All about lip piercing
Piercings are a great way to express your individuality without the permanency of a tattoo. They can easily be changed in colour or design to suit your mood, and when you’re over it just take it out.
Make sure your employer is OK with you having a facial piercing. Although I don’t have a problem with facial piercings, many people do, especially when they are trying to project a corporate image.
Do your homework
Piercings may not be permanent but they can still cause infections and holes in the wrong places if done incorrectly.
You should find a reputable piercer. Do this by talking to others who have piercings and doing some research online.
Finding a reputable piercer with experience and skill will ensure you are happy with the outcome. Their studio should be clean and you should be comfortable with them.
Be sure to call them or go to their studio before you want to get the piercing done to make an appointment and find out the price.
Decide what style of piercing you want
Before your appointment you will need to know what style of piercing you want. You will need to know if you want it on your bottom or top lip, in the middle, to one side, or further down for a labret piercing. You may want a combination of them, like snakebites.
Getting it done
Eat a light meal (to combat wooziness) and brush your teeth before your appointment. When you arrive have a look around the studio. If you are uncomfortable with the piercer or the place looks unclean just leave. Don’t worry about offending people, your health is more important. If you’ve done your homework it shouldn’t come to that.
You may need to fill out a consent form and pay when you arrive, you might be asked for ID if you are young. While it’s not illegal to pierce young people (depending on where you are) many studios give an age limit for both of your safety.
The piercer should now discuss with you what type of piercing you want and where you want it. You will need to choose if you want a stud or a ring. I find a stud is easier to get used to and is more discreet. You’ll be stuck with this decision for a few weeks, but then you can change the jewelry as you please.
Next the area around your mouth will be disinfected and the piercer will use a marking pen to mark the spot to be pierced. You should check this in the mirror. Be very sure you are happy with the positioning.
If you are getting snakebites make sure the positions are symmetrical.
You should also take into account any future piercings you may get.
When I got the bottom left side of my lip pierced the piercer let me know he had placed the mark in a spot that would suit me and look symmetrical if I ever decided to get the other side pierced.
Once the correct spot is identified and agreed upon a brand new(!!) needle will be taken out of its packet for use. Your lip will be clamped and the needle will be pushed through the mark, usually into a piece of cork. It will pinch but shouldn’t be overly painful.
The piercer will then need to remove the needle and you will feel another pinch as the jewelry is inserted.
My piercer wore gloves, changed them a couple of times and washed his hands 2-3 times during my short appointment. He made me feel comfortable, explained what he was doing every step of the way and made sure I was in charge of all the decisions.
There was a remarkable difference between him and other places I’ve been pierced with less experience and skill.
And that’s it!
Now your piercer will discuss aftercare. Ask questions about anything you are unsure of. You will be given a sheet with instructions, this sheet should also include the gauge and length (if a stud was chosen) of the jewelry. The jewelry information is important for purchasing future jewelry.
When your piercing is healed and you are choosing new jewelry you will need to get some the same gauge. If you try to insert jewelry that is too big it will cause your lip to swell and will probably hurt.
An iceblock is a good option at this stage to help with the swelling.
Aftercare
The most important thing to remember is that your piercing is a wound. You should treat it like one to avoid unnecessary damage and infections.
- Clean it with soap – Clean the area twice a day using antibacterial soap. Using warm water lather the soap in your hands and then apply it to the jewelry and skin. Dry by dabbing the spot with a clean paper towel or napkin. Do this until the skin heals.
Never use alcohol or peroxide to clean the area. It will dry out the piercing and may cause it to heal improperly. - Avoid touching it – When you do you must clean your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap first. Don’t let anyone else touch it.
You will, in reality, have an overwhelming urge to touch it all the time so carry clean gauze (or something like it) with you. Use the gauze if you simply MUST touch it. - Use mouthwash – This can be a 50/50 mix of mouthwash and water, or you can create a saline solution (1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to every cup of water). Use it after meals and smoking.
- Avoid oral sex or kissing while your piercing is healing.
- Use ice blocks, cold drinks, ice chips, frozen yoghurt etc to help with the swelling.
- Oral piercings will close up very quickly when the jewelry is taken out. Make sure you replace it straight away with new jewelry or a retainer if you do remove it, and want to keep it open.
