Lip piercings take anywhere from two to three months to heal. Once the site heals and there is no sign of extreme pain, redness, swelling or pus, the original stud may be changed. Lip ring studs, held in position with a single bead or jewel, require careful removal to avoid dental damage or damage to the surrounding tissue. Proper hygiene is also important to avoid the introduction of germs or bacteria to the piercing site, which can later lead to infection.
Wash your hands with warm water and antimicrobial soap. Work up a lather, making sure to clean under your nails, too. Rinse with warm water to remove soap residue, and dry your hands with a clean towel.
Fill a small bowl with 1 cup of water. Add 1 tsp. of sea salt. Saturate a cotton ball with the saltwater solution. Wipe down the outside of the lip ring stud with the sea salt. Squeeze the cotton ball and rotate the jewelry, allowing the saltwater to seep inside the piercing hole.
Grip the outer stud of your lip ring with the fingers of your dominant hand. Hold the inner back plate with the fingers of your other hand. The back plate rests behind the inner lip, in front of your lower set of teeth.
Rotate the lip ring stud counterclockwise to loosen. Continue the rotation until the stud separates from the jewelry.
Pull the lip ring stud out of the piercing hole by gently lifting up and out on the back plate. Continue pulling until the lip ring stud exits your skin. Cleanse the piercing site once again with the sea-salt solution.