What Is a Dahlia Piercing? A Pro Body Piercer Explains

Face and body piercings are getting more creative by the second, and it's almost as if we see a new piercing trend popping up on our explore pages every other day. In recent weeks, we've been pretty fixated on the Dahlia piercing, a double facial piercing on both sides of the mouth that — as you probably could have guessed — gets its name from a rather dark moment in history. (More on that later.)

Dahlia piercings are rising in popularity, and if you're considering getting one, make sure to do your research on the risks associated with it as you would any other piercing. If you're interested in learning all things Dahlia piercings, Vicki Rose, a professional body piercer at New York City's So Gold Studios, shared some information on a few things you should know before getting one.

The piercing itself, also known as the "joker piercing," consists of two jewels placed at both corners of the mouth, which seems simple enough, but the inspiration behind the look is dark. It's named after the story of Elizabeth Short, an actress that was murdered in the 1940s and left with a smile carved into her face. She was later nicknamed "The Black Dahlia," hence the name and placement of the piercing.

Dahlia piercings have grown in popularity in recent years, and people have become increasingly interested in them, especially since they can create "dahlia dimples," or small holes that sit lower on the face than the traditional dents.

As with most piercings, how badly dahlia bites hurt usually depends on the person getting it and their pain tolerance. Still, Rose says that on the list of places where you can receive a piercing, this isn't the worst — especially compared to more sensitive areas on the body like the nipples.

"Pain is all relative but it's definitely not the most painful piercing to receive," she tells PS. "If you can handle going to the dentist, then you'll be able to tolerate getting this piercing."

Typically, piercings can take anywhere from four to 12 weeks to heal, although you can expect your Dahlia piercing to take a little longer than that.

"Dahlia piercings can take from six months to a year to heal fully and usually end up on the longer side of that," Rose says. "Consulting with a piercer prior to receiving these piercings is optimal to discuss your lifestyle and the risks and upkeep associated with these piercings."

Since there's a large chance that food, drinks, and other ingestible items can either get stuck in the piercing or irritate them, you might want to consult with a piercer about what items you shouldn't eat or drink during your healing process.

Any piercing carries a risk if not properly cared for, as it's technically an open wound that's susceptible to infection. Piercings that are placed in or near the mouth only increase that risk, which is why Rose offers them to her customers only after warning them ahead of time.

"With any oral piercing, you are risking your gum and dental health if jewelry is ever worn that isn't a proper fit for the tissue," she says. "They can be very problematic healers if proper downsizing or shortening of the posts is not performed. Drainage can still happen even after they are 'healed,' and as always, there is a risk of scarring."

In short, Dahlia piercings are safe to get, so long as you make sure you talk out your options with a professional body piercer and make sure you're aware of the risks ahead of time.

Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.