Lip Plate Stretching

Lip plate stretching involves inserting a plate into a pierced lip, gradually increasing size. Healing requires diligent aftercare, risk level is moderate to high, and it's typically performed by experienced piercers, originating from African and Amazonian cultures.

High Risk Modification

Lip Plate Stretching carries significantly higher risks than standard tattooing or piercing. Complications can be permanent and in some cases life-altering. This procedure requires a practitioner with specific, verifiable training and experience. Research thoroughly and consult a medical professional before proceeding.

Modifications in this category carry high risk of permanent complication including vision loss, nerve damage, scarring, or systemic infection. These are not decisions to make impulsively. Consultation with multiple experienced practitioners and a medical professional is strongly advised.

Clean the stretched tissue with saline. The lip and teeth can be affected — regular dental monitoring is important.
Dental and gum damage from plate pressure, speech changes, tearing if plates are too heavy, permanent structural changes to the lip.
Lip plate stretching is a marriage and identity ritual for Mursi and Suri women in southern Ethiopia. The practice has deep cultural meaning in those communities distinct from its Western modification adoption.

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