Medusa Piercing

The upside down labret piercing is known as medusa piercing. It is a form of body piercing which is done through the middle of the upper lip, making a right angle with the tissue present there. Medusa piercing was named in the mid 90's by a Canadian hairdresser and model called Kerrick. Since it is placed in the philtrum, directly under the septum of the nose, it is also called philtrum piercing. It is known by several other terms such as cleft piercing, upbret and KA piercing. Medusa piercing is normally worn with a labret stud. The ball sits outside the mouth in the dip of the top tip. Other jewelry pieces like rings can also be worn. Some experts on body piercings have brought a little variation to the medusa piercing. They place the piercing vertically through the lip with the help of a curved barbell in such a way that both the beads are visible.

Medusa Piercing: Procedure
Unlike other body piercing, medusa piercing is difficult to do all by yourself. You should try your hands on it only when you are very confident and adept at carrying out piercing on yourself. If you are not, then look for a professional who has expertise in medusa piercings. The professional piercer will do it quite fast and neatly. He is most likely to follow a standard piercing procedure.

The medusa piercing procedure starts with the cleaning of the upper lip area. Usually, a surgical scrub is used for this purpose. The professional will clean the skin present there, particularly on the part where you wish to have the piercing. When the cleaning is done, the piercer will make a small mark on the inside as well as outside the upper lip. Generally, surgical ink and pen are used for making the marks. Most of the professional piercers prefer to make marks as it helps them to locate the medusa piercing jewelry exactly on the spot where you want it to be.

Now, the piercer will hold the skin of your upper lip taut. He may take his assistant's help or a tool called clamp. The piercer will pull your lips a bit away from your face. This particular step is done with utmost care as slipping of the skin will disturb the alignment of the needle while piercing. The piercer will perform all these steps to prepare your lips for getting pierced. The next step is the actual piercing. The piercer will line up the needle in a right angle and push it through the skin. This will cause you a sudden and sharp pain. The piercer will put the jewelry in. The jewelry is chosen in accordance with the thickness of your skin so that it can get accommodated even when your lips swell after getting pierced.

Medusa Piercing: Care
You need to take a few measures to minimize medusa piercing risks like infection. The foremost is the maintenance of high level of hygiene. Make sure that the piercer makes use of well-sterilized instruments and works on you in a clean environment. After getting the piercing, do not eat, smoke or drink at least for the next 3 - 4 hours after piercing. Do not smoke, chew tobacco, have alcohol and drugs till the medusa piercing pain goes away and the wound heals completely. This is because, all these items are known to interfere with the body's natural ability to cure an injury and restore the normal state. Do not touch the piercing unnecessarily, at least never with unwashed hands. Clean the pierced area with a salt solution once or twice a day. You can make it by mixing a cup of distilled water with a teaspoon of non-iodized salt. Use a new, good quality soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth. Always keep the brush and your mouth clean. Try to rinse your mouth with a mouthwash after eating. It will be great if you suck on an antibacterial or anti-inflammatory throat lozenges. If possible, do it for minimum 15 days after getting the piercing. If the pain caused by piercing seems unbearable, you may take non-prescription pain killers like Ibuprofen to get some relief.

On an average, a medusa piercing takes 2 - 3 months to heal completely. Taking proper care of it and eating healthy foods can accelerate the healing process. They also minimize the risk of developing piercing scar tissue.