Get a Medusa Piercing

A medusa piercing can be an exciting, edgy, and unique piercing to add to your look. It's a piercing found just above the lip that can work on its own or when paired with other piercings. To get a medusa piercing, decide on the basics in terms of location and jewelry. Then, find a quality piercer to administer the piercing. When it's all done, care for your piercing so you can enjoy your new look.

Steps

Deciding on the Basics

1. Familiarize yourself with medusa piercings. Medusa piercings are usually a single stud piercing found in the center of the lip just above the lip line. A medusa piercing would be found on the flesh just above your lip and below your nose. This is a very noticeable piercing, so it's hard to hide or minimize. However, if you want a bold look, it can be a great choice.
2. Decide if you want to incorporate other piercings. Medusa piercings are usually a single piercing. However, some people enjoy adding other piercings to a medusa piercing to add variety. It's often paired with other piercings of the lip or nose for a striking look.
   • For example, some people prefer to pair a medusa piercing with an additional piercing on the upper lip itself, near the center. The end product is a piercing that makes two dots running down your mouth.
   • Other people enjoy pairing a medusa piercing with a nose ring. Septum piercings in particular are popular to pair with medusa piercings.
   • If you have existing piercings, think about how these would look with a medusa piercing before committing to one. You want to make sure a medusa piercing blends easily with the rest of your style.
3. Choose your jewelry type. Traditionally, studs or balls are used in medusa piercings. However, some people do use hoop jewelry instead. Before committing to a medusa piercing, make sure you know what kind of jewelry you want.
   • Talk to your piercer about a quality material for you. With mouth piercings, it's usually a good idea to go for hypoallergenic piercings like titanium.
   • In addition to the type of jewelry you choose, think about the colors or materials you prefer. For example, if you wear a lot of colorful outfits, you may want to go for a neutral-colored piercing so it will go with most of your wardrobe.
4. Consider the cost. Make sure a medusa piercing is within your budget. Check the average prices for studios in your area. When checking prices, ask about prices for a medusa piercing specifically. Some studios may charge more for certain types of piercings.
   • You should also account for costs in addition to the piercing itself. How much does the jewelry you want cost? How much does it cost to buy supplies for aftercare? Take these questions into consideration when evaluating the cost of a medusa piercing.
5. Make sure your piercing is safe for work or school. A medusa piercing is a very bold piercing and not the easiest to hide. Before deciding on a medusa piercing, make sure it's okay for your place of work or your school. Check dress codes carefully as, once you get a medusa piercing, you will not be able to conceal it from others.

Getting Your Piercing Done at a Safe Studio

1. Find a clean space. Visit a studio before making an appointment to make sure the space is clean. You do not want to risk infection by getting a piercing done in an untidy studio. When visiting a piercing studio, look things over closely to make sure the atmosphere is hygienic.
   • Make sure the studio smells clean and that you do not notice dust, dirt, or grimes in any obvious places.
   • You should also ask about how often the space is cleaned and sanitized. Good studios will be professionally cleaned at least once a day.
2. Ask if the shop reuses needles. A quality studio uses a new needle for every customer. Needles are then disposed after a piercing is done. If the shop uses anything other than single-use hypodermic needles, take your business elsewhere.
3. Make sure the shop operates legally. Any studio you work with should have a license to operate and a health certificate hung in plain sight. They should also require age verification before administering piercings. You should not trust a piercing studio that operates illegally.
4. Look for highly trained piercers. Ask how piercers are trained. The higher trained the piercers, the better. In the best studios, piercers should have completed an apprenticeship program that lasted from six months to two years. If there are self-taught piercers at the studio, make sure they learned from the guidance of professionals at some point. The more professional education your piercer has had, the better.
5. Check out their autoclave. Ask to see the autoclave before booking your appointment. An autoclave is a device used to sterilize jewelry and tools before a piercing. A reputable studio will have a clean, working autoclave that they use for every piercing.
   • Do not book a piercing at a studio without an autoclave. Some studios use dry heating or boiling to sterilize jewelry, but this is not a sufficient means to kill bacteria that could cause infections.
6. Choose a studio that provides aftercare guidelines. A good piercer wants you to have as smooth an experience as possible in their studio. Ask if you'll be provided information and supplies for aftercare. The ideal studio will give you detailed instructions for aftercare and also provide you with some of the supplies you'll need.
7. Prepare for your piercing. Once you've booked your appointment take some time to prepare. There is not a lot to do to prepare for a medusa piercing, but practice good oral hygiene leading up the piercing. You should also find someone to use as an emergency contact in case something goes wrong. It's a good idea to find someone to bring with you. This can help in case you get nervous as you'll have a friend or family member to lean on.
8. Get your piercing done. At the studio, the piercing artist will make a mark above your lip where the piercing will go. They will then pierce your skin with a piercing gun. While there will be some pain, it is momentary. Many people are surprised that the piercing was not as painful as expected.

Caring for your Piercing

1. Follow the advice of your piercer carefully. Every piercing is different. Your piercer can give you specific recovery advice based on how your piercing went. Before leaving the studio, talk over aftercare with your piercer carefully and make sure you leave without any questions unanswered.
   • Ask important questions to know, such as, "How often should I clean my piercing?" and "What can I do to prevent an infection?"
2. Clean your piercing once a day. At least once a day, you should clean the area and the surrounding jewelry. Wash your hands and then use a cotton swab to rub away any crust from the piercing. Use any sprays or cleaners your piercer gave you to then wash the surrounding area.
   • Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning. Handling your piercing with dirty hands can cause an infection.
3. Do regular sea salt soaks. Sea salt soaks help soothe pain and irritation and promote healing. Dissolve about an eighth a teaspoon of sea salt in warm water. Then, soak your piercing in the solution for five minutes.
   • If it's uncomfortable to submerge your piercing in water for five minutes, soak a cotton ball in the solution and press that to your piercing for five minutes.
4. Take action to reduce the risk of an infection. Rinse your mouth after eating, drinking, or smoking to avoid infection. When brushing your teeth, be very gentle when you brush around the piercing. Avoid touching your piercing unless it's absolutely necessary.
5. Seek care for an infected piercing. Signs of infection include pain, swelling, irritation, crust, and inflammation around the piercing. If you notice signs of an infection, contact your piercer immediately for guidance. Do not attempt to treat an infection on your own. Follow professional advice to get the piercing treated quickly and effectively.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get a Labret Piercing
• Take Care of Your New Mouth Piercing
• Take Care of a Lip Piercing