You should be able to change the jewelry yourself after about 8 weeks. If you are uncomfortable doing this or having trouble with it you can go back to your piercer to get it done.
If you got a labret stud as your jewelry you may want to get it changed earlier as you are pierced with a long bar initially to allow for swelling. Once the swelling has gone the long bar will get in the way and you may find yourself biting it accidentaly.
What happens if things go wrong
It is normal for the piercing to be a bit crusty at first. This means it is healing. Keep an eye on it though and if you do get an infection DO NOT remove the jewelry. It is the only thing allowing the piercing to drain. If you remove it the wound may close around it.
Visit your doctor for futher advice.
Enjoy!
Most of all >>> This advice should not be a substitute for the advice your piercer gives you. They are the ones in the business and in general will know what they are doing.
I am not a piercer now and never have been. Feel free to leave comments if you have any questions.
60 Responses to “All about lip piercing”
I like your eyebrows!!
My 2cents.. I wouldnt clean the area with soap even if it is antibacterial. I use sea salt and water. Best thing ever. A peircing studio in christchurch put me onto it and i’ve never looked back. but thats my 2cents.
Lol thanks. Nice advice. I was advised to do both, clean with antibacterial soap twice a day and use the saline for any other times it needed a clean. Worked well for me.
But it’s always best to follow the advice of your own piercer. :D
ooh i love getting pierced. i had snakebites a few years back, i still miss them sometimes. at the moment my facial mods are a vertical labret and a monroe piercing. and i agree with QueenBitch about the no soap thing, anything other than sea salt and water just irritated my piercings. but everyone’s body is different, i have sensitive skin so soap was a no-no.
I love the vertical labrets! Think they look very cool.
Fair enough with the soap thing. I used mild antibacterial soap which was no way near as drying as normal soap and it worked fine.
I had a monroe peircing 4 days ago and it has swollen really bad and just will not go down. My peircer did nothing of what you said. and i have also just learnt that he didnt put a long bar in it is just a normall sized one so is it diging into my lip underneath witch is hurting me and i think may not be helping with the swelling this was my first peircing other than my belly button that i had done years ago. The peircer didnt even clamp my lip! I am not happy as i look like a fish and it is very iraitable and painfull at times. Thanks for the advice though i wil remember this if i ever go and get another peircing.
O dear! I’ve never had a monroe so I’m not sure if the process is entirely the same but if you are having problems with it definitely go and see your piercer or another one who you trust and see what you can do. Keep it iced, take some panadol, and be very gentle with it and hopefully the swelling will come down shortly.
I hope it turns out ok.
Hey, I have snakebites and I’ve had them for about 2 years. I’m planning to go for a job soon, if I take them out how long will it take for them to close over? I mean they’re small, but I take about four times as long as normal people.
I’ve never taken my lip piercing out but anything involving the mouth will close up pretty quickly. It depends on the person but most will close within an hour to a day.
Others will be able to keep the piercing out for a lot longer, with some being able to keep them out for a few weeks and still get the jewellery back in. Being able to keep them out for extended periods would be more common for someone who’s had the piercing for a lot longer.
I’m no expert but I guess that lip piercings never heal completely while you’ve got jewellery in them because you’re dealing with raw skin so your body will be quick to react and heal the “wound”.
If you’re serious about getting the sort of job where you don’t think you’ll be able to have facial piercings I’d advise either taking them out for good or putting in a clear retainer.
I just got my monroe today:D,
It didn’t rlly hurt( well like 2 seconds of pain only lol)
Its not swollen It just feels swore,
I dunnoh but like after 30 mins of getting it and being in a moving car,
I got rlly woozy for like 5 mins, but I feel okay now,
I’m off to clean it now,
With,,
*antibacterial soap(AVOIDING SOAP).
*Sea salt/saline
Woo yes ahahaah
That’s great!
Got a side bottom lip piercing about a week and a half ago.. Healing perfectly but now I wonder how many days after the piecing should I do my cleaning rutine.
Hi Vero, you should keep up the cleaning routine until your piercing is healed. Usually this takes 4-8 weeks, but can take longer.
hey well I have my left lip pirce.
and I need help with the mouthwash and stuff to get it clean my friends helping but she’s had one longer than I had..
p.s. after the 6 weeks wen I get to change the pirceing how long will it take to close?? gosh my lip is swelling!!!! its a 14 but am still new to this lip !!!
so please any advise??
