Ashley piercing, also known as inverse vertical labret, is a lower lip piercing that runs through the centre. The visible end is on your lip, while the concealed end is on the interior of your mouth. Lip jewellery is a relatively recent fad. And, while it is gaining traction, it is still incredibly interesting and unique. It is unknown how this name came to be, although it is supposed to be Ashley after the piercer who initially conceived of it and designed it.
An Ashley piercing is more complicated since it is pierced according to your anatomy. Consult with a piercer before getting it done to achieve the best possible result. “Placement should always consider the structure of the lips and teeth to ensure it is safe to pierce,” Thompson explains. “This includes searching for veins in the course of the piercing and avoiding harming the gum line or teeth.”
If it is safe to pierce, the piercer will clean the area first before marking the location of the piercing. Some piercers use forceps to keep the lip in place, while others freehand it. Once the mark is accepted, the needle is inserted through the lip and the desired jewellery is inserted.
Its closeness to the mouth also exposes it to more microorganisms than other forms of piercings. As a result, you’ll need to take extra precautions during the healing process. Here’s what you should know.
How Bad Does Ashley Piercing Hurt?
Despite its position on the delicate lip, the Ashley piercing is generally painless. Most people have mild pain that subsides rapidly. While your particular pain threshold will determine how much difficulty you experience, a professional piercer will be able to help you through breathing exercises and perform the piercing smoothly and fast, resulting in less pain. As a result, it’s critical to do your homework and pick a reliable piercer for your Ashley piercing.
You will most likely suffer pain and swelling after the piercing. This is quite natural. In order to accommodate the swelling, your piercer will fit you with a lengthier beginning jewellery piece. Keep a watch on your Ashley piercing jewellery during the first few days to ensure that the ends do not rub on the piercing. If this occurs, you will need to see your piercer to upgrade your jewellery to a larger piece.
After the swelling has subsided for a few days, you should transition to a smaller jewellery item that rests closer to your lip. This will keep the jewellery away from your teeth and prevent you from chomping on it while eating.
Ashley Piercing Recovery Procedure
The Ashley piercing usually heals in 3 to 4 months, although this might vary depending on your care and your body’s capacity to recover. Piercings may also appear totally healed before they are, so have a piercer check at it and ensure that healing is complete before discontinuing aftercare activities.
Ashley Piercing Aftercare Instructions
Because of the unusual position of the Ashley piercing, you must be especially careful with your piercing aftercare methods. To reduce stress to the surrounding skin, restrict touching or moving the new jewellery, as with any new piercings. However, because the piercing is right on the lips, adhering to this regulation might be very challenging.
Be extra cautious with new jewellery during the first several weeks of recuperation. Breaking your teeth on your jewellery, trauma that produces unattractive scars, and jewellery rejection are all concerns linked with this form of piercing, therefore this is one piercing that should not be subjected to sloppy maintenance procedures.
Here are some Ashley-specific aftercare suggestions to aid you during the recovery process:
- Don’t mess around with the jewels. This will be quite tough to follow due to its position in the centre of your lip, especially if you have a nervous tendency of chewing on your lip. Playing with your jewellery before the piercing has healed, on the other hand, may result in issues such as hypertrophic scarring or stretched puncture holes.
- Keep a toothbrush on hand for daily usage. Oral hygiene is essential for any piercing that has an exit hole within the mouth. Because the Ashley piercing shows on the lips, you must be mindful of both the front and rear of your piercing while eating. Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste with you so you can quickly clean your mouth between meals, even on the run, to avoid illness.
- Keep an eye out for jewellery that is overly tight. Embedded jewellery is a concern for all piercings, but because the Ashley piercing swells faster than others, you’ll need to be extra cautious. If you believe that your jewellery is too small, contact your jeweller immediately, and they will determine whether you require a larger item.
- Keep your teeth safe. Biting on new jewellery is dangerous, but you should also keep an eye out for any tooth damage caused by the back of your jewellery rubbing against your teeth when you talk or chew. Moving to a smaller stud will presumably reduce wear on your teeth, although some contact is still inevitable. You should keep an eye out for enamel deterioration, chipping, or receding gum lines throughout the life of your piercing.
- There is no lipstick. One of the most appealing characteristics of this piercing is that it gives a stunning appearance when combined with bright lip tones. However, you must wait until your piercing has completely healed before applying foreign chemicals, such as lipstick, to the pierced region. Keep in mind that the interior of a piercing takes longer to heal than the exterior, so consult with your piercer before experimenting with lip colours.
- Take care with what you consume. Stick to soft meals during the first few days after getting your ears pierced to get adjusted to the new jewellery. This reduces the possibility of accidently chewing on the new jewellery item. You should avoid eating acidic or spicy meals while recuperating. In addition to being extremely uncomfortable for the piercing, it will irritate the sensitive healing skin, maybe resulting in a scar or piercing bumps.
- Do not use mouthwash containing alcohol. This, like hot or acidic meals, will be uncomfortable and aggravate the piercing. Instead, use alcohol-free mouthwash or a saline solution to rinse your mouth.
How Much Does Ashley Piercing Cost?
The Ashley piercing can cost you between $30 and $85 to get. Always go with a reputed piercer, especially for a piercing like the Ashley, which requires exact placement. When it comes to body piercing, never think on the price. Choose a reputable piercer you can rely on.
Infections from Piercings
Creating a piercing that extends from the outside to the inside of the lip might raise the chance of acquiring infections. Having a piercing on the inside of the lip can be nearly impossible since food can become trapped around the piercing itself.” Seek medical treatment if you observe prolonged swelling, redness, burning, itching, or severe discomfort, since this might indicate an infection.(Trusted Source)
Scarring can occur if your jewellery is irritated throughout the healing process and further trauma is applied to the skin. These may irritate the piercing site, but they are not hazardous. Keloids can also develop if irritation is not detected or addressed. These are scar tissue buildups surrounding the piercing site that aren’t uncomfortable but can get quite big.
Swelling is typical with lip piercings, and you may expect it with Ashley piercings. Ashley piercings should be replaced as soon as they are fully healed, because the bar used by the piercer is usually longer than necessary to allow the swelling. Don’t be alarmed if you see swelling or if your jewellery becomes a little looser at the conclusion of the healing time – this is not only natural, but also healing!
Lip and tongue piercings are both strongly linked to the risk of gingival recession, and tongue piercings are also linked to tooth damage.(Trusted Source)
Does an Ashley Piercing Scar?
Because it is inserted through a vast tissue region on the lip, the Ashley piercing can be a painful treatment. This is why, once you remove the piercing, you may notice a scar. This is primarily a black scar that ladies may conceal.
Men, on the other hand, may find it more difficult to conceal the Ashley lip piercing scar. Another piece of good news is that you may avoid scarring after the piercing by following basic rules. To begin, you should refrain from chewing your lips after obtaining the new Ashley piercing.
Aside from that, you should not mess with or move the stud on your lip. This is due to the fact that it might induce tissue damage and scarring. If you take all of the measures, you will not get an Ashley lip piercing scar.
You should bear in mind that scars might occur for no apparent cause. In such a circumstance, you can conceal it in a variety of ways. For example, you may conceal the Ashley lip piercing scar by applying lipstick on your lips.
