Lip Piercings to Die For: A Piercer’s Guide to Snake Bite Piercings
Snake bite piercings are the perfect choice for those who are seeking a lip piercing look that’s more distinctive than your standard styles. Here’s what you need to know as a piercer.
What is the snake bite piercing?
The snake bite piercing is a double lip piercing placed in the tissue beneath the lower lip. The two non-midline labrets on either side of the centre emulate the look of snake fangs. Decorated with hoops, circular barbells, or flat-back labrets, it’s an alluring aesthetic that’s gaining popularity.
Snake bites in the ears
While the term “snake bites” most commonly refers to the double lip piercing, it may also refer to an ear piercing style.
The snake bite ear piercing refers to two closely-placed piercings placed anywhere on the ear. It most commonly appears on the ear’s rim.
In this article, we’re talking solely about the lip piercing
The piercing process
The snake bite lip piercing process is similar to any piercing placed in the lower lip.
Take ample time to ensure proper placement for the sake of aesthetics and oral safety. Not only should the client be happy with the placement, but the jewellery should also be placed in a way that minimises tooth and gum damage. This can be tricky, so take it slow.
To conduct the piercing, you can use a freehand method or forceps, depending on your preference. You can also push the needle through the lip from the inside out or the outside in. The snake bite lip piercing is usually completed with a 16G or 14G needle.
Once the piercing is complete, fill the new holes with a labret or hoop that’s large enough to accommodate swelling, and warn your client to return to you to switch the jewellery out for a larger size if it presses against the piercing holes.
Snake bite piercing pain level
Most people place this piercing around 3-6/10 on the pain scale. However, the greatest discomfort comes from the fact that it requires two piercings at once.
The lips tend to swell after getting pierced, and with two piercings on either side of the lip, this can be bothersome for the first week or two after getting pierced. Although it shouldn’t be too painful, it may cause some difficulties while speaking or eating.
Before conducting this piercing, make sure your client understands the healing process. If getting two piercings at once is too much of a hassle, they can get one piercing at a time.
Guiding your clients through the snake bite piercing healing process
Your job as a piercer isn’t complete once the piercing is done. The best piercers make themselves available throughout the healing period in case their clients have any questions or concerns.
The snake bite lip piercing takes a minimum of 6 – 8 weeks to fully heal. This time can vary depending on the client, so always have them come to you to confirm healing before they stop aftercare practices.
To set your clients up for success, don’t let them leave your studio without piercing aftercare saline solution and clear instructions on how to care for their piercing. For lip piercings, you should also schedule a follow-up appointment a week or two after getting pierced to have them switch to smaller jewellery pieces once the swelling has gone down.
The jewellery for fresh lip piercings needs to be large enough to accommodate swelling, but once the swelling has gone down, the extended fit is usually too much. This leads to a heightened risk of oral damage and increased jewellery movement as the piercee goes about their day. To avoid complications, flush-fit jewellery (jewellery that sits flush with the skin) is recommended.
Snake bite piercing aftercare
For the entire healing period, piercees must clean the piercing 2 – 3 times daily with a piercing aftercare saline solution. There are a few ways they can do this:
- Spray a clean paper towel with saline solution and gently wipe the entry and exit holes of each piercing.
- Spray saline solution directly onto the entry and exit holes and let dry.
- Fill a small cup with saline solution and soak the piercing for 2 – 3 minutes.
The chosen method depends on personal preference. The essential part is that it gets cleaned.
Besides this, there are a few rules to follow through the entire healing period. Consider compiling these in a pamphlet or email for your clients to reference.
- Keep the jewellery as still as possible. Do not touch the jewellery. If you must, make sure you do so with clean hands.
- Avoid mouthwash with alcohol, as it will irritate the piercing.
- Avoid acidic or spicy foods. These will also cause irritation.
- Be mindful while eating, especially during the first few days of healing. Stick to soft foods like smoothies, mashed potatoes, and soup as much as possible.
- Be cautious while brushing your teeth and flossing (but don’t stop your regular oral hygiene, as this is important for healing).
- Ice cream and cold beverages are great for easing pain and discomfort during the first few days of healing.
- Minimise activities that will move the jewellery. These include kissing and speaking. If you must do these undertakings, practice care.
- Keep the new piercings dry. When they get damp, such as after a shower or at the gym, gently dab them dry as soon as you can.
- Do not use any product on or around the piercing besides piercing aftercare saline solution. This includes lotion, sunscreen, and makeup.
- Elevating your head while you sleep may reduce swelling.
- Try not to smoke as your piercing is healing, since the piercing appears in the mouth.
