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.

normal, ornate, and stretched philtrum piercings

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.

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getting a medusa piercing

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.

labret/monroe/medusa studs

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