As people have become more open to expressing themselves with body modifications, the number of different types of piercings has increased. One of the newest and most exotic piercings is the smiley piercing, a piercing through the frenulum inside the center of your upper lip that is only visible when you are smiling. As with any piercing, it is important to clean your smiley regularly to avoid infection.
When a smiley piercing is first getting pierced it will likely be tender, swollen and itchy. This is normal and it will gradually get better as time goes on. In the meantime, you should be cleaning it twice a day with saline solution or salt water to prevent any bacteria from growing in the area and causing an infection.
You should also avoid smoking or anything that could irritate the piercing as it heals. Doing so can cause vasoconstriction, which can restrict blood flow to the piercing and delay healing. You should also avoid any foods that are overly spicy, sour or acidic as these can aggravate the piercing as it heals.
A lot of people wonder if a smiley piercing hurts and the answer is yes. Although the pain is typically mild, a lot of people are very sensitive to any type of mouth or lip piercing and it can be quite painful for them.