Alysa Liu Teeth: The Story Behind the 'Smiley' Piercing That Became an Olympic Signature

Alysa Liu Teeth: The Story Behind the 'Smiley' Piercing That Became an Olympic Signature

The spotlight on alysa liu teeth has grown alongside the skater’s performances at the Winter Olympics: what observers first saw as a flash of metal is a deliberate style choice, a frenulum "smiley" piercing that Liu pierced herself and that has become part of how she presents herself on the ice.

Alysa Liu Teeth: what the 'smiley' frenulum piercing is and how she got it

The piece of jewelry sits on the labial frenulum — the thin strip of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums — and falls over Liu’s two front teeth when she smiles. The look has been described as a silver curved hook with decorative elements on each tip that rest near the front teeth, creating a bedazzled accent to her grin.

Liu pierced the frenulum herself. Her process involved a mirror, a piercing needle and her sister holding up her lip while she completed the piercing. The DIY origin is now part of the story that fans notice when she smiles broadly during competition and podium moments.

How the piercing fits a larger personal aesthetic and comeback

The piercing is one visible element of a broader set of personal choices Liu has made since returning to the sport. She has embraced a recognizable hair motif — a halo or ring design of horizontal blonde stripes added year by year — and has been clear that she has set terms for her return to competition: autonomy over wardrobe, music choices, and other aspects of her life and training.

That approach has shaped how she presents herself both on and off the ice. The piercing and hair combine into a signature look that amplifies the personal narrative she is choosing to tell while competing. Her choreographer responded enthusiastically to the piercing when he first saw it, even expressing a desire to emulate the accessory, which underscores how the look has resonated within her creative circle as well as with audiences.

Competitive context and what comes next

Liu’s distinctive smile and the alysa liu teeth detail arrived against the backdrop of strong Olympic performances. She contributed to a team gold medal and entered the individual competition positioned among the leaders after the short program, with the free skate remaining the next decisive segment. Her stylistic choices have become part of the public conversation about her skating, but they exist alongside technical goals and the pressure of an Olympic free skate that will determine final standings.

As Liu continues through the competition, the piercing and her hairstyle will likely remain focal points for fans and media — not as distractions, but as deliberate components of the identity she is displaying on the Olympic stage. Observers should expect the skater to keep exercising creative control over how she looks and performs, maintaining the balance she set when she returned to the sport.

Details around the piercing’s care, long-term plans for her look, and the final competitive outcome are part of an evolving story. Recent updates capture the key facts above; further developments may follow as the event progresses.