There are still a lot of people who frown on the practice of body art in any shape or form.
Despite the fact that many people still fiercely insist that body art is simply a fad, it has been around for many centuries and generations, and can be found in many ancient cultures. In fact, body piercing is an art form that dates back to pre-biblical times.
If you're thinking about getting pierced, whether for the first time, or yet again, the location of your next piercing is likely something you've been thinking about...
Piercing can virtually be accomplished in any area of the body. Piercing of one area versus another is no longer reserved for one sex or the other in many instances - and in fact, most piercings are considered to be unisex, with some daring piercings being the exception.
A piercing does involve cutting the body and the time it takes to heal depends largely on the part of the body pierced. For the most part piercings on the face heal faster than others.
While most piercings heal perfectly, the sad fact is that things can go wrong from time to time. One of the more common reasons for a piercing to look odd is the presence of an infection. If your piercing is unusually red, tender, swollen or oozing fluid other than a small amount of whitish yellowish discharge, you have probably acquired an infection and may need medical care.
Prevention is better than cure, so whatever shop you go to should provide disposable, sterile piercing equipment. If you are not sure that equipment is sterile (sterile equipment is usually individually wrapped) then ask how equipment is sterilized. It is possible that the shop uses equipment called an 'autoclave' to clean equipment, which is perfectly safe.
If you are not comfortable with the response you get to your questions, just get up and leave and go somewhere more reputable.
If you're contemplating that crucial first piercing you may just be wondering how exactly it is done. Do they use a gun? Or is it a needle?
First, if a parlor is using a piercing gun, leave immediately because they are not safe. Since they cannot be sterilized, a gun could cause you enormous difficulties in the future.
When you make the decision to get a new piercing one thing you must consider is what type of jewelry you plan to use. Some metals such as Silver simply are not made for piercings - and others like Stainless Steel can help to prevent infection. The tarnish from silver can get deposited into the skin, which darkens the skin around the piercing and can be permanent. Other metals are suited to some areas of the body but not others.
Probably the best choice for your new piercing is implant grade Stainless Steel, which is least likely to produce a foreign body reaction or infection in the skin.
Body Piercings and the Danger of Infections
Whether you're a human pin cushion already or just thinking about your first piercing, with our body piercing guide [http://www.bodypiercingparlor.com] you'll be better prepared about what to expect, discover what types of piercing are avialable, where to get good jewelry and learn what to do if a piercing should go wrong: Body Piercing Secrets [http://www.bodypiercingparlor.com].
The Daith is a section of your ear, comprised completely of cartilage, and it is the outer of rim of cartilage closest to the head. Not many people have daith piercings, and even less think it is a piercable area of the body, but rest assured, the daith IS piercable and it does look fantastic!
Cartilage is nothing more than connective tissue, and the daith is no exception. Although placed on (and slightly in) the ear, the daith piercings will in no way affect your sense of hearing or your balance. There are not many nerves running through the daith, yet many people who get this pierced report a decent amount of uncomfortable pressure being felt, although this usually from the clamps a piercer would use to secure the area. Bleeding can happen with this piercing, not because of the piercing process per se, but because many people are very careless with their ears. New piercings, particularly in cartilage, are very sensitive to abuse, so putting cell phones against your daith, using a q-tip too harshly, shoving iPod headphones (or any headphones) in your newly pierced ear, or pressing your hands against your ears too hard will agitate your piercing and could make it bleed. The daith is in a complicated place (for the ear - in the grand scheme of things, its not nearly the most complicated piercing available) so if you are considering a daith piercing, make sure you are very cautious and protective of it for at least three to six months!
Stretching the daith would be extremely painful, so gauging it wouldn't be recommended by any professional or reputable piercer. Most jewelry used in daith piercings are captive bead rings (and this type of jewelry helps aid the healing process because it's harder for build-up to accrue) although other types of jewelry such as curved or circular barbells may be suitable. Of course, don't even think of replacing the jewelry until it is completely healed - which can take from three months to a year - and even then, your particular ear shape may not be conducive to either barbell shape in this location.
The aftercare is pretty standard for a cartilage ear piercing: soak in warm salt water, don't touch it with your grimy hands, never use rubbing alcohol or Neosporin on it, don't use headphones that require insertion into the ear (there are plenty on the market that won't irritate your piercing), and just be very gentle with your overall ear. In the event of infection, keep up your aftercare routine, but see your piercer for further advice. Sometimes, gently patting diluted tea tree oil helps with swelling and infection, but talk to your piercer first. With proper care management and vigilance, your daith piercing will heal flawlessly in no time!
