How to Take Out a Monroe Piercing

The Monroe piercing is designed to mimic the beauty spot that appeared above the upper lip of the famous actress Marilyn Monroe. This has become an extremely popular piercing among both men and women, and it usually consists of a small stud. In order to take out a Monroe piercing you will need to cleanse the area, and then carefully remove the jewelry. You can also take a few precautions to help reduce potential scarring.^{[1]XResearch source}

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleansing Before Removing the Piercing

1
Wash your hands. Before removing your Monroe piercing, wash your hands thoroughly to remove any bacteria.^{[2]XExpert SourceKarissa Sanford
Body Piercing SpecialistExpert Interview. 29 October 2019.} Rinse your hands under warm water and then apply soap. Scrub your hands for approximately 20 seconds and then rinse the soap off with warm running water.^{[3]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source}
- Sing happy birthday while scrubbing your hands to ensure that you scrub for at least 20 seconds.
2
Rinse your mouth with mouthwash. Prior to removing the piercing, you should rinse your mouth with mouthwash in order to sanitize the hole surrounding the piercing. Use an antiseptic rinse such as Listerine or Scope. To use mouthwash:^{[4]XResearch source}
- Pour 4 teaspoons of mouthwash into a cup.
- Empty the cup into your mouth.
- Swish the mouthwash around for 30 seconds and gargle while swishing.
- Spit the mouthwash into the sink.
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Use your fingers to remove any crust that may have built up around the outside of the piercing. This way when you remove the piercing the crust will not get stuck in the hole. This could lead to an infection.
Rubber gloves will help you grip the piercing while you are removing it from your upper lip. If you do not use gloves you may find it hard to gain traction and maintain a steady grip on the back of the jewelry.^{[5]XResearch source}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing the Jewelry

In order to remove the piercing from your lip, you will need to use one hand to pull your upper lip away from your gums. This will allow you to reach into your mouth and grab the back of the jewelry.
Take your other hand and clasp the back of the jewelry using your thumb and index finger. Make sure that you have a tight grip on the backing.
Let go of your upper lip, while continuing to hold the backing of the jewelry with your other hand. Using the hand that was previously holding your lip, begin to unscrew the top part of the piercing. You can unscrew by turning the jewelry to the left.
Once the top or ball of the jewelry is released, gently pull the bar and backing through the hole and out of your mouth. Be sure to maintain a tight grip on the backing so that you do not drop it into your mouth.^{[6]XResearch source}
5
Ask a professional piercer to remove the piercing. If you are nervous about taking out your own piercing, or you are struggling to loosen the ball, you may want to ask a professional piercer to take it out for you.^{[7]XExpert SourceKarissa Sanford
Body Piercing SpecialistExpert Interview. 29 October 2019.} Many professional piercers will remove Monroe piercings free of charge.
- If the piercing is infected, you should seek the help of a doctor.
6
See a doctor if the piercing is infected. Signs of infection include swelling, heat, pain, tenderness, rash, fever, extra bleeding, or yellowish/green discharge.^{[8]XResearch source} Seek medical attention immediately. The doctor will inform you if the piercing needs to be removed or not.^{[9]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Academy of Family PhysiciansOrganization devoted to improving the health of patients, families, and communitiesGo to source}
- If you remove the piercing before it is healed, the hole may close.^{[10]XResearch source}
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Reducing the Scars from a Monroe Piercing

If you have decided to permanently remove your Monroe Piercing, you may want to take a few measures to help reduce the scarring. Rub a few drops of tea tree oil on the scar. This will help with the healing process and can decrease scarring. Apply tea tree oil to the area a few times each week.^{[11]XResearch source}
You can also apply vitamin E to the area to help reduce scarring and help with the healing process. Massage the area with vitamin E oils. This can be done daily, until the scar begins to fade.^{[12]XResearch source}
Most piercings will leave some form of scar. Before you get a piercing, you should consider the fact that you will likely have a scar if you decide to remove the piercing at some point. You should embrace your scar because this scar represents a part of your personal history and past.
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Expert Q&A

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Question
Can you re-pierce an old piercing?
Karissa Sanford
Body Piercing Specialist
Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).
Karissa Sanford
Body Piercing Specialist
Expert Answer
Yes, but you should consult a professional. A professional piercer can examine the piercing and hopefully stretch it back open without actually having to pierce a new channel. If it was completely healed and stable when jewelry was last taken out of the piercing, there's a good chance they can open it.
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Things You'll Need

Mouthwash
Antibacterial soap
Latex gloves
Vitamin E
Tea tree oil

Tips

Monroe piercings cost anywhere from $25 to $80 USD.
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Warnings

Avoid playing with, biting, or spinning your piercing. This can cause the hole to grow and will likely increase scarring should you decide to remove your piercing.
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