The centre of the lip is also a must for some tribes in India, they believe a tattoo under the lip in the centre a sign of beauty, and are now replacing that tradition with having dusty sketchy dirty guys from outer villages come in and pierce their lips in place of the more permanent tattoo. But I suppose it's more initiative to get this piercing than "oh my mate has it".
many sites I have known like a good old beat around the bush when it comes to pricing, so I'll give you a basic outline of what you should be shuvvelling for your labret.
I have noticed up here a lack of scene for not so much tattoos, but piercing. A guy in the Tattoo Jungle up here said they have an on-call guy who travels to different studios because there is so little interest bar the belly button or the nostril. No prizes for guessing the overlord species of people around here then! Unfortunately the lack of interest means in less (oh.. should I say it?) student places, they have to specially order their means in which means coughing up a bit more bling for your ring. I mean on AVERAGE you should be expecting to pay (in areas like Brighton or London where the scene is bleeding):
BCR - �20
Stud - �25
and in Catterick and such places add about �5 on for the hire guy and jewelry costs. I got mine done the second time in a place called Penetration just over 2 years ago with a ring at the side which cost me �17.50, but for �2 more they throw in a rancid tasting mouthwash which helped me no end so if the choice is given to you, take it!
I'll be honest, I don't believe in anaesthetics or "numbing" because it takes away 50% of the fun of piercings. Besides the endless needing to play with them afterwards anyways. But if you're opting for the painless approach most studios offer a banana tasting spray or swab for the oral area which takes about a minute to activate and 2 hours to thoroughly wear off no matter what they tell you!!! Yes, I had it for my second madonna piercing (Classix, York). He didn't give me the choice of saying no and sort of shoved a cotton swab up my lip and asked me not to swallow :S
Quite a simple one. Give them about 5 minutes to thoroughly mop and clean the surfaces and everything, if they don't then be afraid. After allowing numbing to kick in if you chose it, there's marking, checking, theres a clamp which is TIGHT FOR A REASON and then the needle glides in. It does have a burning sensation but it lasts about 5 seconds and after you feel... I dunno, proud. I did when I was 13 and had mine done for the first time, the 6 days it lasted were great. It bleeds about one dribble and then you have a slight swollen lip after. About half an hour after I had my lip done the second time I had a can of beer through the other side of my lip, it's not big it's not cool and it burns! If something about the studio doesn't add up such as low prices and... maybe even piercing guns then ask for a portfolio and check around for hygiene certificates because they should be displayed, and make sure it's an E.P.P.A registered clinic. If they don't comply then do yourself a favour and piss off.
out of everyone I know with a lip piercing find a size 12 ring, with a 1.6mm gauge. A 1.2mm is a bit of a risk seeing as once I had to get Warren of METAflesh to unscrew my 1.2mm because no one else could get it off. And if you've met Warren you'll get my point!! If you have very small lips like me you'll find a 10mm more comfortable and a little less mahoosive than a 12.
(cost a little more and are extremely fiddly to put in)
centre. side. 2 to the side. all 3 along the bottom.
one either side. lip plates. vertical up the fat.
industrial through the labret.