Cheek piercing and its aftercare

Cheek piercing is facial body piercing through the cheek. The most common variation of the cheek piercing penetrates the facial tissue into the oral cavity. The usual placement is symmetrical on either side of the face, either penetrating or imitating dimples. The piercing can cause the wearer slight nerve damage resulting in "man-made dimples". Another way to go is getting Microdermals placed where you want the dimple to be placed. Some people prefer this method because full on cheek piercings have the tendency to leak or secrete lymph fluid, which has a saliva-like texture and can create an unpleasant odor. Though microdermals do have a slightly larger chance to leave a scar than a piercing, they will heal eventually and be almost unnoticeable. The rate of infection is also lower in the long run, and since it does not penetrate the cheek completely, there is little to no chance of tooth or gum damage. Microdermals are like a 'one hole' piercing, where the 'foot' of the jewelry sits below the skin and the decorative jewel or flat disc is above the skin.

Jewelry

(non-surface)Cheek piercings are normally pierced with 1.6mm flat backed labret studs, a type of barbell jewelry. The flat back provides comfort and lessens the chance of the jewelry damaging the teeth and gums of the bearer. During healing, the piercing is fitted with longer jewelry to accommodate for swelling. After the piercing is healed, shortened jewelry further reduces the chance of damage to the teeth from unintentional biting.

Bridge piercing and its aftercare

A bridge piercing is a body piercing through the skin on the bridge of the nose, usually directly between the eyes of the wearer. The bridge piercing is also known as an "Erl" or "Earl" piercing, after its first recipient, Erl van Aken. A variation on this piercing, the vertical bridge piercing is a surface piercing, with all of the risks or potential complications related to surface piercings.

The risk of rejection is quite high for this piercing, as it is a surface piercing. There is also a high risk of scarring when the jewellery is removed.

Jewelry

Bridge piercings are most commonly pierced with straight barbells, although curved barbells and surface bars are also possible initial jewelry. Once the piercing is healed, it is possible to wear a captive bead ring in it, although depending on the placement of the piercing, a D-ring styled ring may be necessary to prevent migration caused by the pressure exerted by the shape of a ring.

Like many other facial piercings, there are many misconceptions about bridge piercings. Some involve eye problems, such as involuntary eye crossing. Other beliefs have to do with infections from piercings spreading to the brain, via the sinuses. Bridge piercings are a minor piercing and carry very few risks or complications and no impact to the eyes.

Monroe Piercing and its aftercare

A Monroe piercing is placed off-centre, above the upper lip and is meant to resemble a beauty spot; it is also known as a 'Madonna' or 'Crawford'. The three name variations of the piercing bear their names from famous female icons: Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, and Cindy Crawford. The name varies depending on which side of the mouth is pierced: if the piercing is on the left side of the face it is a 'Monroe', if it is on the right it is a 'Madonna' and if it is placed very near to the top lip it is a 'Crawford'.

The Monroe piercing has a recent history, unlike others that were popularized in the late 70s and 80s. Seen in the mid/late 90s on the bassist of the band Coal Chamber, Rayna, the Monroe piercing can also be seen on celebrities such Amy Winehouse, Ashley Massaro, Nikki Mariam,Christine Dolce aka ForBiddeN and Mutya Buena of Sugababes fame. Although more favoured by women, this piercing is seen increasingly on men; male celebrities who wear this piercing include Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes And Trace Cyrus of Metro Station.

This piercing is typically fitted with a 12, 16 or 18 gauge labret , the bars of which are usually shortened after healing. A variation on this piercing is the Crayfish piercing - a double version of a Monroe piercing with piercings worn on both sides of the upper lip. When long barbells are worn in this piercing, they look similar to the antennae on a crayfish, hence the name. Most people with a monroe piercing favor a metal ball or a jewel on the outer-end.

The lip can often swell considerably after the piercing and will need both facial and oral aftercare to keep both sides of the jewelery clean at all times. Monroes, like all piercings, are prone to infection and it is vital that the piercing is cleaned regularly. Scaring is minimal to none if properly taken care of.

An advantage of a Monroe piercing is that the lip area generally heals faster than other piercings. The estimated healing time given by professional piercers for this type of lip piercing is between 8-12 weeks but many find it heals in 3-6 weeks.

The monroe is said to be a relatively painless piercing process, compared to others, as this area of the body is soft and contains few nerves. There is a small risk of piercing the inferior labial artery, which lies just above the upper lip.

The amount of pain experienced during the piercing process differs from person to person and depends on the specific location of the piercing. Those with thicker lips or well-exercised facial muscles will have more flesh or muscle to pierce and may suffer more discomfort. Men may experience slightly more pain than women, as repeated shaving can make the skin of the upper lip tougher and harder to pierce. The orbicularis oris (the sphincter muscle around the mouth) is used in the playing of brass and woodwind instruments; as a result, players of these instruments tend to have a larger muscle around the mouth and may experience more discomfort during the piercing process.

Monroe piercings can cause long-term damage to the gums and teeth. The back-disk of metal jewellery worn in this piercing rubs against them, potentially resulting in gum recession or damage to tooth enamel. Plastic labret-studs are available to minimize this problem.