Daith Piercings
Do you want to know more about body piercings?
To peruse body jewelry, body piercing news, articles, pictures, and other body modifcation information, Jewelry For Body Piercings is one of the best resources on the internet.
Stretch piercings in your ear lobes can be obtained by gauging ears to a specific piercing size, either in one go or by means of several successive earlobe stretchings. A lot depends on how large you want your piercing to be, and anything that one gauge more than the last will involve more than one stretching.
Gauging ears is carried out using 'gauge numbers' that refer to a specific diameter of hole. For example, gauge 20 is written as 20g, and that refers to a piercing of 0.8 mm in diameter. 18g refers to a piercing of 1 mm in diameter, so as the gauge numbers drop then the diameter increases. Also, gauges drop in twos, so that there are no odd gauge numbers. Thus, the sequence goes: 20g, 18g, 16g, 14g and so on to 00g. Therefore one gauge step down is from one even number to the next and from a lower piercing diameter to a higher.
When gauging ears you should stretch piercings by only one gauge step. So, if you want to change from 16g to 14 g (1.2 mm to 1.6 mm) you can do so in one step. However, if you wanted to go from a 16g to an 8g (1.2 mm to 3.2 mm) you would have to do that in four steps, involving four stretched piercings, each of one gauge level.
When you have your earlobes pierced with the intention of increasing the gauging to a fairly high diameter for some gorgeous large-diameter bars you have seen or even a cool flesh tunnel, then first consider the initial diameter - the greater the initial diameter then the fewer ear lobe stretching steps you will have to undergo to reach your preferred diameter. Do not have your ears pierced in a shopping mall with a gun because these generally pierce at 20g or 18g at the most.
Start With a Professional Piercing
Have the initial ear lobe piercing carried out by a professional using a needle. It is well worth the extra expense, and a pro will pierce your earlobes to 16g, thus saving yourself a whole step of gauging ears to your target size. Let the professional know your intention and you will be given some expert advice, and you might even agree to have the pro do the gauging for you.
It is possible for people to do their own stretched piercings themselves, and most do to be honest, but only once they are certain that the initial piercing has completely healed. If you begin too soon you might blow out the piercing or split the skin, and any attempts to gauge your ears after that might be impossible. Gauging ears is a skill that has to be learned, so follow all the advice you find if you want to be able to wear these fabulous barbells you have seen.
It is also essential to wait until each stretching has properly settled, the skin thickening and hardening properly, before going onto the next gauge. This will take about 3 times the time for the initial piercing to heal, but don't rush it.
Ear Jewelry: When Gauging Ears and After
The ear jewelry available for stretched piercings is fabulous. When choosing the jewelry to wear during the process of gauging ears you should keep potential infection and allergies in mind, and surgical stainless steel and titanium are best. However, once you have reached your target gauge and your stretched piercings have fully healed, you have a wonderful world of amazing jewelry in materials too brittle to be used in high gauge pins or barbells.
You can use bone, horn, wood, stone and even amber and glass, many of which also help the piercing to stay clean and not get clogged with oils from your skin. You can also use metal and acrylic ear jewelry in many shapes and sizes. Many are happy with large studs, while others prefer large diameter hoops, barbells and regular earrings. Others love to wear solid cylindrical plugs, either flared or held by o-rings and ear weights made of any material under the sun, though silver, bronze, brass and copper are common. The really wealthy have theirs made in solid gold.
Flesh Tunnels Are Popular
An alternative to the regular type of ear jewelry is type of hollow plug known as a flesh tunnel. These are particularly used for the larger diameter stretched piercings, and when gauging ears this is often the ultimate objective. Flesh tunnels are available in many different materials and are held in place in much the same way as the plugs: with flares, o-rings or with a screw on back piece. Some people have beaded or other forms of decorative elements threaded through their flesh tunnels, and they are frequently worn as a mark of just how far a person has managed to go with their stretched piercings.
Gauging ears with stretched piercings is therefore carried out by people both for their decorative effect and as a means of displaying their ear stretching skills. Whatever your reason is, keep in mind the gauge of your initial piercing and that everything involved in gauging ears must be sterilized and kept clean and free from germs. Make sure each stage is fully healed before starting the next, and you should have no real problems.