It really depends on your body how long it will take to close. Because your piercing is brand new I would say anywhere between 30 minutes to a couple of hours and it’ll be gone, or too small to fit anything through.
Hi, I want to get the bottom left of my lip pierced, a stud. Probably going to in a couple of weeks. Mums not going to take it well but i think its worth it :) (im 14) I’ve got my bellybutton pierced and 6 piercings on my ears.
Just if you have any advice on what i should say to my mother or how i should let her find out.
Im planning to do division 2 nursing do you think i would be permitted to have a lip piercing?
And yeah, just any advice generally. Thanks, Ruby.
Hi Ruby
I have no problems with people having piercings obviously, but you need to be aware that most people will look down on you for being pierced. Especially when it’s on your face.
Does your mum know about your belly button? Did she ‘let you’ get it done? What does your school think about piercing?
These are things you need to think about.
I’m not sure of the reasons why your mum won’t like the piercing, but perhaps it’s because of the social implications. Maybe you can wear a dainty little stud in your lip when you’re at home. People often comment on how cute mine is, and most of the time it’s not obvious it’s there. She might feel better about it if it’s no a huge black ring that’s engulfing your lip.
Regarding your nursing. You’re only 14 at the moment so you’ll get a few years of wear out of the piercing before you start nursing. I think you’ll find it hard to be taken seriously when you’re trying to find a nursing job if you’re pierced. Who knows what will happen in the next few years, and it will depend on the culture of the country you’re from, and the culture of the hospital you’re applying to. The great thing about piercings is that you can take them out if they’re hindering you. :]
Hey there! This is a really great webpage and I think you did an excellent job of explaining things. I’m 16 and I’ve been wanting to get snakebites for about three years now. My only problems are that my parents don’t know I want them and I’m pretty sure they would kill me if I ever told them/asked for them/got it done. So yea, just wondering if you had any suggestions for that? Also, I’m kinda paranoid and I’m really scared that if I did get it done, something would go wrong (e.g. infections, Hep C, chipping of my teeth, pushing my gums down etc) and I was just wondering if the risk of that sort of thing is really as high as a lot of websites make it out to be? Sorry, I’m so full of questions, but I only have one more. One of my friends has a lip ring and he said that he never has any problems with it and another one of my friends used to have one, but took it out. She has a small dot where it used to be and its only noticeable when she points it out. I’ve heard that the hole may never heal, it can leave a small dot or scar, or that it can heal completely. Just wondering if you knew anything about that? (I know that it depends on the persons body, just curious as to whether one of them is more common, e.g. is it more common for most people to get a dot). Sorry to bombard you with questions (and if you don’t know the answers, thats cool). Thank-you for your help =D
Hi Amelia! Don’t apologise for all the questions, that’s why I do this. :]
I’m not sure what your living situation is, how much freedom you have in your life etc, but when I was 16 I got my tongue pierced. My mum knew I was getting it done but recognised that I was old enough to choose to have it done or not. It was my responsibility and I paid with it from my own money.
My suggestion is that you do talk to your parents before getting them done. Is the hell you get for doing it behind their backs worth the few hours you’ll have them in before they force you to take them out? Probably not, and it’d be a waste of money. Maybe you can talk to them and ask why they don’t like the idea of you getting them done. If it’s an issue with the way they look reassure them that studs are available that are very small. Even my boss in a corporate environment was surprised with how dainty it was, he expected a humongous looking ball.
As for health repercussions, I’m sorry but I really don’t know the statistics. Make sure you go to a respected, clean body piercer who has a new pair of gloves at least once per client and changes needles every time. This should stop any Hep C infections and minimise the risk of other infections. Other infections are your responsibility during aftercare. Keep the wound clean, don’t use fluffy towels etc and if you do get an infection leave the metal in till you get it seen to!
Though I’m not sure about all of the oral problems I do believe that a middle labret piercing causes more damage than side piercings. Receding gumlines is a big problem with lip piercings, about 30% more people get them when they have lip piercings, sometimes only reparable by surgery.
Keep your teeth really clean and go to the dentist regularly and you’ll fare better.
