If you're wondering what exactly a lip ring is used for, you'll find the answer has its roots in the timeless ideas of freedom and self-expression. Throughout the ages, humans have modified their bodies, from ancient tribes to present-day punks and nonconformists. Lip rings may provide a less permanent alternative to tattoos, though this type of piercing does come with a few risks.
General Information
The type of body jewelry known as a lip ring looks similar to a small hoop earring. After piercing the lip, a professional piercer then inserts the lip ring into the newly pierced hole and clasps it shut. Depending on a person's preference, a lip ring may appear on the upper or lower lip, either centered or to one side.
Psychological Effects
According to a 2002 study conducted by professor of psychology Deborah Finkel and adjunct professor Terry D. Burger from Indiana University Southwest in New Albany, Indiana, many people use lip rings and other forms of body modification as a way to increase their self-esteem. The study's authors claim that some people simply find body art and piercings beautiful, and they therefore feel more beautiful once they acquire their desired body modification.
Freedom and Rebellion
Neil Whitehead, an anthropology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that lip piercings and other body modifications give people a group identity as "modern primitives." Changing and adorning your body with jewelry represents both a way to rebel and a way to assert individual freedom. "It's the invocation precisely of the people anthropologists study, as examples of pre-modern freedom, that is adopted by punks as a statement of the freedom to control their own bodies," says Whitehead.
Considerations
Before you decide to get a lip piercing, do your research. Educate yourself about proper care of your piercing as well as possible complications. Don't attempt to pierce your lip yourself. Research professional piercing shops in your area, and make sure the shop you choose is clean and safe. Before you get pierced, ensure that your immunizations are up to date, especially tetanus and hepatitis B, advises KidsHealth.org. See a dentist to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy, as well. Keep in mind that many shops will not allow a person under 18 to get a piercing without a parent's consent.
Warnings
According to Laura M. Koenig and Molly Carnes from the Department of Medicine at The University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, complications associated with piercings include infection, allergic reactions and tissue scarring. Lip piercings in particular are at increased risk of infection, due to bacteria present in the mouth. Lip piercings also may lead to receded gums, due to the piercing rubbing against the gums, advises Irene Lin, M.D., a family practitioner in Los Altos, California.
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