Alyssa Liu’s DIY 'Smiley' Piercing and the Personal Terms Behind Her Olympic Comeback
Team USA figure skater alyssa liu has become as notable for the personal details she brings to the ice as for her scores: a self-done frenulum piercing that flashes over her front teeth, signature hair stripes added each year, and a set of conditions she set for her return to competition. These elements have emerged alongside her strong Olympic showing—she sits third after the women’s short program and already helped secure a team gold—making her aesthetic choices part of a larger story about autonomy and self-expression in elite sport.
Alyssa Liu’s 'smiley' piercing: the DIY detail fans spot when she smiles
The silver gleam seen when she beams is not a dental appliance but a frenulum piercing, commonly called a "smiley, " positioned in the tissue that connects the upper lip to the gums. The piece of jewelry hangs down over her two front teeth and has been visible during high-profile performances. She pierced it herself just over two years ago, using a piercing needle while her sister held up her lip and a mirror guided placement. She has described the practice as a hobby and noted that she buys proper supplies and does not use safety pins or piercing guns.
Style choices, symbolism and what they communicate on the ice
alyssa liu’s personal style extends beyond the piercing. She has added horizontal platinum-blonde stripes to her dark brown hair, describing each stripe as a ring that marks a year of growth; she first added a stripe in 2023 and has continued the pattern annually. Those visual markers, together with the frenulum jewelry, have become part of how she presents herself while competing.
Those choices are not merely cosmetic. They dovetail with a deliberate set of conditions she established when she returned to skating after an early retirement: she insisted she would wear what she wants, skate to the music she wants, eat when she wants and take breaks when she needs. That framework is both a personal boundary and a creative mandate designed to let her skate on her own terms rather than be consumed by the sport.
Choreography, comeback and competitive context
Her choreographer has played a clear role in translating those personal terms into performance. That working relationship has emphasized projecting the skater’s individuality; the choreography aims to reveal who she is rather than simply check technical boxes. The partnership has been described as collaborative and focused on preserving the skater’s autonomy within a demanding, judged sport.
The competitive arc that frames these choices is straightforward in outline: she made her Olympic debut as a teenager, stepped away from competition, then announced a return and subsequently won a World Championship prior to this Olympic appearance. At these Games she has already contributed to a team gold and sits third after the short program, with the free skate still to come. If she were to medal individually, it would powerfully punctuate a comeback that balances personal expression with elite achievement.
What to watch next
- Free skate performance: she heads into the free skate with podium positioning and the chance to convert her short program placement into an individual medal.
- Artistic projection: watch how the frenulum jewelry, hair stripes and choreographic choices are integrated into her free skate to communicate identity as well as technical skill.
- Longer-term trajectory: her return to competition under self-determined terms offers a model for athletes balancing personal autonomy with elite expectations.
As fans and judges focus on jumps and components, these aesthetic and personal details have become part of her competitive narrative. Whether through a DIY piercing or an insistence on creative control, the elements alyssa liu has brought to the ice are shaping how her comeback will be remembered. Recent updates indicate these details are active parts of her story; specifics may continue to evolve as the free skate unfolds.