As for your question about scars, holes closing up etc. General consensus around the Internet is that it’s rare that a hole doesn’t close up, but on some people it can take months. And it almost always leaves a very little dot or dent where the piercing was. It’s scar tissue, usually unnoticeable or coverable by a little bit of makeup.
Hope that helps a bit.
They’re cool with some things, but not others (e.g. they let me get my hair dyed black and red which is something that they were totally against, but gave in one day) so I shall try talking to them some more about it.
Thank-you very much for all of your help! You answered a lot of questions for me which were hard to find on other sites (and when I did, they weren’t very clear).
Thanks again!
Amelia =)
Hi I’m sorry for the long comment, I jus’ need a lil’ help. My sister has piercings [snakebites & nose]. At first she had only one lip piercing but this year for her birthday she decided to get the other side of her lip done a few months ago. While it was healing, she used an antiseptic which caused an area around the piercing on the inside of her lip to “bubble” up. Like a small blister. We think the antiseptic could be the cause of it. So here’s my first question, do you know of a remedy that could help her? She hates doctors and refuses to go until I go through every source I can that could provide any helpful advice as to a cream she could use that could heal the area.
My other question is in regards to the same piercing. She took it out for a few hours and now the piercing won’t go back in. It only goes half way. Does that mean its closed? And should she wait for her “blister” to heal before she gets it re-pierced?
Thanks for your time,
Shai
Hi Shai
Honestly, I have no experience as a body piercer or dealing with infections. So I really suggest your sister talks to the person who pierced her lip as they’ve likely seen many similar cases and will be able to tell her whether she should be worried about it. Particularly now that the jewellery won’t go in. If it is an infection she’s dealing with and the piercing heals over it could trap the infection and make it worse.
For now, until she can get to the piercer, I’d use a hot compress (not too hot) to draw the potential infection out and/or soak her lip in saline solution. Do this for about 10 minutes a few times a day.
Hope it gets better!
Hey
Thanks for answering my questions :) I think I will take her to see the guy who did the piercing and she’s using a hot compress and soaking her lip in saline solution til then.
Thank you so much for taking the time.
Shai x
I GOT A MONROE PIERCING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008 AND ITS STUCK!! I CANT REMOVE IT AT ALL..WHAT CAN I DO TO GET IT OFF? I WANNA SWITCH THEM OUT BUT THE BALL WONT BUDGE..ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE???
I had the same problem when I tried to change my stud. I think bodily gunk had gotten into it and stuck like glue (gross I know), be gentle, you don’t want to get it all inflamed. Try cleaning it well, and maybe try a bit of cleaning alcohol, don’t use too much it’ll dry out your skin.
Something else you could try once it’s clean is to make sure the jewellery is cold, not hot. Heat expands metal so it will make it harder to undo.
If you still can’t get it out then a piercer will be able to change the jewellery for you. They got all the right tools and you can trust them to use pliers or something around your mouth.
hae um i was thinking of getting a bottom monroe but they dont allow you to have facial piercings. i was wondering how long you have to wait till you can put one of those retainer thingys that stops it from closing and how much they are
thanks heaps!!!! great website!!! =D
i mean they dont allow you to have facial piercings at school
Hey Kelsey
It takes about 6-8 weeks for your labret piercing to heal. After that you can put in a retainer, it will be pretty invisible but many people say it just looks like you have a spot that wont go away. You may need to shop around to find a retainer that is exactly the right size, and maybe find a flesh coloured ring for it rather than clear plastic which can end up looking white.
kk thanks so much for your help! :D
I just got snake bites, ive wanted them since i was 14/15 and am now 20, i am a guy and have a larger buttom lip, they look pretty good actally, they told me to use just 50/50 mouth wash and washed down tea tree oil, should i be using more ?
More than 50% mouth wash. Na, you don’t want to kill the skin. Also, your piercer is the expert so you should generally listen to their recommendations.
umm i just got my lip periced is it suppost to swell so big i mean it is huge help
It will definitely swell. You’ve just had a needle pushed through soft tissue in your face, so swelling is normal.
You should use ice to help with the swelling, but if you’re worried about it or it doesn’t start going down then go see your piercer to make sure everything is ok.
Don’t take the jewellery out though.
