FAQ on facial piercings

performed by Tribal Voice Body Piercing Studio, Plymouth, Devon

This page is designed to inform the reader of the wide range of piercings offered at Tribal Voice in Plymouth, location of specific piercings, what gauge and jewellery is used during the procedure, aftercare advice and a few “did you know” historical piercing facts. Due to the vast variety of piercing placements we have broken the piercings into 4 easy categories:

All the individual piercings listed have an aftercare section and will refer to the sea/rock salt solution that we recommend to use to clean your new piercing. Please read the following which gives more detail regarding this solution and why we recommend it:

The Body Piercer at Tribal Voice will explain to you in detail how to look after your piercing once you leave the studio.
We recommend that you use Sea/Rock Salt and hot water solution twice a day with a cotton bud around the piercing. Sea or Rock salt can be purchased from any supermarkets.
When making the salt solution make sure you boil the water and allow it to cool down before using it on your piercing and use a quarter tea spoon of sea salt to half a pint of boiling water.
We recommend this solution to clean your piercing with as it is a very natural solution and contains no chemicals. We do not recommend using any other solution than this due to the strength of chemicals in others such as TCP, Tea Tree Oil or Savalon. Your piercing is a small puncture in your skin and your body will react to this and heal the piercing appropriately; you only need to ensure that your piercing is clean and left alone to heal, your body will do the rest!
Once you have left the studio it is your responsibility to look after you’re piercing and important that you follow the aftercare advice.

The following is a list of Facial Piercing currently offered at Tribal Voice:
Bridge
Eyebrow
Anti-Eyebrow
Nostril
Septum
Medusa
Madonna
Superior Fraenum – Smiley
Inferior Fraenum - Frowny
Labret
Side Lip
Lo-Bret
Tongue

BRIDGE
Location: The Bridge piercing is located between the eyes in the soft fold of skin at the bridge of the nose.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle is used and a 1.2x10 Curved Barbell
Healing Time: The Bridge is a surface piercing therefore can take between 6-9 months to heal properly. Due to the placement of the bridge, it does have a higher risk of migration. The initial swelling can be severe and slight bruising may also occur.
Aftercare: The Bridge needs to be cleaned twice a day with the sea/rock salt solution.

EYEBROW
Location: Positioned on either right or left eyebrow depending on individual preference, the preferred location is just above the outer corner of the eye and at a slight angle so the jewellery flows with the curve of the eyebrow.
It is important NOT to pierce the eyebrow towards the nose as there is a danger of damage to one of the facial supra-orbital nerves and if this nerve is pierced could cause partial muscle paralysis of the face.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 Barbell
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks, any swelling that may occur will be immediate and there is also a chance of slight bruising around the piercing and the eyelid.
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day.

NOSTRIL
Location: The Nostril can be pierced either side of the nose and again is individual preference. The piercing is placed at in the crease of the nostril where the natural curve ends.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and 1m nose stud or 1.2x10 BCR
Healing Time: 2-3 Months.
Aftercare: Again using the sea/rock salt solution twice a day. Swelling of the nostril is not really expected with this piercing and it is advisable that if you have chosen a nose stud you place a plaster over the piercing the first couple of weeks when you sleep, this is because the stud will be slightly smaller in diameter than the needle used to pierce the nostril and the piercing needs a chance to heal around the size of the jewellery.

Did You Know?
Nose piercing was first recorded in the Middle East approximately 4000 years ago.
Nose piercing is also mentioned in the bible in Genesis 24:22. The Hebrew word “Shanf” which translates as Nose Ring was given to Rebekah (Issac’s wife to be) as a wedding gift.
The size of a nose ring denotes the wealth of a family among the Nomadic Berber and Beja tribes of Africa.
Nose piercing was brought to India in the 16th century from the Middle East Monghul Emperors. In India a stud or ring is worn on the left side as it is the spot associated with the female reproductive organs and is supposed to make childbirth easier and lesson period pains!

SEPTUM
Location: The Septum is the skin at the end of the cartilage inside the nose that creates a partition for the nostrils. Typically the piercing is placed nearer the end of the nose rather than the in the centre of the septum.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.6m needle and a 1.6x10 BCR, CBB or Curved Barbell is preferred.
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day. This is another piercing where we do not expect excessive swelling; if any swelling is experienced it should not be to apparent and only last a few days.

