Lip plates are a form of body modification found in Africa and South America, with some people outside of these cultures also practicing it for aesthetic, religious, or cultural reasons. To wear a lip plate, the lip must be pierced and stretched over time to accommodate a plate made of clay, wood, or metal. The size of the plate can vary, and historically both men and women have used them for personal ornamentation or religious/social connotations. Some people find this practice off-putting due to personal aesthetic or cultural appropriation concerns.
A lip plate is a piece of jewelry involved in a form of body modification that can be seen in both Africa and South America. Some people outside of the cultures where they are traditionally used may also practice this form of body modification, for aesthetic, religious, or cultural reasons. The modern primitive movement in the West is especially associated with the use of this jewelry among people in the developed world.
To wear a lip plate, someone must pierce your lip and slowly stretch out the hole. Classically, the piercing has been achieved by cutting the lip and inserting a small dowel, and allowing the piercing to heal completely before installing a slightly larger dowel. Stretching a lip to accommodate a plate can take time, as the goal is to take advantage of the elasticity of natural tissue to create a very large hole in the lip that can be filled with a plate made of clay, wood, or metal. Some plates take the form of hollow rings, depending on the culture.
The size of a labial plate can vary considerably. Some are relatively small, while others can be close to the size of a dinner plate. Although various theories have been postulated about the different sizes used, the most likely explanation has to do with the individual elasticity of the wearer. Some people are able to stretch their lips much more than others, and everyone is forced to stop stretching at some point.
Lip plates can be worn on top, bottom, or both lips. Historically, both men and women have used these dishes, and many people have made their own. African women from the Mursi tribe, a tribe famous for their lip plates, decorate their plates, turning them into intricate works of art that are meant to reflect the personality of the owner. In fact, the Mursi are so famous for their lip lift that some people in the West refer to a lip plate as a Mursi.
Among tribal peoples, the lip plate is designed as a personal ornamentation and sometimes also has religious or social connotations. For example, Suri women historically began stretching for a lip plate at the time of marriage. In the northern hemisphere, people usually wear these badges because they find them aesthetically appealing or because they want to identify with tribal people. Some people find this practice off-putting, either because of their personal aesthetic or because they don’t like cultural appropriation.
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