How to Pierce Your Lip

This instructable is to teach those of you who want to pierce your own lip exactly how to do it. I know many people will tell you it's not 'safe' or 'sanitary', but I've done all my piercings on my own, and pierced my lip twice when I was 13. To this day, I still have my piercings, and I never had an infection or a rejection due to self - piercing. So if you're eager to pierce your own lip and are willing to accept the risks, then let's begin! *Note: I do NOT accept any responsibility for anyone else's actions. If you chose to pierce yourself and something happens, I AM NOT LIABLE. Thanks. :]*

So when I pierced my lip, I had very minimal supplies, and I definitely didn't have professional equipment. So for you to pierce your lip, here's what you will need:

* Some Type Of Numbing Agent *Optional* (An ice cube or some type of frozen item should work. Personally, I didn't notice any real difference between 'numbing' it and not. I did one side of my lip with ice and one without, and they both felt the same. However, if you feel the ice would help, by all means go for it.)

* Isopropyl Alcohol Or An Alcohol Wipe (I didn't use one, but you should use one to wipe and prep the outside part of your lip that you plan to pierce just to make sure the surface is clean and also to wipe the piercing needle after it has been sterilized.)

* Latex/Nitrile Gloves *Optional* (Like the kind that doctors use. I didn't use any, but it keeps any germs on your hands from soiling your sanitization and sterilization efforts.)

* A Sewing Needle/Piercing Earring/Sharp Instrument (I used a piercing earring [an earring that has a sharp point] for one side and a sewing needle for the other side. Personally, I felt the piercing earring was easier because it allows you to skip the step of waiting with the needle in your lip and twisting it to loosen it. You also don't have to worry about pulling the needle out, trying to get the earring in, and worrying about loosing the hole.)

* An Earring (You only need an earring if you are piercing your lip with a needle or anything other than an earring. DO NOT try to put in any kind of body jewelry just yet, as your hole will not be big enough. You need to put in a regular 18 Gauge earring.)

* A Lighter And Hand Sanitizer (You will use this to sterilize your needle/piercing tool.)

* A Permanent Marker *Optional, But Recommended* (You will use this to mark the place on your lip you plan to pierce to make sure it is where you want it to be. Use a sharpie because if you place the dot on your lip with a regular marker then wipe over it with an alcohol wipe, it will come off.)

Now that you have everything you need, get to the bathroom or a room with a mirror and a clean surface to lay out your tools.

Grab an alcohol wipe or some hand sanitizer and a clean cloth and wipe down your counter where you are going to lay all your materials. Take your needle/piercing tool, and cover it with hand sanitizer. Then, take the lighter and hold the flame to it for 30 seconds to a minute. Take care not to light your hands on fire or burn yourseld in this process, as the metal will get hot. Lay down your piercing needle/tool on your clean counter. Take your Sharpie or permanent marker (if you have one) and mark the outside of your lip where you plan to pierce it. Then, pull your lip out, and mark the inside, making sure it's lined up with the outside hole as best you can. Wipe your full lip (regardless of where you plan to pierce it) with an alcohol wipe, including the inside part. Yes, wiping the inside of your lip with isopropyl alcohol is safe, it just doesn't taste the best. Next, wash your hands, and if you choose to use gloves, put them on. You are now prepped and ready to go!

If you chose to numb your lip, now is the time to do it. You want to hold the ice/frozen item on the INSIDE part of your lip for it to have any effect. Hold the ice/frozen item on the inside of your lip for about 5-7 minutes, or until you feel comfortable with the level of numbness. Regardless whether you numb your lip, you WILL still feel it, but it's not as bad as most people would think. After your lip is numb, take your piercing tool, and put the point on the dot on the INSIDE of your lip. * If you are using a piercing earring, go from the outside, in. Do everything the same, except reversed. You want to push through the outside of your lip completely through the inside.* You want to pierce your lip from the inside out. It allows the needle to go through more accurately and more smoothly. Hold your lip between your thumb (on the outside part) and your index and middle finger (on the inside with a space between them.) You should be able to see your dot between your fingers. Take your piercing tool and start pushing it through. As you push it through, check to see that your piercing tool will exit through your outside dot. This will help to make sure your hole is straight. Push until the needle is all the way through. Congrats! You now have a lip piercing!

If you used a piercing earring, you're done, really. Skip to the next step to learn how to keep it clean. If you used a needle, however, you have a bit more work to do. You need to twist the needle until it moves freely without any resistance. This varies in how long it takes depending on the person. Twist it left and right, and push and pull it back and forth through the hole. The more you are able to work the needle freely, the easier and more successful putting the earring in will be. You may also wish to leave the needle in for an extended period of time (30 minutes to 4 hours) while working on twisting and moving the needle to make the next part easier. Once you feel you have done this enough and feel you're ready to put the earring in, go get a regular earring. Sterilize it the same way you did with the needle (hand sanitizer and a lighter). Then, pull the needle out, holding your lip the same way you did when you pierced it, and try to put the earring in. You need to move rather quickly, working the earring through the hole from the outside, in. Wiggle, twist, and push until you get the earring through. Once you get it through, get a secure backing, put it on, and check your new piercing.

Now that you have a lip piercing, you need to care for it. You can either use isopropyl alcohol or aftercare products from piercing shops. You can also, however, just use warm salt water. NEVER USE PEROXIDE!! Peroxide causes the piercing to scab over, and the piercing will try to close. I recommend the isopropyl alcohol, personally. You want to leave your piercing in all the time for the first week, twisting it occasionally every day to keep it free and use the alcohol to clean around the piercing. After the first week, take out the earring, clean it thoroughly with whatever you chose to clean it, and also clean your lip thoroughly. Then put the piercing back in, and keep cleaning it occasionally when needed. Your lip will be swollen afterward for a while, and the best thing to do for swelling is ice. It will also be sore, but this too will pass. You can use ice or Oragel for the pain. Your piercing should heal completely within 6 -8 months. You can change your jewelry as you please, just keep it clean.

Well, you're done! You now have a lip piercing!

I was 13 when I did both, and I put in metal hoops. My piercings never got infected, and my body didn't reject them. Above is my photo of when I was 13 and my piercings I did. Hope you guys liked this. I put a lot of effort into it. ^^