Monroe Piercing

Monroe piercing is a popular type of facial piercing that’s both attractive and discreet enough. It is a great choice for people who like their piercings and jewelry to be small and elegant but still noticeable and unique. Monroe is a great pick because it looks very good without ever becoming overwhelming.

About Monroe Piercing

Monroe piercing can easily be described as a lip piercing placed above the upper lip. It is made to resemble a beauty mark. The name of the piercing is inspired by famous actress Marilyn Monroe, who had a beauty mark on the left side of her lip. Some people refer only to piercings on the left side as “Monroe” while those done on the right side are known as “Madonna” piercings, after the singer who has a beauty mark on that side.

It’s not surprising that this piercing is more popular with the ladies, even though there are also some men who opt for this type of piercing to a great success.

One good thing about a Monroe piercing is that it can be somewhat customized. That is, you can choose a position on the upper lip according to your wishes, preferences and your unique anatomy. This is why you should think about different placements you might want and decide on the exact spot you want to have pierced. Depending on the placement and your unique facial features, a Monroe piercing can have many different effects.

The Procedure

Monroe piercing is not difficult to perform, but a special attention should be taken to the exact spot you wish to have pierced. Most piercers will give you a choice of several spots. Typically, the piercer will mark the spot with a permanent ink marker so you may test several placements until you are satisfied with your chosen one.

Once you are happy with the placement, the piercer will prepare you for the procedure. This will typically include rinsing your mouth with mouthwash for sterilization. After this, your upper lip will be clamped.

When all preparations are done, the piercer will perform the piercing by passing a needle through the lip. Typically, a Monroe piercing is done at 18 or 16 gauge.

Once the piercing is made, the piercer will insert the jewelry. The initial jewelry will be longer than the one you’ll later need, to account for swelling. Most piercers will tell you to go back in a few weeks to have a shorter jewelry placed. It’s very important to have that done by the piercer – changing jewelry yourself during this stage is not safe nor recommended.

Aftercare

The aftercare is similar to the aftercare needed for other piercing types. You should clean your healing piercing with a salt solution several times per day. This will clean the piercing and help reduce the swelling, thus making the healing faster.

You should also brush your teeth at least three times a day and after every meal. You need to keep the inside of your mouth clean and sanitized. This will reduce the number of bacteria present in the mouth.

Keep in mind that Monroe piercings are prone to infections is proper care is not followed, so you should take aftercare and cleaning instructions seriously.

Jewelry

The most common jewelry for Monroe piercing is a simple but elegant labret stud. These jewelry pieces are lightweight and practical, so they are ideal for Monroe piercing (and most of the other lip piercing types).

Remember: just because these labret studs are simple, it doesn’t mean they can’t be very beautiful and effective! You may choose between golden, titanium and surgical steel studs with simple beads on the end. Or you may opt for labret studs with sparkly gems on the top. This is the easiest way to make your Monroe piercing decorated! Finally, you may choose a labret stud with a small decorative charm on top, for a really attractive effect.

On the other hand, you may opt for a different jewelry type, such as a barbell.