Who doesn’t like a little adventure? We’re sure you’re the type who’s not afraid to try different things. If you’re the kind of person who likes to experiment with piercings and prefer odd places to get pierced, we’re sure you’ve thought about the medusa piercing.
The medusa piercing is a bucket list piercing. People who have tried different body piercings would die to have a medusa piercing. It’s intriguingly unique, but it takes a lot of commitment. Therefore, before you give it a go, we recommend you read everything there is to know about the medusa piercing.
The Basics of Medusa Piercing
What Is A Medusa Piercing?
A medusa piercing is found right above your upper lip, specifically the philtrum, which is why it’s also called a philtrum piercing. You can find it between the base of your nose and your upper lip, right in the middle of the groove.
The unique location of this piercing makes for a bold statement, but some people like to complement it with other facial piercings to achieve a fiercer look. It’s different from the Monroe piercing since it’s placed either on the left side or the right side of your upper lip.
The medusa is located right at the center. It can have many variations like getting two piercings on the same spot known as double medusa or a jestrum piercing which has the same style but only vertical.
How Long Does It Heal? Is It Painful?
Anyone who’s about to get a new piercing would always want to know about the pain. How painful is a medusa piercing? Like all other piercings, you will experience pain, but the good news is that the pain only lasts for a couple of seconds.
The level of intensity of the pain varies from person to person, depending on their pain tolerance. Some may rate it as a five, while others place it as a 9. The only way to find out is to try it yourself. Every person’s experience with the piercing is unique.
As for the healing time, professional piercers say it also varies, but generally, it takes approximately 90 days for a medusa piercing to heal. Some people heal faster, and some heal longer.
How Much Does A Medusa Piercing Cost?
A medusa piercing can cost between $40 and $80. The cost can change depending on the price of the jewelry you choose, the location of the studio, and the expertise of the piercer.
How Should You Care For Your Medusa Piercing?
Caring for your medusa piercing is a must to speed up the healing process. The longer your piercing heals, the more it becomes susceptible to infection. Again, the average healing time for a medusa piercing is between 8 to 12 weeks. During this period, you are required to perform piercing aftercare.
The following are ways on how should be caring for your piercing:
- Before cleaning your piercing, make sure your hands are clean. Wash them with soap and water. Never touch the site with dirty hands since you could be introducing bacteria into the open wound.
- Only use sterile saline solution two times a day when cleaning the site. Don’t attempt to put anything on your medusa piercing in an attempt to clean it, whether lotions or creams. Just stick to saline solution.
- Practicing oral hygiene is also crucial to keep your piercing free from infection.
- Get a new toothbrush, and make sure you don’t share it with other people.
- Elevate your head when you sleep. You can also apply a cold compress to the area to help minimize the swelling.
- Don’t play, spin, fiddle or manipulate your jewelry, as this can cause irritation.
- You should avoid sharing cups and other utensils with other people.
- While your piercing is still healing, avoid engaging in kissing and oral sex.
Professional piercers recommend you modify your diet during the first week as this can help minimize the swelling. For example, stay away from hot, spicy, and salty foods. Stick to soft foods instead. You should also avoid drinking alcohol, vaping, and smoking, especially during the first five days from the day you got your piercing.
Another thing you should be mindful of is your skincare routine. A lot of people continue with their skincare routine, and sadly, they sometimes apply those creams and serums on the their philtrum.
This is a big no-no. If you are to resume using your favorite skincare products, make sure you don’t apply them to your medusa piercing.
Steer clear of alcoholic beverages. Studies show that alcohol can irritate your piercing.
What Are The Side Effects of a Medusa Piercing?
All piercings have side effects. It’s important to know what symptoms are considered normal and what isn’t. Some signs indicate an infection, and if you don’t notify your doctor, the infection could spread into your bloodstream and cause a life-threatening condition known as sepsis.
- Crusting – It’s not unusual to see discharge oozing out of your piercings. This is part of the healing process. It’s also normal to find crusts forming around your medusa piercing. As tempting as it may be, do not pick on the crusts. If you are bothered, you may use saline solution to soften the crusts. Eventually, the debris will loosen and come off.
- Swelling – swelling is part of the process. You’ll experience it during the first few days. Don’t worry about localized swelling, as this should subside over time. Proper aftercare significantly helps reduce swelling.
- Tooth damage and Gum Erosion – poorly done mouth piercings can result in gum erosion and tooth damage. Although rare, these unfortunate conditions can happen, especially if the piercing is poorly done, which is why we always recommend that you take your time looking for a skilled, credible, and experienced piercer. If a philtrum piercing goes wrong, it can lead to irreversible damage.
How Do You Change Your Medusa Piercing?
After your piercing reaches six months, you can change your jewelry to a smaller size. Don’t rush switching jewelry because even if the piercing looks healed on the outsides, the tissues inside still haven’t.
Many people make the mistake of changing jewelry as early as six months, thinking that it’s already healed, only to find out that it hasn’t yet. When the time is right, and you are given the go signal to change your jewelry, don’t get too excited.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. The last thing you want is to complete the healing period only to get the piercing infected at the last minute because you forgot to wash your hands. If you’re not confident, you may use disposable gloves.
What Jewelry Type is Ideal for a Medusa Piercing?
The ideal jewelry type for medusa piercings is a labret. However, you can wear abstract-designed jewelry. But you have to remember only to change it once your piercing has healed. As for the materials, you can opt for implant-grade titanium or solid gold.
Implant grade titanium or F-136 titanium is the best choice when it comes to jewelry material type because it’s biocompatible, meaning your body is going to adapt to it. It’s also hypoallergenic, which is a plus.
Solid god is also a good choice but opt for high-quality gold. Professional piercers recommend you get 14-karat gold jewelry for new piercings. As much as possible, avoid using jewelry that contains nickel since it’s notorious for causing allergies.
When Should You Call A Doctor?
You should check your piercing from time to time. If you notice pus oozing from out of your piercing, redness, discoloration, and if you experience a shooting pain or develop a fever, you should notify your medical doctor immediately so he can check your medusa piercing to see if it’s infected.
To lower your chances of getting your piercing infected, we highly recommend cleaning the site religiously. Make that your top priority. If possible, make a list of aftercare instructions so you won’t miss anything.
Don’t worry because all your hard work and effort will pay off, and you’ll soon be able to change your jewelry to the design of your choice after complete healing is achieved.
But again, don’t just use any product. Don’t experiment with your piercings by using any product you’ll find. Don’t apply alcohol, ointments, creams, and hydrogen peroxide in an attempt to hasten the healing process. These products will only do the opposite.
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