MEDUSA
Location: Central to the face and between the lip line and the nose
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 Labret Stud
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: Sea/rock salt solution twice a day around the outside of the piercing and a weak antiseptic mouthwash (Tribal Voice recommend Blue Listerine as it is a weak mouthwash) Rinsing with mouthwash is advised at least 4-5 times a day, especially after eating and 6-8 times a day for a smoker, again after eating and having a cigarette.

MADONNA
Location: Named after the beauty mark worn by Madonna herself, this piercing is located vertically off centre and to one side of the face above the lip.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x10 Labret Stud, it is a common desire for a jewelled ball to be worn on the end of the stud.
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: After the first 2 weeks Tribal Voice will issue you with a change over card and ask that you come back and have your initial labret stud changed over to a smaller one. This is because in the first 2 weeks the lip may swell and will need longer jewellery to allow for this. This change over is included in the price of the piercing. As with all piercings we recommend the sea/rock salt solution twice a day around the outside of this piercing and also the Blue Listerine mouthwash 4-5 times a day or 6-8 if you are a smoker.

SMILEY & FROWNY – (Superior & Inferior Fraenum)
Location: These piercings are also known as Web Piercings and are located central to the face. The Smiley is located in the web of the gum inside the mouth behind the upper lip and in front of the teeth. The Frowny is also located in the web of the gum but this time is placed in the lower lip rather than the upper.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and a 1.2x8 BCR or Curved Barbell
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: Using either the sea/rock salt solution or Blue Listerine Mouthwash will be sufficient for this piercing 4-5 times a day and 6-8 times a day if you are a smoker. It is advised that you especially rinse after food or a cigarette.

LABRET & SIDE LIP
Location: The Labret piercing is located just below the lower lip line central to the face and the Side Lip piercing is as it describes also just below the lower lip line but to either side of the lip.
Gauge & Jewellery: A 1.2m needle is used and either a 1.2x10 BCR or Labret Stud ( It is important to check if the standard size jewellery will be sufficient in this piercing as some lips will be thicker than others and it is imperative that the jewellery is not too tight as it is expected to swell in the first 2 weeks therefore the jewellery needs to be a bit bigger to allow for this)
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: Cleaning around the outside of the piercing with the sea/rock salt solution twice a day and also using Blue Listerine Mouthwash 4-5 times a day or 6-8 is you are a smoker.

LO-BRET
Location: As with the Labret piercing the Lo-Bret is placed central to the face but slightly lower than the labret.
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.2m needle and 1.2x10 Labret Stud
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: As with all Oral piercings it is recommended to use a weak antiseptic Mouthwash (Tribal Voice recommends using Blue Listerine) and cleaning the outside of the piercing with the sea/rock salt solution twice a day.

TONGUE
Location: Vertically passes through the centre of the tongue from top to bottom. In order to avoid the fraenum it is positioned slightly to one side underneath the tongue
Gauge & Jewellery: 1.6m needle & 1.6x22m Plastic Barbell. Such a long plastic barbell is initially used in order to allow for any swelling and is more forgiving of movement. The barbell will be changed to a smaller titanium barbell free of charge after 2 weeks.
Healing Time: 6-8 Weeks
Aftercare: Swelling is expected with this piercing and it is recommended that you use one of the weaker antiseptic mouthwashes to clean the piercing. Use the mouthwash (We recommend Blue Listerine) 4-6 times a day and 6-8 times if you are a smoker.
Do avoid any hot and spicy food in the first 3 days.

Did you know?
The piercing of the tongue was practised in a ritual form by the ancient Aztec Mayans of around 700BC and later the Aztec civilizations of Central America. The tongue was pierced to draw blood to propitiate the gods and create an altered state of consciousness so the priest or shaman could communicate with the gods.
The first report of tongue piercing in western medical literature appears in 1992 and the emergence of tongue piercing in modern times has deep sexual connotations as do many piercings. The tongue piercing is believed to increase sexual gratification during oral sex.

If you have a specific question you would like to ask please email: piercings@tribalvoice.co.uk
Please note if the question is already answered on the website we most likely will not reply.