The treatment involves a horizontal piercing frenulum of the upper lip - this is the thin, small fold of mucous membrane that connects the inside of your upper lip with your gums (just above the gums).

Key point - Anatomy: Not everyone can have this piercing. For Smiley to be possible and have a chance to stay, your frenulum must be thick, flexible and large enough. If the frenulum is very thin like a thread or very short, a professional piercer will refuse to perform the procedure. An attempt to pierce such a microscopic tissue in almost 100% of cases ends with a quick tearing of the frenulum and falling out of the earring!

Smiley is a real favorite for people with a low pain threshold. Due to the fact that only very thin, membranous tissue is pierced without a dense network of nerves or hard cartilage, the procedure is extremely delicate.

Pain is usually rated at only 1 to 2 on a 10-point scale. The process of piercing the needle itself takes a fraction of a second and resembles a light, quick pinch. However, a small, reflex tear may fall from the eye due to irritation of the nasolabial zone.

Good news number two: Smiley heals faster than any other body piercing! The mucous membrane in the mouth regenerates at a dizzying pace.

• Initial stage of healing (tenderness): just 1 to 2 weeks.
• Complete healing of the canal: from 3 to a maximum of 6 weeks.

The most important rules:

1. Fabric softener is your friend: After each meal and sweet drink, rinse your mouth with sage infusion or a delicate, non-alcoholic dental fluid.
2. Be careful with biting: For the first few days, cut sandwiches or apples into small pieces. Catching a fresh piercing with your teeth or food can immediately tear the thin frenulum.
3. Brushing your teeth: Be extremely careful when brushing your front teeth (number one and two). Do not scrub the piercing with a brush!
4. No "fun": Completely give up the popular habit of moving the earring with your tongue or rolling it with your lip. This is the shortest way to damage the enamel.

Because Smiley "lies" directly on your front teeth and gums, choosing the right shape and the highest quality material is essential.

Jewelry for healing and final use:

The most commonly used and most effective choice is Horseshoe (Circular Barbell) or Ball closed wheel (CBR). If you want the piercing to be completely invisible during healing, the piercer can insert a microscopic Banana (Curved Barbell).

• Safe Tytan G23: The humid environment and constant contact with the enamel mean that the material must be sterile and biocompatible. At Piercing Planet, we only recommend titanium, which does not release harmful nickel and prevents dangerous allergic reactions in the gums.
• Rod Thickness: Very fine jewelry is used in this piercing. It's standard 1.2mm (or even 1.0 mm if the frenulum is particularly delicate).
• Ring/horseshoe size: It must be precisely matched to the distance of the frenulum from the tooth line - usually 8 mm or 10 mm.