Risks and complications
As with every piercing, snake bites come with their risks. Piercings are holes in your body; as they heal, they’re susceptible to danger.
Here are the most common complications to watch out for.
Snake bite piercing infection
In general, infected snake bite piercings are rarer than you might think. As long as the piercee keeps the piercing clean, one shouldn’t arise. However, infections happen, and they can be serious, so it’s important to know the signs.
Infections manifest quickly. Symptoms include tenderness, redness, yellow or green discharge, bleeding, swelling, a foul smell, general illness, and/or a feverish feeling around the piercing site. These are typically intense and amplify rapidly.
If your client suspects an infection, they should seek medical attention immediately.
To avoid infection, they should keep the piercing clean, continue normal oral hygiene, and avoid touching the piercing with dirty hands. Although it may seem the opposite, lip and oral piercings are no more susceptible to infection than other piercing types. The body is pretty amazing, and the mouth has protections against infection-causing bacteria.
Oral issues
The primary risk associated with any oral piercing is dental issues. Metal jewellery in the mouth poses a chomping risk, and if it regularly rubs against the teeth or gums, it could cause enamel erosion or receding gums.
The best way to avoid this is to ensure that jewellery fits properly and doesn’t rub against the teeth. Proper placement can help, but the primary responsibility lies on your clients. Encourage them to pay attention to their jewellery and switch it out if it consistently taps against the teeth. You should also impart that dental health takes precedence over the piercing. If oral issues arise, they should retire their snake bites.
Piercing bumps
Bumps are most common in cartilage piercings, but they can appear in lip piercings, so they’re worth mentioning here.
There are a range of piercing bumps that can arise due to various factors, such as scarring or irritation. In lip piercings, the most common are irritation bumps or bumps caused by trauma. To minimise the risk of developing a bump, piercees should keep their snake bites dry, avoid snags or tears, wear proper jewellery materials, and avoid irritating products, especially during healing.
If a client experiences a piercing bump, have them come to your studio so that you can assess. When they arrive, ask detailed questions about their piercing care and daily routine to try and ascertain what may have caused the bump.
Swallowing the jewellery
If piercees aren’t careful, there’s a risk that they could swallow loose jewellery pieces. To avoid this, they should consistently check to ensure that their jewellery is properly fastened and replace jewellery when it gets old.
Snake bite piercing jewellery
Snake bites can wear hoop styles (seamless, ball closure rings, circular barbells) or flat-back labrets.
Initial piercings can wear a select few materials. The most common choices are titanium G23 and 316L surgical steel. Both are inexpensive, lightweight, anticorrosive, and hypoallergenic. The key difference is that surgical steel can contain trace amounts of nickel while titanium has none. This caveat has made titanium the most common material choice for fresh piercings.
14k or 18k gold can also be worn in fresh piercings. However, it’s a less common choice for healing piercings, since it’s more expensive. People usually wait until the piercing has successfully healed before choosing this material.
Once the piercing has fully healed, it can wear a wider variety of jewellery materials, including less-pure gold (such as 9k and 10k), plated jewellery, and acrylic. Some people like wearing acrylic in their oral piercings because it’s softer and less likely to break teeth if chomped upon.
The best part of snake bite piercing jewellery is the range of designs to choose from. You can try sleek snake bite piercing hoops, ball closure rings with bezel set gemstones, flat-back labrets with dice decorations, and more. There’s really no limit to what you can find.
Discover wholesale snake bite jewellery at Acha
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Quality is our top priority, and each and every jewellery item goes through strict quality control to promise utmost safety to your customers. We follow international standards, including those set by the UK and EU, so you can feel secure in our offerings.
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FAQ
Can I eat and drink normally after getting a snake bite piercing?
For the first week or two after getting snake bites, you should take care when eating or drinking, opt for soft foods, and avoid things that are acidic or spicy. Once the piercing has healed, you can eat and drink normally.
Can snake bite piercings damage teeth and gums?
They can damage teeth and gums if the jewellery is misplaced or ill fitting. Choose properly sized jewellery and pay attention to make sure that it doesn’t brush or tap against the teeth and gums.
Can I get both piercings done at once?
You can get both piercings done at once. However, some choose to get one piercing done at a time to avoid unnecessary discomfort.
Can I kiss or smoke with a snake bite lip piercing?
You can kiss and smoke with a snake bite piercing, however, it is recommended to avoid or minimise these activities during the healing period.
How soon can you eat after a snake bite piercing?
You can eat immediately after the snake bite piercing. That said, you should do so with care.
Do snake bite piercings go through your lips?
They do not go through the lips, but rather, through the tissue below the lips.