Today is the era of body piercing, where you get a plethora of exclusive and captivating options to express yourself. Ashley piercing is one of those piercings that have gained popularity in recent years, and it is most commonly called an inverted vertical labret. This piercing gives you a gorgeous look by making your lips pop. This blog will explore everything you should know about this piercing, from its origin to its procedure, aftercare and styling option.

Ashley Piercing

It is a single piercing placed on the bottom of the lip and exits through the back of the lip. It has one visible point fixed to the inner mouth, whereas a traditional vertical labret has two visible points. It was also known as inverted vertical labret before this name was given. The exit hole is inside the mouth rather than below the lip, showing a single piercing. According to some sources, the name Ashley was given because she was the one to get this piercing.

Origin

Ashley Piercing or Vertical Labret Piercing is the type of lip piercing that involves the perforation of lips. It first originated in the cultures of Africa and America. It became the common practice among the people of Papua New Guinea, the Dogon people of Mali, the Nuba of Sudan and Ethiopia.

It was then started in South America, where tribes of Malawi people stretched their lips by piercing, and plates or plugs were inserted into them. That plate or disc is also called “pelele” by the Malawi people. Their husbands inserted these plates six months before their marriage, which shows the promise between the two that the bigger the plate, the more will be the dowry.

In Mali, the people from Dogon pierce their lips signifies that their ancestor spirit created the world. The myth associated with this is that a goddess named Noomi laced a thread through her teeth that transformed into speech when it came out, it then started spreading in ancient Aztecs and Mayans where Males who wanted to join the military had to pierce their lips, which then stretched and more ornaments are placed as they bring more prisoners.

Besides its spiritual, cultural, or mythological significance, modern society is now adapting this trend to stay more unique and beautiful.

Procedure:

As Ashley said, piercing is always done according to the anatomy of your lips to look the best. Following is the procedure for doing this piercing

• Find the Professional Piercer:

When you finally decide to get this piercing done, it is essential to find a piercer who is not only reputed but also has professional experience and knowledge about the piercing. Visit different piercing studios to check if they follow the proper sterilization processes and maintain a hygienic environment. See the reviews and ask for recommendations.

• Consultation

Consulting a piercer before getting your piercing is essential. You schedule an appointment and ask questions about this piercing to understand it clearly. Your piercer will advise you according to your anatomy and the suitability of this piercing.

• Preparation and Sterilization:

Your piercer will wash their hands before starting the procedure and use sterilized equipment. Make sure your piercer uses gloves to avoid contamination of germs. Before making a perforation, your piercer will clean the area with an antiseptic solution to make it bacteria-free.

• Marking the Piercing Placement:

Ashley’s piercing requires precision and symmetry. To ensure this, your piercer will mark the entry and exit points on the lower lip to get the best results.

• Making a Perforation:

Your piercer will then use a sterilized needle specially designed for lip piercings and precisely makes a perforation through your lower lip, making a vertical placement on the lower lip. Some piercers may use forceps to hold the lip in place, while others may freehand it. Either way, once the mark is approved, the needle is pushed through the lip, and the chosen jewellery is installed.

• Insertion of Jewellery:

As soon as the perforation is created, your piercer will insert the chosen jewellery, probably a stud with a flat back end, into the area. The end of the jewellery pops out inside the mouth. 

Aftercare

Ashley Piercing is an oral piercing located in the mouth, so it is more prone to bacteria. Moreover, due to the extreme movement of the area, you need to be very careful after getting this piercing.

• Don’t touch the jewellery. 

It is challenging to follow. Don’t bite the freshly pierced area, and make sure nothing can touch it, as it can lead to complications that include stretched puncture holes and hypertrophic scarring.

• Rinse your mouth regularly:

Maintaining oral hygiene is essential if any piercing has an exit hole inside the mouth. In the case of Ashley Piercing, you need to be careful about the front and back of the mouth when you eat. Clean your mouth between meals and use a brush carefully to not hurt the piercing. 

• Avoid Tight Jewellery:

Ashley Piercing tends to swell more than other piercings, so ensure that the jewellery use chosen is not tight. If you feel your jewellery is tight, contact your piercer to change it immediately.

• Look after your teeth. 

As the exit point is present inside the mouth, it is likely that the back of your jewellery rubs against your teeth and damages your teeth. Keep an eye on any damage to your teeth; however, the smaller stud lessens the chances of damage, but if you find any receding gum lines or chipping, do not ignore it and talk to your piercer about it.

• Avoid Lipstick:

Lipstick ingredients contain chemicals that can irritate the piercing area. So, it is important to avoid lipstick until it has fully healed.

• Use Saline Solution for rinsing:

Always use saline solution to rinse the piercing and avoid mouthwash for rinsing. Mouthwash can worsen your piercing and can lead to infections.

• Stick to soft foods:

After a few days of your initial piercing, it is recommended to stick to soft foods until you get used to the new jewellery. It will make it heal faster and reduce the chances of accidentally biting the jewellery while eating. Furthermore, avoid spicy or acidic food as it will give your piercing incredible pain.

Healing Time & Pain Level:

Lips are the thick area where you get this piercing done, so the healing time may take longer to get healed completely. Generally, this piercing takes 3 to 4 months to heal but can take longer if you don’t properly follow the aftercare practices. 

Because of the thicker area, this piercing might hurt more than other lip piercings, as there are also so many nerve endings that make it more painful. However, it also depends on your tolerance level. It is important to note that a piercer will insert longer starter jewellery to accommodate the swelling and switch to smaller jewellery after a few days when all the swelling disappears.

Recommended Jewellery for Ashley Piercing.

Many piercers recommend jewellery with a flat back so that it does not rub against your gums or teeth. Although there are limited options for jewellery, you can opt for labret studs with gold balls, gemstones, pearls, opals or diamond to make you stand out and for simple luxurious and extravagant style. 

As far as the jewellery material is concerned, it is essential to choose hypoallergenic material that cannot cause an allergic reaction. These include Stainless Steel, Titanium, Gold or Niobium. Avoid jewellery with nickel in it as it is the component that can cause allergy. 

Ashley Piercing is one of the rare piercings that will give you a captivating look and can turn into a nightmare if you don’t follow a proper aftercare routine. It will not only lead to complications but will also increase the healing time, and the worst outcome is that it will be unable to heal, and you will have to take your jewellery out, resulting in Ashley piercing scar, which is not what you want. So, follow your piercer instructions to have a better experience.