Popular among men & women, medusa piercing is a new fashion trend. Body piercing which used to be seen in punk culture has now captured the style of young people.

Medusa piercing is also known as philtrum piercing. It is located in the middle part just directly under the nose’s septum and above the upper lip or philtrum.

What does a medusa piercing look like?

Medusa piercing is usually worn with a labret stud where the ball sits outside the mouth in the dip of the tip above the lips.

It is composed of a removable ball on one end and a straight post with a flat disk on another. The ball screw is seen outside of the medusa piercing while sitting flat inside of the lip is the flat disk.

However, the stud comes in three sections.

The bead

The bead is the visible part of the stud seen on the outside of your skin. Different styles and colors are available for you to choose from. The choice of jewelry depends on what the bead looks like.

The barbell

The barbell connects the bead at the front and the disk behind the upper lip.It is a long of middle part of the stud.

The disk

The disk is where the barbell is attached to. It keeps the bead and the barbell in place to prevent them from slipping out.

You don’t have any other choices for jewelry except the labret stud. But this jewelry is just perfect to make your upper lip more attractive.

Having a medusa piercing is a great way to draw attention to you. It highlights and balances your facial characteristics. It is centrally positioned which emphasizes your lips and makes you appear so feminine yet tough at the same time. Overall, it makes you stand out.

What are the variations of medusa piercing?

For a fiercer look, you can combine it with other piercings such as a double medusa or vertical medusa   (jestrum piercing).

The double medusa is a perforation twice on the philtrum or upper lip. A combination of small or large studs can be used as an adornment.

The vertical medusa (jestrum piercing) shows both of the ends of the jewelry visible. This is attained by piercing the vertical groove with a curved barbell above the upper lip.

Does a medusa piercing hurt?

Any kind of body piercing hurts. Medusa piercing can hurt initially with a few sudden sharp pains. You will experience sharp pain as layers of your skin and tissue will be punctured. But the pain immediately goes away.

For the next few days, minor pain and discomfort will be felt. This is normal as the healing begins. Permanent healing can happen within 6 months to one year.

Our pain tolerance varies from one person to another. Somebody who can tolerate pain from a medusa piercing will tell you it isn’t painful at all. But your pain threshold might be different and can be sensitive to more pain and discomfort after the procedure.

Swelling and tenderness in the pierced area including bruising can occur together with the pain. This is your body’s normal reaction to a mild trauma from the skin puncture.

Many professional piercers will use a longer barbell so that if swelling happens, there is adequate depth to hold the stud and avoid it from getting buried into the swollen skin. The shorter barbell can cause the stud to be lodged into the inflamed skin and might result in scarring or injury.

Bleeding can occur but again, this is just normal. After a day or two, the bleeding can stop.

How do you clean a medusa piercing?

Pain will normally cease after a few weeks. With proper care of your medusa piercing, infections can be avoided.

Here are a few aftercare tips to ensure that medusa piercing will heal faster.

• Always make sure that you wash your hands with antibacterial soap before cleaning the medusa piercing.
• Soak the cotton balls in warm water and gently dab it around the area to remove dirt and dry blood clot. Never pick it off.
• When the wound is clean, apply a cleaning solution like a saline solution to the jewelry and the wound itself.
• Gently twist or rotate the jewelry around the pierced hole. Let the solution soak for at least 1 minute to fully sterilize the wound.
• Rinse off the solution by blotting the wound gently with warm water by twisting the jewelry a few more times.
• To finish cleaning the outside, dab it gently with a dry clean paper towel only. Do not use other types of towels like fabric or cotton because it bacteria can transfer to the wound.
• Avoid using any cosmetics or other facial cream or lotion around the area.
• To clean the inside, swill with an alcohol-free mouthwash right after meals to disinfect and at the same time get rid of any food residue that might have lodged into the piercing hole.
• Or you can also gargle with a saline solution or solution using non-iodized salt.
• Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and mild toothpaste for brushing your teeth.
• During the healing process, avoid spicy, hot and sticky food including smoking and alcohol drinking.