Video: Tara’s Medusa Piercing – Up Close and Personal

The medusa or philtrum piercing, is located centrally above the upper lip. It earned the name medusa in the 1990s from Kerrick, a hairdresser and model from Toronto, Canada. The most common jewelry worn in this piercing is a labret stud, though other options are possible. Stretching this piercing has also grown in popularity, and an oval piece, often made of natural stone, is worn at larger sizes.

I recently had the opportunity to experience a philtrum piercing, at American Skin Art in Tonawanda, NY. (James is the expert piercing artist at this location.) The designated area was sterilized and marked, I checked the intended placement, and the forceps were applied to hold my lip. This process can sometimes feel like a pinch or pressure. Finally, James instructed me to inhale and then exhale as the needle went through. The jewelry was put in place, and then cleaned again.

I have several other facial/body piercings and while not excruciating by any means, the upper lip is more sensitive than the lower lip in my experience. I experienced a good amount of swelling in the upper lip for about a week, most particularly the first 3 or 4 days. I’d recommend cleaning the area as instructed by your piercer (and eating popsicles to take down the swelling). New jewelry can usually be put in place about 2 weeks after the procedure, as longer jewelry is originally placed to accommodate for the swelling.

An overall great experience and a fantastic addition to my collection!