Alysa Liu Teeth and the Story Behind Her 'Smiley' Piercing, Halo Hair and On-Ice Identity

At the Milan Winter Games, conversation about alysa liu teeth has become shorthand for a larger shift: the 20-year-old skater is asserting creative control over her presentation, from a self-done frenulum piercing that glints on her front teeth to a trademark halo hair design. Those visible choices are now inseparable from the narrative of her Olympic return and team success.

Alysa Liu Teeth: What the 'smiley' piercing actually is

The bright flash fans notice when she grins is a labial frenulum piercing, commonly called a "smiley. " The jewelry sits on the thin band of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums and hangs down over her two front teeth. The piece has a silver curved shape with decorative arrow tips that rest near her front teeth when she smiles.

Her approach to the piercing was DIY: she used a piercing needle, looked in a mirror, and had her sister hold up her lip while she put the needle through. She has said she did it herself more than two years ago.

Style as statement: hair, choreography and creative terms

Her hair treatments add to the visual story. She wears horizontal halo-style stripes in her hair, describing the look as rings of a tree that she adds each year. That hair choice grew out of an initial idea she decided not to pursue and now serves as a personal marker of time and identity.

Those aesthetic choices tie directly to how she has framed her comeback. After stepping away from the sport at 16, she returned on her own terms—setting conditions that include wearing what she wants, dancing to music she chooses, eating when she wants, and taking breaks as needed. The result is a version of competitive skating that foregrounds her individuality as much as athletic performance.

How teammates and creative collaborators respond

Her longtime choreographer embraced the piercing as part of what makes her stand out. The piece was described as eye-catching enough to inspire admiration and even curiosity among those in her creative circle, further integrating the look into the choreography and presentation she brings to the ice.

That alignment between athlete and choreographer amplifies the statement the piercing and hairstyle make: they are not incidental accessories but elements considered in the construction of program identity and audience impact.

Context on the ice: placement and events

At these Games, she was part of the U. S. squad that won gold in the team event and she performed strongly in the women's singles short program, where she placed among the top skaters going into the free skate. The visible components of her look—the frenulum piercing and halo hair—have been consistently present during those performances and factor into how viewers and judges perceive her presentation.

What this means going forward

The attention on alysa liu teeth is less about novelty than agency. The piercing and hairstyle are outward markers of a broader, stated purpose: competing on terms that reflect her personal tastes and boundaries. As she continues through the free skate and beyond, those aesthetic decisions will remain part of the conversation about her comeback and how she chooses to tell her story on the ice.

Recent updates have emphasized those choices as intentional creative decisions; details of competitive outcomes and future developments may evolve as the event progresses.