting to get a labret piercing for years. I work in the culinary industry (read "cook/chef"), where it is largely frowned down upon to have or display visible piercings due to misunderstood sanitation regulations. In fact many kitchens have rules against it (and yes that includes clear retainers). Well it took me nearly 6 years in the industry, and 2 years of culinary school to finally look into the health code myself, and low and behold, no legal or otherwise governmental sanitation restrictions of having or wearing facial jewelry of any kind. (With the exception being that it is a "tight to the body surface", or non dangling jewelry pieces such as most women's earrings these days.) Now you can't fight a business on a no facial piercing policy since they are allowed to make rules on professionalism, and also another great misunderstanding that all piercings can just be removed and then put back in with ease at the end of the work shift (and this is not always, or even close to the case).
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact DSoranno83@excite.com When Three months ago Artist John Studio The Alley Piercing Studio, Chicago IL Location Clark and Belmont, Chicago IL So I made the final decision to get my piercing, with the new found knowledge on sanitation, and hope that my aesthetic appearance would be shadowed by my professionalism and skill in the kitchen. I had been frequenting The Alley, on Clark, off Belmont in Chicago. Otherwise known as "the alternative" scene epicenter in Chicago. With 2 tattoo parlors, 3 piercing studios, 2 fetish shops, 5 comic book stores, tons of vintage clothing and book shops, and one all metal music store within one block of that corner. Scott Jania at The Alley Piercing Studio had been my constant source of information on piercings. He was very patient as I had come into the shop a few times before to answer all questions on piercing types, materials, jewelry, and the like. I was very happy to find that they pierced with only implant grade titanium, one thing among many that Scott was very proud to say about his style and technique. Which cured my fear of piercings since I have an allergy to nickel, and some metals, and that titanium is the only substance know not to cause allergic reactions or toxic effects.
I had the opportunity to look through his portfolio of piercings. While I had originally wanted to get a regular labret, I came across this picture of a beautiful dark haired girl, with an incredibly sexy pouty lower lip. She had what I though was regular labret, but with this little ball at the top center of her lower lip. I asked Scott about it and he explained to me the difference between a classical and vertical labret, and the procedure. I was immediately hooked. I waited about a month till I had a couple hundred dollars to blow (don't think that Titanium is cheap), and decided to go in on spur of the moment walk-ins before I went to my serving job after. I went in and a younger guy, John was there. I trusted him and had a great experience getting pierced with 2 gauge plugs. The next day I went in to get my labret after much deliberation with my boss.
Everything seemed to be going well. We chatted while he got everything ready. He took a while to make the marks. The top I mistakenly though was a more centering of the lip and not an entry placement since I was told it was pierced at the pink line (and this was in the center of my lip). Well all went fine, same as before, no bleeding, no swelling. They don't use clamps, on account that the clamp causes the pain and swelling and not the piercing itself. The pain, on a 12 gauge lip was more than a 2 gauge ear piercing, so I thought that was strange, but still bearable. I had NO pain, bleeding, swelling, ect afterwards, just a bit more shiny. The curious thing was that it hung down a 2/16 inch lower than the bottom whole. I was told it was to account for the swelling, of which there was none. And after much confusion, and $25 more, 3 months later I got it reduced, and a tight fit.
But it still looked strange, gaudy, fun, shiny, sexy; but strange. I couldn't put my finger on it. After the 3rd month, and the shortened post, I began to experience hypotrophic scarring. The skin behind the top ball began to build up and cup over the back of the ball, and around the sides. I asked John about it, he said it was due to movement. Well I would basically (and I don't recommend this) bite and pick it away. But it kept coming back. Then I got a pain and seeping, and a pressure on the bottom ball (not an infection).
I went in to get a clear retainer at a time that Scott Jania was there. I was flipping through his book, and I come to the vertical labret piercing I originally saw. At that moment he remembered our talk about the vertical labret, and his confusion as to why I needed the post shortened (I had to special order the length). He looks at my lip and says that it is easily 3/16 of an inch farther forward than my pink line (which on my larger lower lip means the center of it). He explained that, that was why I was experiencing the scarring, and migration forward of my piercing, and that if done properly, a vertical labret can be pierced at the fitted length irregardless of swelling (since without a clamp there is little to none). He also noticed a slight tilt to the piercing as well. I asked how long it would take between me removing it and when I could get it re-pierced and he said 2-4 weeks. He took some documentation pictures of the scarring, and I got the re-piercing fee waved. I was also told previously that the vertical labret could be pierced no larger than 12 gauge (naturally that's what I got) even though I had wanted a 10. Turns out that Scott will pierce up to a 4 gauge providing the anatomy fits, and that on mine at least an 8.
Well with this new info I decided to take out my V. labret piercing after about 4 months. And I have to say I am experiencing an incredible sense of loss not having that familiar piece of metal to my lip. I have about another 1-2 weeks to go and I get my brand new 10 gauge correct vertical labret piercing. The jewelry is awesome with the lower ball slightly bigger than the top for effect, but still large, chunky, and gaudy like I like my piercings to be. I'm assuming that being in the hands of the original artist who had the portfolio picture, all will run smoothly this second time around.
I learned a bit about anatomy, and that aesthetics are not the only reason that a placement is chosen for a piercing. As for the extra piece of jewelry I have, well let's just say I'm having fun finding creative applications for its use.