14 DAY TRIAL // When Amanda Bynes pierced her cheeks and posted photos of her new studs on social media, there was suddenly a boost in demands for this type of facial piercing. The Monroe piercing is just as famous, and what they both have in common is the risk of infection – and how painfully they can go wrong.
Haley Ormand, a 22-year-old nanny from Denton, Texas, is the living example of that and she’s speaking up to warn others to think twice before heading out to the tattoo parlor to get pierced, especially in the face.
Three days ago, one of her friends posted the photo attached to this article on Reddit. You might not be able to tell it first, but that’s actually Haley’s upper lip, swollen several times its healthy size. You can also see the piercing above it – the infection had caused the swelling.
Haley tells The Huffington Post that she got the Monroe piercing (which is the same thing as an upper lip piercing, only with fancier words, meant to recall the beauty mark that Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe had on her upper lip) on November 15.
She did as per instructed and, still, almost 4 weeks later, she woke up looking like all the fillers in Hollywood had gone into her upper lip.
“I just tried cleaning it with warm salt water and it obviously didn't work. I literally went to bed and woke up Tuesday and it was like this, swelled up beyond belief over night! It's very painful, needless to say that will be my last facial piercing ever! Lol,” she says.
We can’t take her word that she did everything she should have to make sure the piercing didn’t get infected, but one thing is clear: if you’re looking to get one yourself, do as you’re told and make sure the wound doesn’t get infected, or else expect the worst.
Another risk that goes with this type of piercing is that the flesh on the inside of your lip might grow around the flat part of jewelry, which you should obviously avoid at all costs or you might have to go under the knife to remove it.
The metal can also affect the gums or teeth permanently, so be on the lookout for tell-tale signs.
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