Alysa Liu Teeth and the piercing that has become part of her Olympic comeback

aly sa liu teeth have become a visible part of the 20-year-old's return to elite skating in Milan, where she sat in third place after the women's short program and will skate the free program on Thursday night.

Alysa Liu Teeth: the smiley piercing explained

The ornament catching the most camera attention is a frenulum piercing — a silver curved hook that pierces the labial frenulum, the thin band of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums. At each tip, an arrow rests on her front two teeth, a small, steady accent that shows up often because Liu smiles so much during competition.

Liu said she did the piercing herself, with her sister holding her lip while she used a needle. The self-made detail is part of a larger personal style that also includes a halo hair design Liu likens to a tree; she has added a new ring to that halo over time.

Choreographer’s reaction and the conditions of her comeback

Massimo Scali, Liu’s longtime choreographer, saw the piercing and liked it so much that it made him want one too. That reaction underscores the role Scali plays in projecting Liu’s personality on the ice; Liu said there is no way to describe how much he has done for her as she competes in Milan.

Liu returned to competitive skating after retiring at 16 with explicit terms for her second run: she would wear what she wants, skate to the music she wants, eat what she wants and take breaks when she wants. Those conditions are part of why the silver hook has become more than an accessory — it is a literal expression of autonomy that appears alongside her choreography.

Team gold, a podium chase and what comes next

Liu was part of the U. S. squad that won gold in the team event, and she remains a contender in the women's singles: sitting third after the short program, she heads into the free skate on Thursday night with a chance to medal. If she succeeds, it would punctuate a comeback narrative that began when she stepped away from the sport as a teenager and later returned determined to control how she presents herself.

aly sa liu teeth have offered an unmistakable visual shorthand for that return — a small, deliberate flourish that has drawn attention in Milan’s rinks and among the judges' cameras.

The immediate next milestone is the women's free skate on Thursday night in Milan, where Liu will complete her bid for an individual medal.