Ashley Piercing: Complete Guide to Pain, Healing, Jewelry & Scarring

What Is an Ashley Piercing?

An Ashley piercing is a single piercing through the center of the lower lip. The decorative end sits on the surface of the lip itself, and the flat back rests inside the mouth against the inner lip. Unlike a standard labret that goes through the skin below the lip, an Ashley piercing goes directly through the lip tissue — making it one of the most unique and eye-catching lip piercings you can get.

The result is a single, centered point of jewelry sitting right on the fullest part of your lower lip. It's clean, symmetrical, and creates a look that no other lip piercing quite replicates. The Ashley has exploded in popularity recently — searches have grown over 123% year over year — and it's quickly becoming one of the most requested lip piercings at studios.

Does an Ashley Piercing Hurt?

Most people rate Ashley piercing pain at 4-5 out of 10. The needle passes directly through the lip tissue, which has more nerve endings than the skin around the lip. You'll feel a sharp pinch followed by pressure, and it's over in about one second.

The real discomfort comes after — the lower lip swells significantly for the first 3-5 days. Talking, eating, and drinking all require adjustment while the swelling is at its peak. Cold water and ice chips help bring the swelling down faster.

Pain Comparison

• Earlobe: 2/10
• Nostril: 3/10
• Standard labret: 4/10
• Medusa: 4/10
• Ashley: 4-5/10
• Vertical labret: 5/10
• Septum: 4/10

Ashley Piercing Healing Time

An Ashley piercing takes 2 to 3 months to heal. The lip has excellent blood flow, which promotes relatively fast healing compared to cartilage piercings. However, because the jewelry passes through the lip tissue itself (not just the skin around it), healing requires a bit more care than a standard labret.

Week 1-2: Significant swelling of the lower lip. Your piercer will install a longer post to accommodate this. Eating and talking will feel awkward — take small bites, chew carefully, and avoid biting down on the jewelry. Cold water helps with swelling.

Weeks 3-6: Swelling goes down. Visit your piercer for a downsize — replacing the longer initial post with a shorter one that fits properly. This step is critical with an Ashley piercing. A too-long post in the lip catches on teeth, moves excessively, and dramatically increases the risk of enamel damage and scarring.

Months 2-3: The piercing channel fully matures. Once there's no tenderness, no discharge, and the jewelry feels completely settled, it's healed.

Ashley Piercing Aftercare

Like all lip piercings, the Ashley has both an external wound (on the lip surface) and an internal component (inside the mouth). Both need attention.

External care:

• Clean the outside twice daily with sterile 0.9% saline solution. Spray it on, let it sit for 30 seconds, gently pat dry with clean gauze.
• Keep lipstick, lip gloss, chapstick, and all lip products away from the piercing until healed.
• Don't touch the piercing with unwashed hands.
• Be careful when eating — food can get caught around the visible end of the jewelry.

Internal (oral) care:

• Rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash or saline solution after every meal and before bed.
• Don't use alcohol-based mouthwash (Listerine, etc.) — it's too harsh for a healing piercing.
• Avoid spicy, acidic, and very hot foods during the first week.
• Avoid smoking and vaping during healing — smoke and chemicals go directly into the wound.
• Don't play with the jewelry with your tongue or bite down on it. This causes tooth damage and slows healing.

General don'ts:

• No kissing or oral contact during healing.
• No submerging in pools, hot tubs, or open water.
• No alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or tea tree oil on the piercing.
• Don't twist, rotate, or move the jewelry.

For the complete step-by-step routine, read our piercing aftercare guide.

Best Jewelry for an Ashley Piercing

Jewelry Type

Flat-back labret studs are the only jewelry type used for Ashley piercings. The flat disc sits inside the mouth against the inner lip, and the decorative front sits on the lip surface. There are no ring or hoop options for an Ashley — the anatomy and placement only work with a labret stud.

A threadless flat-back labret is the most convenient option. You can swap the decorative top — gem, opal, ball, star, moon — without removing the post from the piercing. This is especially useful for an Ashley because reinserting jewelry through the lip tissue is more uncomfortable than with standard labret piercings.

Internally threaded labrets are also safe and secure. The top screws into the post for a firm hold.

Jewelry Size

• Gauge: 16G (1.2mm) is standard for Ashley piercings.
• Post length: Initial jewelry is usually 10mm or 12mm to accommodate swelling. After downsizing (2-4 weeks), standard length is 6mm or 8mm depending on your lip thickness.
• Top size: 2mm-3mm decorative ends are most popular for Ashley piercings. The jewelry sits directly on the lip, so smaller tops tend to look more elegant and are less likely to catch on teeth.

Best Material

Implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) is the best material for an Ashley piercing. The back of the jewelry sits against the sensitive inner lip tissue, so the metal must be completely biocompatible. Titanium is nickel-free, lightweight, and promotes the cleanest healing.

Avoid surgical steel (contains nickel), acrylic, plated metals, and sterling silver. Sterling silver is especially dangerous for any oral piercing — it tarnishes inside the mouth and can cause permanent black staining of the lip tissue.

Ashley Piercing and Dental Health

Like all lip piercings with an internal component, an Ashley piercing carries dental risks that you should understand before getting one.

Tooth enamel wear: The flat disc inside the mouth rests against the back of your lower front teeth. Over time, contact between metal and enamel can wear down the tooth surface. Playing with the jewelry — pushing it against your teeth with your tongue — accelerates this dramatically.

Lip tissue damage: Because the Ashley goes through the lip itself (not the skin below it), the tissue around the piercing can thin over time, especially if the jewelry moves frequently or the post is too long.

