Smiley Lip Frenulum Piercing: Jewellery & Guide

The smiley piercing gets its name because it won’t be visible until you smile. It is hidden in the lip frenulum which attaches the gum to the lips. Depending on your anatomy and piercing jewellery size the smiley piercing may be visible all the time, only when you smile, or only if you lift your upper lip. Alternative names for the smiley piercing include:

Gum piercing
Lip frenulum piercing
Mouth piercing
Scrumper Piercing

How bad does a smiley piercing hurt?

According to most people, a smiley piercing does not hurt much. The smiley piercing pain is considered to be one of the least painful lip piercings. The thin membrane used for the smiley piercing could be the reason why many say that this piercing has a similar amount of pain as a lobe piercing, and is definitely less painful than cartilage piercings. The smiley piercing hurts after being pierced due to swelling but this should not last more than a couple of days.

How long do smiley piercings last?

The Smiley piercing healing rates vary depending on your individual body, however, the average time frame is anywhere between 2-3 months. Once they are healed smiley piercings can last from a few months to years. The thin membrane of the lip frenulum means that some people find that over time the piercing will start to reject.

Is a smiley piercing bad for your teeth?

Smiley piercing can be bad for your teeth if you do not maintain good oral hygiene or you are wearing large piercing jewellery. Smiley piercing teeth damage can be caused by large piercing jewellery or other jewellery attachments which knock and rub against the teeth, causing enamel damage. You will also need to check your gum health frequently. Make sure to keep the area around your smiley piercing clean and look out for signs of redness or receding of the gums. If you do think your teeth or gum health is being affected then consult your piercer for advice.

How much does a smiley piercing cost?

The average cost of a smiley piercing is £35 - £40. The price of your smiley piercing will depend on the piercing jewellery you choose. We recommend paying the extra cost for high quality piercing jewellery as this will help your piercing to heal. Remember, the pricing sometimes reflects the experience of the piercer so make sure you choose a reputable piercing studio to safely carry out your smiley piercing.

Can you hide smiley piercings?

If you want to hide your smiley piercing you can use smaller piercing jewellery so that it doesn’t show past the line of your lips. Your anatomy will also determine how much of your smiley piercing will show. You may find that your smiley piercing will be hidden unless you smile (hence the name) or you may have to move your upper lip to reveal your piercing therefore leaving it hidden most of the time.

How soon can you change your smiley piercing?

You should not change your smiley piercing until it has fully healed which takes between 4-12 weeks. It important to wait until after the smiley piercing healing time as any movement to the new piercing could cause trauma to the piercing wound. Smiley piercing healing is relatively quick so you won’t need to wait long to change your smiley piercing but if you are unsure, we recommend leaving your piercing an extra month before changing your jewellery to ensure it has fully healed. If you need help to change your smiley piercing jewellery or aren’t sure if your piercing is fully healed then head to a Blue Banana piercing studio.

How do you brush your teeth with a smiley piercing?

After your smiley piercing has healed, you can move your piercing jewellery up so that you can brush your front teeth. Move the toothbrush slowly around the front teeth to prevent your jewellery from getting caught. We recommend gently brushing the gum and piercing jewellery to dislodge any food build-up and to keep gums healthy. While the piercing is healing, you won’t be able to move your piercing jewellery so you may find it easier to gently brush vertically with a soft toothbrush on your front teeth and gums.

How do I know if my smiley piercing is rejecting?

If your smiley piercing is rejecting you may notice the piercing jewellery getting closer to the edge of the skin or the holes of your piercing getting larger. It can look like a smiley piercing gone wrong because the jewellery may start to become crooked (check first that this isn’t because of swelling). We know it can be disappointing if your piercing starts rejecting after you have tried your best to heal it but sometimes the body will try to push out the jewellery no matter what you do. If you think this is happening then consult your piercer.

Can you kiss with a smiley piercing?

During the initial healing, you cannot kiss with a smiley piercing. Once your piercing has healed you can kiss as much as you like. All types of kissing could potentially cause your smiley piercing to have issues while healing. The pressure from the lips may knock the piercing which shouldn’t be moved during healing. Kissing also introduces bacteria into the mouth which can have harmful effects on a healing piercing.

Can I smoke with a smiley piercing?

We strongly advise against smoking during the healing time for a smiley piercing. Smoking can dry out the mouth and introduce bacteria and chemicals into the mouth. This includes any type of cigarette or E-cigarette. After your piercing has healed you can smoke with a smiley piercing. Make sure the piercing wound is fully healed to prevent any problems if you do want to smoke. The healing time for a smiley piercing is 4-12 weeks.

Want to change your smiley piercing jewellery? At Blue Banana we stock a range of piercing jewellery styles, sizes and colours so that you can customize your smiley piercing any way you want.

For more information and FAQs about piercings check out our Piercing Guides.

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Piercing Procedure

Ready to get a smiley piercing? Use our store locator to find your local Blue Banana Studio. There’s no need to book an appointment; you can simply go to the store of your choice and be pierced on the day.

Make sure to check the smiley piercing age restriction before coming to store. It can help to avoid any undue disappointment. In a Blue Banana studio, the smiley piercing age restriction is 16 (ID may be required). Smiley piercings are not available with parental consent.

Once you’re all booked in, you will have some forms to fill out. A member of Blue Banana staff will go through the steps and can help you pick out jewellery. Then you can meet the piercer! They too will give you a quick consultation and briefing before discussing the smiley piercing location.

Smiley piercings are usually pierced with a circular barbell. Your piercer will pass a cannula needle through the piercing site and then insert the jewellery.

Aftercare Advice

A smiley piercing can take 4-12 weeks to fully heal. The exact healing time varies from person to person and will need top aftercare to ensure successful healing.

After the initial piercing, your smiley is likely to swell and can be quite sore. During the healing process you should avoid strong food such as spicy flavours and avoid sticky food, including chewing gum as this can get caught around your piercing jewellery. During healing, avoid smoking and kissing as this may introduce unwanted bacteria into your piercing wound. Kissing can also cause pressure or movement to the piercing which can aggravate the wound.

When cleaning your smiley piercing, swill a saltwater solution around your mouth twice a day. Ensure there is no food stuck around your piercing, regularly use mouthwash to maintain good oral hygiene, and try to avoid touching your piercing while it heals.

If you would like further information, make sure to read our full Piercing Aftercare Guides to learn about side effects to look out for.

Choosing Piercing Jewellery

There’s plenty of options when it comes to smiley piercing jewellery from Blue Banana. Some popular styles include:

Smiley Piercing Ring
Smiley Piercing Hoop
Smiley Piercing Jewellery

There are a range of colours and designs to choose from in our smiley piercing jewellery range. When choosing your piercing jewellery there are a few things you should consider:

Jewellery Size – Make sure to find out from your piercer the size your smiley piercing jewellery should be.
Jewellery Material – piercing materials differ not only through their look but also how they could react to your skin. If you have sensitive skin that is prone to irritation, one of the many Titanium jewellery options is recommended. This material comes in a variety of colours and is durable too!

When searching for a piece of jewellery make sure you know your measurements. We display the piercing jewellery measurements as Gauge first (displayed in millimetres) then Diameter/Length, e.g. 1.2mm x 8mm.

Gauge – this is the thickness of the jewellery itself.
Diameter – the width across the widest point of the jewellery for hoops and rings.
Length – the length of the piercing bar, usually not including the ball.

Make sure to check out the tips from our piercing guides for information about changing and removing piercing jewellery.

Other Guides & Ranges

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.

Smiley Piercing Jewellery