A labret [ley-bret] is form of body piercing; taken literally, it is any type of adornment that is attached to the facial lip (labrum). However, the term usually refers to a piercing that is below the bottom lip, above the chin. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘tongue pillar.’ Among the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, labret piercing was reserved for male members of the higher castes. The name derives from the Latin labrum ‘lip’ and the diminutive suffix -et. However, many in the body-piercing industry incorrectly give it a French pronunciation, though it is not a French word.
There are several different labret variations based on precisely where the piercing is positioned on the lower lip. These include a vertical labret (through the top of the lower lip), snake bites (dual piercings close together reminiscent of fangs), spiderbites (dual piercings very close together on the same side of the face), and a lowbret, which is placed as low as possible toward the chin. The initial piercing is usually done at 1.2 , 1.6 or 2.0 mm diameter. After initial healing, the piercing can then be (gradually) further stretched. Some people chose to stretch to sizes over 10 mm, and the jewelry worn at these larger sizes is then usually a round or oval ‘labret plug.’
The Daily Omnivore 