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Alysa Liu explained the backstory behind her "smiley" lip piercing that was on full display at the 2026 Winter Olympics
The Team USA figure skater's lip jewelry is only visible when she grins wide enough to reveal her gums
Liu won a gold medal in the women's single and team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Alysa Liuhas a golden smile!
The 20-year-old Team USA figure skater showed off some medal even before winning her medals (two gold medals, to be clear) at the2026 Winter Olympics, where fans got a close-up look at her lip piercing. The athlete also shared the unexpected origin of her look.
During an interview, Liu — who's become synonymous for her incomparable athletic abilities, her perky personality and unique fashion flair — toldtold NBC affiliate TMJ4 Newsabout her lip bling, which is technically known as a frenulum piercing.
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"I pierced it a little over two years ago now," she told the outlet ahead of the Winter Games, where she placed first in women's singles and team programs. "I had my sister hold up my lip, and I was looking in the mirror, and I had my piercing needle and then — yeah, I just put it through."
A frenulum piercing passes through a small, thin fold of tissue — aka, the frenulum — connecting two parts of the body, in this case the upper lip to the gums. The jewelry is only seen when the wearer grins wide enough to reveal the gum line, hence the "smiley" nickname.
The piercing isn't the only fashion-forward move Liu rocked at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Her hair also caught the attention of many due to thebold, bleached rings— or as she calls them, "halos" — that wrap around her dark brown locks.
Liu explained the significance behind her unique hairstyle when speaking with media at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships prior to the Winter Games. When asked about whether she plans to keep the look for the Olympics, she confirmed "it'll be the same."
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Then Liu shared why she chooses to bleach her dark brown locks in "ring" formation.
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"I do this every year. I add a stripe, so it's going to be like this for a year. Then next year wintertime, like end of December, I do another ring," she said when speaking withNBC New York, who asked about her 'do.
The decorated athlete said her current hairstyle has been three years in the making, which explains why she has three bleached rings in her hair.
"So this one I did at the end of 2023, then did another one in 2024 and 2025," she shared, pointing to each ring as she proudly broke it down.
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Before winning gold at the 2026 Winter Games, Liu — who retired from figure skating in 2022 before finding joy in the sport again in 2024 — has become a fan favorite of Team USA, beloved for her bold personality and transparency with her fans.
Some may consider her a role model, though Liu said she's not totally convinced, telling PEOPLE, "I don't know if I really want to be a role model, I would say, but I guess I am."
Still, she's fully on board with those who find her alt style iconic: "That's really awesome."
"I'm just doing me," Liu continued, "so, it's cool if I'm inspiring any other people. I just have a certain fashion sense and I'm kind of stubborn with it, so it'll always come through."
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