Alysa Liu Teeth and the 'Smiley' Piercing Shaping Her Olympic Style
Alysa Liu’s distinctive look has become part of the story at the Winter Olympics: alysa liu teeth — a visible frenulum piercing that flashes when she smiles — are drawing attention as she sits in third place after the women's short program, with the free skate scheduled for Thursday night (ET). The piercing and other stylistic choices have been folded into a broader comeback that her team and choreographer see as central to her return.
Alysa Liu Teeth and the "smiley"
The accessory is a labial frenulum piercing, a small piece of jewelry placed in the thin strip of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums. It hangs down over Liu’s front two teeth; a silver curved hook with arrow-shaped tips rests at either end and becomes noticeable whenever she flashes a wide grin. The piece has been described publicly as a "smiley" and has become a signature element of her on-ice persona.
How she got the piercing
Liu has explained that she pierced the frenulum herself. Her account of the process notes that she used a mirror and a piercing needle while her sister held up the lip; she then pushed the needle through. She has said the piercing was done a little over two years ago. That do-it-yourself approach, and the visibility of the jewelry when she smiles, are among the reasons the detail has attracted attention during the competition.
Choreography, comeback and context
The piercing is part of a larger presentation Liu has constructed since returning to competitive skating after an earlier retirement. When she resumed skating, she set clear conditions for herself: she would wear what she wants, dance to music she chooses, eat when she wants and take breaks as needed. Those boundaries are intended to keep the sport from swallowing her and to let the person she is come through in performance.
Her longtime choreographer has embraced those choices and helped translate them onto the ice. He has praised her individuality and the partnership between choreography and personal expression; he also reacted positively to the piercing and its statement. Liu has said there is no easy way to describe what he has done for her and that he actively works to understand her as a person — an approach she and her coach describe as balancing exacting technique with creative freedom.
Sporting-wise, Liu entered the free skate tightly packed with other leading competitors. She previously contributed to a team gold medal and now carries individual-medal hopes into the final program. If Liu pulls off a top finish in the free skate, it would complete a comeback narrative noted as historically significant: becoming the first U. S. woman to medal in individual figure skating since the mid-2000s would underscore the arc of her return.
What to watch next
The free skate on Thursday night (ET) will decide how Liu’s comeback is measured in results. Judges will score technical elements and presentation; observers will also note how the personal styling choices — from the hair halos she adds each year to the frenulum jewelry — integrate with the overall performance. For fans and critics alike, the pairing of distinct personal style and competitive mettle will frame how Liu’s second chapter in the sport is remembered.
