Alyssa Liu’s 'smiley' piercing: how she did it and how it fits her Olympic comeback

alyssa liu pierced her own frenulum — the thin strip of tissue under the upper lip — and the silver curved hook that flashes over her two front teeth has become a signature look as she competes at the 2026 Winter Olympics; she sits in third place after the women’s short program on February 17 and will skate the Women’s Free Skate on Thursday, February 19.

Alyssa Liu’s 'smiley': she pierced it herself

Her mouth jewelry is not a dental gem or braces but a labial frenulum piercing, often called a “smiley. ” alyssa liu has said she pierced it herself just over two years ago, using a mirror and a piercing needle while her sister held up her lip. “I did it myself, ” she has said about the procedure.

How the piercing and style show up on the ice

The silver curved hook hangs down so that when she beams after a routine the metal catches the light; at each tip, an arrow rests near her front teeth, adding a flash to podium photos. The piercing’s visibility has accompanied a strong Olympic run: Liu helped the U. S. win gold in the team event and finished third in the short program on February 17, leaving her tightly grouped with other top skaters heading into the free skate on February 19.

Style, choreography and a comeback with conditions

The piercing sits alongside other deliberate style choices: Liu adds a horizontal blonde stripe to her dark brown hair each year and has described her look as “alternative. ” She returned to competitive skating after retiring at 16 following her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022, but she set clear conditions for her comeback: she would wear what she wants, skate to the music she chooses, eat what she wants and take breaks when she wants. That approach helped her win the 2025 World Championships before arriving in Milan for these Games.

Her longtime choreographer noticed the piercing and responded with enthusiasm; he liked the way it fit her personality and said it deepened his sense of how to project her on the ice.

For now, the immediate stake is concrete: Liu will skate the Women’s Free Skate on Thursday, February 19, where she has another chance to move up from third and contend for an individual Olympic medal.