Hi, i had my lip pierced about four weeks ago, it healed greatly. I went to my piercer a couple days and and he changed it to a horseshoe ring. Since i got it, i have this blister type thing inside my mouth. I believe the jewlery is too tight, because my bottom lip is full. The blister type thing bled a tiny bit, i don’t think it’s infected, i think it’s the jewlery being too small for my lips. Also the ring rubbing against my lip can cause this? I’m on an antibiotic from being sick, so if it is an infection i already am being medicated. What do you think it is? Just a little blister and i need to get a bigger horseshoe ring?
Also, i think since the ring is so tight, its squishing my lip obviously but pulling against the pierced hole, that’s what’s making it irritated and bleed. When i say it bled, it was BEARLY anything. It was a sloight pink color on my q-tip.
I just got my lip pierced yesterday. I had a Monroe piercing before, but it embedded in my lip. And I had to get it surgically removed. I’m terrified that this is going to happen to my lip piercing, and I want to know if my piercing will be okay. I’m cleaning it, just as the guy said, and my lip isn’t really swollen, but is it normal for a lip stud to try and sink into your lip in the beginning? I asked the guy before I pierced it if it will embed, and he said no, but is it supposed to try and pocket?
I can only comment with my own experiences…but from my own experience yes it’s fine that your lip piercing has sunk into your lip. Mine did this and almost 2 years later it sits in a little divot the back of the stud created in my lip. This means the back of the stud is in line with the rest of my lip so it doesn’t stick out and rub against my gum.
If it looks like skin is starting to grow over it, that’s when I’d go see your piercer about it.
Heyy, I also have a question to ask. =]
I have now had my bottom, right lip pierced for a couple of months now, and I have started to notice that the ball sinks into my lip, because of playing with it back along. I’m worried that it will sink further. Is this something for me to worry about? If I try to not play with it will the piercing shrink back to size? I had a dream that I could pull it straight through, I really don’t want that to happen! Haha. What do you think? I hope that it is nothing to worry about because I love it. Also I’ll add that I didn’t have any infections or major problems…
Thank you x
Uhm, I just got my lip pierced 3 days ago, And I have a stud in it now, but the back of my stud is cutting into my lip, I’m calling the people who did it today, and seeing if they’ll put a hoop in it,? Before I do though, Is it normal for it to do that? Like, it hurts really bad. And I’m not really sure what to do? And will it hurt when they put the hoop on? Where I’ve only had it pierced for 3 days today? I don’t want it to hurt, Like I know they’ll jave to take the stud out than put the hoop in, how bad will it hurt?
I got my lip pierced on the right side a little over a month ago. I got a stud put in it. I did everything my piercer told me to do. I cleaned the outside with antibacterial soap and rinced with mouthwash. Well a couple weeks ago skin started growing over it in the inside! Well I just took the piercing out I didnt know wat to do!! Some of the skin has gone away but its still there! Help! Wat do I do! Its gross lookin in the inside of my mouth!
Hey, I’ve had my lip pierced about 5 months now, and it was fine, but this last week, it’s been preeetty sore, and on the inside, it’s a bit red, and where the back of the bar is, it’s a pale pinky whitey colour, it’s not liquidy, or gooey.
Can you help me, what is this? How do I treat it?!
hey my monroe is embedded and im wondering where i can go to get it surgically removed without it costing to much money? where did u go? and did it cost a lot?
Hi…um…I am probably going to get my lip pierced…at first thought of getting my upper lip pierced on the left…but now thinking of getting my lower lip pierced on the left…actually I am supposed to work in a call center in about 3-4 days. I am going to turn 19 in October. Of course I am damn scared… I got my ears pierced twice and eyebrow pierced on the left side. Hiding the lip piercing from family is not an issue as I am anyhow away from them for at least 8 weeks or so. I just wanted to know how long will it take me to talk properly, because it is very important to have the proper accent for each word or they will fire me (I am a fresher).
Heey, well i just got my lower lip pierced and it looks soo pretty, it’s swollen and everithing but it’s normal (:
To Moon Cukie, your will not have any trouble speaking (:
So i took the ball off of my lip ring before it healed, bit down to hard on the ring and smashed it, the openings to the ring are inside my lip and has healed over it so i cant take it off.. i have job interview tomorow becasue i postponed it today.. doctor? er? the tooth, string, and slamming the door method? please help!
