The Monroe Piercing: History Behind the Name
The Monroe piercing is one of the few placements named after a specific person — and one of the few whose name tells you exactly where it goes.
It sits on the upper lip, off to the left side, right where Marilyn Monroe's beauty mark was. That's the entire origin story. No ancient tradition, no cultural ritual — just a modern placement named for a resemblance.
Where the Name Comes From
Marilyn Monroe had a mole on her upper left cheek, near the lip. It became one of the most recognizable features in twentieth-century celebrity imagery — distinctive enough that it was widely imitated, and in some accounts deliberately emphasized in photographs and film.
When modern piercers started placing studs in that exact spot, the association was obvious. A small stud sitting high on the upper lip reads like a beauty mark made of metal.
The naming works because it's descriptive rather than decorative. Tell a piercer you want a Monroe and they know the placement without needing further explanation — which isn't true of every piercing name.
The Lip Piercing Family Tree
The Monroe belongs to a cluster of upper-lip placements, and the names get mixed up constantly. Here's the actual layout:
| Piercing | Placement |
|---|---|
| Monroe | Upper lip, left side, positioned like Monroe's beauty mark. |
| Madonna | The mirror image — upper lip, right side. Also named for a beauty mark, on the other side of the face. |
| Medusa (philtrum) | Centered in the philtrum, the groove directly beneath the nose. Not off to either side. |
| Angel bites | A Monroe and a Madonna together, one on each side of the upper lip. |
| Jestrum | A vertical philtrum piercing, where both ends of the jewelry show. |
All of them are variations on the same idea: a small piece of jewelry sitting above the lip line, placed so it looks deliberate rather than accidental.
When It Emerged
Lip piercing itself is ancient and appears across a range of cultures. The Monroe specifically is not. It's a product of the modern Western body piercing movement that developed through the 1970s and expanded rapidly in the 1990s.
Like the navel piercing, it's a placement we can actually watch being invented. Practitioners in that scene were working through the anatomy of the face and mouth systematically, and the upper lip offered several viable positions. The ones that stuck got names, often from whatever visual reference was closest at hand.
Which is why the modern lip family carries a mix of celebrity references, mythological ones, and plain descriptions. There was no naming committee.
What Makes the Placement Distinctive
A Monroe is technically a labret — a piercing with a flat disc on the inside and a decorative end on the outside. The flat back sits against the inside of the lip.
That flat back matters, and it's why the jewelry design is worth understanding. A ring or a ball on the inside of the mouth rubs against teeth and gums with every movement of the lip. A flat disc sits flush and spreads out the contact.
Even so, oral placements come with dental considerations that ear piercings don't. Jewelry sitting against the gum line can contribute to gum recession over time, and hard jewelry material against enamel can cause wear. That's a documented concern with oral and lip piercings generally, and it's worth discussing with a dentist before you sit in the chair rather than discovering later.
Jewelry and Healing
A Monroe heals in roughly 2 to 3 months — faster than cartilage, but with the complication that it's in the mouth. Constant movement, eating, talking, and a naturally bacteria-rich environment all come into play.
Standard practice is to be pierced with a longer bar to accommodate initial swelling, then downsize to a shorter one once that settles. Leaving a too-long bar in past the swelling stage just means more jewelry rattling against your teeth than necessary.
For material, implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) is the standard for anything healing — nickel-free, biocompatible, and lighter than steel, which matters in a placement that moves constantly.
Shop titanium flat back jewelry →
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a Monroe piercing?
It's placed where Marilyn Monroe's beauty mark was — upper lip, left side. The name is purely descriptive of the position.
What's the difference between a Monroe and a Madonna?
Which side. Monroe sits on the left of the upper lip, Madonna on the right. Same placement, mirrored. Both are named after beauty marks.
Is a Monroe the same as a medusa?
No. A medusa, also called a philtrum piercing, sits centered in the groove below the nose. A Monroe is off to one side.
How long does a Monroe take to heal?
Around 2 to 3 months. Faster than cartilage, but it's in the mouth — constant movement and a bacteria-rich environment mean aftercare matters.
Will it damage my teeth?
It can, which is why flat-back jewelry is standard and why downsizing after swelling matters. Jewelry contacting the gum line over time is associated with gum recession, and hard material against enamel can cause wear. Worth raising with your dentist before you get it done.
What jewelry does a Monroe take?
A labret — flat disc on the inside, decorative end on the outside. Implant-grade titanium is the standard for healing, and you'll typically be pierced with a longer bar and downsize once the swelling goes down.
Is the Monroe an old piercing?
Lip piercing is ancient across many cultures, but the Monroe specifically is modern — a product of the Western body piercing movement that developed from the 1970s onward and expanded through the 1990s.
This guide is for general information and isn't medical or dental advice. Healing times vary. Consult a professional piercer about placement and a dentist about oral piercings and your teeth.