Chipping: Biting down on the decorative top can chip front teeth. This is more common during eating, especially with longer posts before downsizing.

How to minimize dental risks:

• Get downsized on time. A shorter post reduces movement and contact with teeth.
• Don't play with the jewelry. Leave it alone — no pushing, spinning, or biting.
• Use titanium. It's lighter and softer on teeth than steel.
• See your dentist regularly. Mention the piercing so they can check for enamel wear at each visit.
• Choose a small top. A 2mm gem sits flatter and is less likely to interfere with biting than a 4mm gem.

Ashley Piercing Placement

Correct placement is critical with an Ashley piercing. The entry point should be perfectly centered on the lower lip, sitting on the fullest part of the lip where it naturally projects forward. Even slightly off-center placement is noticeable because the lip is a focal point of the face.

Your piercer will mark the spot and have you check it in a mirror before proceeding. Take your time with this step — once the needle goes through, you can't move the placement.

Anatomy considerations: The Ashley works best on lips with some natural fullness. If your lower lip is very thin, there may not be enough tissue to safely support the piercing, and the risk of the jewelry migrating or the tissue thinning increases. Your piercer will assess your anatomy and advise honestly.

Ashley Piercing Scarring

This is worth its own section because the Ashley piercing leaves a more noticeable scar than most lip piercings. The entry point is on the visible surface of the lip — not below it or on the surrounding skin — so the scar sits directly on the lip tissue.

A well-healed Ashley that's professionally removed typically leaves a small dot on the lip. It fades over time but may always be slightly visible, especially without lip products covering it. If the piercing rejected, migrated, or had complications during healing, the scar can be more pronounced.

This is something to consider before getting an Ashley. If permanent scarring on your lip is a dealbreaker, a standard labret (placed below the lip) or a vertical labret (which scars on the chin area, not the lip surface) may be better options.

Ashley Piercing Cost

An Ashley piercing typically costs $40 to $70 at a reputable studio, including basic jewelry. The Ashley requires precise center placement through lip tissue, so some piercers charge slightly more than they would for a standard labret.

As with any facial piercing, don't choose your piercer based on price. The Ashley sits in one of the most visible spots on your face — precision matters more here than almost any other piercing.

Ashley vs Other Lip Piercings

Ashley vs Standard Labret: A standard labret goes through the skin below the lower lip, not through the lip itself. The labret scar is less visible (below the lip line), healing is slightly easier, and dental risks are similar. The Ashley has a more dramatic look because the jewelry sits directly on the lip surface.

Ashley vs Vertical Labret: A vertical labret uses a curved barbell that enters through the bottom of the lower lip and exits through the top surface — both ends visible, nothing inside the mouth. This eliminates dental risks entirely but creates a different look (two visible points instead of one). Read our lip piercing guide for more details on all lip piercing types.

Ashley vs Medusa: A medusa piercing is the upper lip version — centered on the philtrum above the lip. Some people get both an Ashley and a medusa for a symmetrical upper/lower combination called "cyber bites."

Common Problems and Solutions

Swelling: Ashley piercings swell significantly in the first few days. This is normal. Cold water (not ice directly on the lip), ibuprofen, and patience are the best remedies. If the jewelry starts embedding into the swollen tissue, see your piercer immediately for a longer post.

Irritation bumps: Small bumps around the entry point on the lip surface are usually caused by playing with the jewelry, lip product contamination, or the post being too long. Saline cleaning, hands off, and proper sizing resolve most bumps in 2-4 weeks.

Dryness and cracking: The skin around the piercing on the lip may get dry or cracked during healing. Don't apply chapstick or lip balm directly on the piercing — apply it around the jewelry only. Once healed, normal lip care resumes.

Migration: Because the Ashley goes through soft lip tissue, there's a small risk of the jewelry slowly migrating toward the surface over time. Signs include the post becoming more visible through the lip or the entry hole looking larger. If you notice migration, see your piercer.

Ashley Piercing FAQs

How long until I can change my Ashley jewelry?
Wait at least 2-3 months until fully healed. With a threadless labret, you can swap just the decorative top without removing the post — much easier and safer than a full jewelry change through the lip.

Can I eat normally with an Ashley piercing?
Not for the first week. Stick to soft foods, take small bites, and chew carefully to avoid biting the jewelry. Within 1-2 weeks, most people eat normally — you'll just develop a habit of keeping food away from the center of your lip.

Will an Ashley piercing affect my speech?
Slightly, for the first 1-2 weeks. The swelling and the unfamiliar feeling of jewelry on your lip can cause minor speech adjustments. This resolves as swelling goes down and you adapt.

Can I wear lipstick with an Ashley piercing?
Not during healing. Once fully healed, you can wear lip products — just clean any buildup off the jewelry regularly. Some people find that lipstick accentuates the piercing beautifully.

Is an Ashley piercing permanent?
No piercing is truly permanent — if you remove the jewelry, the hole will eventually close. However, the scar on the lip surface will remain visible to some degree. Consider this before getting an Ashley.

Shop Ashley Piercing Jewelry

Find the perfect stud for your Ashley piercing — threadless flat-back labrets and internally threaded labrets in implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136). Every piece is independently lab tested, nickel-free, and backed by 179,000+ orders. CZ gems, opals, minimalist balls, and decorative tops available in silver, gold, rose gold, and black. Free shipping on orders over $50.

This guide is for informational purposes only. Always consult with a professional piercer for personalized advice about your specific piercing.