I got my lip pierced. Two days ago. And its so swollen i cant talki cant feel it like its numb and its a 14. Im in alot of pain and i found out my piercer may nit have sterolized the needle. I need help l. So anybody with answers PLEASE tet me 740 919 3498. PLEASE PLEASE help. I cant even go to school.
If you’re in a lot of pain it sounds like it may be infected. Don’t take the jewellery out just yet as the infection may get trapped. Hopefully you haven’t been playing with it too much as our hands are too dirty to play with an open wound like that.
Keep cleaning it with salt water. And if you’re as distressed as it seems you are then get yourself back to the piercer, or a doctor for treatment!
Hey! I have a question. I have had many piercings over the years and I’m pretty experienced on how my body handles things…with that being said I’m a little confused at the moment…I have had my lip pierced for 7 years and never had a problem with it…but for the past day and a half it’s sore like it was when It was first pierced, not swollen or oozing and it definitely doesn’t look or feel infected. its Just sore when I eat or smile or laugh or the ring moves. I also did not hit it or pull on it or do anything that might cause irritation. I’m just a little nervous about it because last yr my piercing felt like this and it was because I got a pimple right next to my piercing hole and it became really REALLY swollen and red and the only way to fix it was to wait for it to come to a head so that I could pop it and drain it out. But this time I do not have a pimple…do you have any idea if its not the start of that or anything else I mentioned, what else it could be? Also I have a curved barbell in it (the perfect size, same ive always warn and it is the proper stainless steel)
Sorry, I don’t have any answers for this. Sounds like you have more experience than me anyway. Could it be an ulcer or an allergy playing up?
I got my lip piercing 3 days ago and the back of the lip is getting swollen and covering my piercing, what should i do?
i have had my lip pierced bottom lip for about 4 weeks now hasnt swelled was gooey for about 4 days but now its fine am i ok to put in a smaller bar it hurts when it gets caught on my shirt and when i accidently bite it and rubs on my gums
Hi! I got my lip pierced exactly three months ago and I’ve been taking good care of it like it told me to but the gums on the inside of my lip is starting to grow around it and now there’s like a little chunk of gum right next to the disc. Is this really abnormal?? Take it out or keep it in?
Make sure to keep It clean you can only get it pierced so many times before it will start messing up your lip
hi i recently got my lip pierced right, lower lip and on the day i had no trouble no blood during or after the piercing and no soreness or swelling then when i woke up the next day my lip felt and looked like a balloon and started to feel extremely sore and irritating i noticed that the bar the piercer put in is too small to accompany the swelling what should i do to keep the swelling to a minimal to stop discomfort until i can get back to the shop and see about changing the bar?
Hey! I think this is a fabulous little site for people with questions and/or concerns about all aspects of the piercing process. I have my nose done as well as my Monroe recently done and I’m absolutely in love with them both. But yes, I just wanted to drop a line thanking you for a nice little site such as this.
Best of luck!
Jenna
hi i recently got my lip pierced right, lower lip and on the day i had no trouble no blood during or after the piercing and no soreness or swelling then when i woke up the next day my lip felt and looked like a balloon and started to feel extremely sore and irritating i noticed that the bar the piercer put in is too small to accompany the swelling what should i do to keep the swelling to a minimal to stop discomfort until i can get back to the shop and see about changing the bar?
hi. i just wanted to say thanks for this article because i want to get mine done, snake bites. lol. but to my knowledge h2ocean works well for disinfecting it too.
Thanks Charlotte, even I got it pierced soon after that post and I love the way it looks :D
I got a Monroe piercing almost 3 weeks ago and I love it!! The only thing is that shortly after I clean it, it gets kind of stuck. I’m not talking about the ball or the back of the jewelry getting stuck inside of my lip or anything… Just that it tends not to slide anymore. Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening? I clean it 3 times a day and it’s doing well, just gets dry and sticks until I wet it to clean it.
I gotten my upper lip pierced and I had to keep removing it due to the fact I work with kids so a couple days want pass and my hole closed up and I reopened it and now my ring is stuck and I cannot get it out
Ok I got my lip pierced three days ago. It looks kinda like my skin is growin over the piercing because of the swelling. the pierer did great but didnt put a big enough ring in my mouth. Im wondrin what somethings I could do to help with the swelling and what should I do about the ring?
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