Gauging Ears With Stretched Piercings
More information on gauging ears with stretched piercings can be found on Flesh Tunnel where you will also find Ear Stretching Tools to help you do it yourself, plus and some funky flesh tunnels and ear jewelry
Piercing is a fun way to express your personality. Many people like to do this body artwork. They are usually piercing their body in order to show their unique characteristic. However, first piercing experience may lead you to irritation and other infection on your body. Here are some methods to help you heal ear piercing.
The best way to heal your infection is using sea salt or Epsom salt. It is not suggested to utilize table salt because it is usually contains of iodine that will hurt your infection. First of all, mix about 1/8 teaspoon of salt with warm water. Then, put the solution into a small glass. After that, hold the glass to your ear and soak it for 5 minutes. Let it dry naturally.
Alternatively, besides soak your ear, you can use cotton ball. Dip the cotton ball on the mixture and put it on your ear. Leave it until the water cooled. Give gentle pressure with the cotton while you cleaning your irritation. This movement helps you to get rid of any liquid inside the irritated areas. Apply this treatment at least twice and not more than four times a day.
Keep in mind not to apply this cure more than what it is suggested. You have to use salt that it recommended and follow the guide properly. Do not apply more than what it suggested because the excessive solution may lead to worse infection. Moreover, do not add the salt portion because it makes the situation worse and give burning as well as terrible irritation.
Basically, irritation and infection in the first ear piercing due to unsterilized the process or incorrect care or maybe you play the earring with unclean hand. So, you should avoid that way to keep your piercing away from irritation. The most excellent way is only go to the professional piercer who provides all proper equipments for your piercing. So, you can prevent the irritation or infection after get pierced.
The Best Way to Heal Ear Piercings
Learn more about snake bite piercing. Stop by my site where you can find out all about spider bites piercing and what it can do for you.
Are piercings attractive for men and women to wear, or are they merely annoying distractions from what a person's true appearance is. Nose and lip piercings are attributed a lot to the Gothic realms of society, but it is increasingly common nowadays for all members of society to don a stud somewhere on their body. In fact the more and more we venture into the time of free speech and liberation, people are beginning to run out of places to get piercings. A piercing on the ear lobe can be seen as quite classy but aside from that it is seen as a bit radical and alternative. Can these be seen as attractive?
I personally don't find any women attractive that have piercings in any other places other than on their ear lobe. For many however a tongue piercing can be particularly alluring, especially if the suitor is attractive. There are many women out there who do have a ridiculous amount of piercings, but if used in the correct way then there is definitely a market out there for piercings on women. The punk chick look is in, with the likes of soft rock singer in pink leading the way. Some piercings can promote promiscuity; a view is taken by some that if they are loose enough to mask their face with piercings then they may well be loose enough to sleep around. That is a very vague and inaccurate misconception however, because obviously what a woman has pierced says nothing about her morals and values.
Piercings are somewhat fashionable at the moment however, along with tattoos and the assumption that piercings will only become more common in modern society. This means that if more of us have piercings, then surely more of us are going to be finding people with piercings attractive. So even if there are some people who think piercings are hideous and aren't attractive to girls, we all have to acknowledge the fact that there are many girls who are attractive not only because of the way they look naturally, but the way in which they accessorize their piercings in order to look attractive. It will always divide opinion but and everybody has a different view of what is attractive so who are we to judge anybody for their taste. If they want their nipple pierced or even anywhere more radical, then that is their choice and there is someone out there who is looking just for that.
Are Piercings Attractive or a Huge Put Off?
Larry Elrod is a writer for the Seduction Road Map, a site that teaches men all over the world about how to attract women and how to get girls in bed
Conch Piercings are located within the hollow space of your ear; it is called a conch piercing because of the resemblance it has to the conch shell. Literally pierced right through the center of your ear, this is not a very popular piercing (as far as numbers go), but people who have conch piercings (and other bod mod enthusiasts) absolutely love them!
Conch Piercings go through the thick cartilage located directly in the middle of your ear. Because there is a copious amount of surrounding tissue, migration or rejection risks are nonexistent. If you are looking to begin your first foray into body piercing (outside of traditional ear lobes), this is a great piercing to start with!
Experienced and reputable piercers will not have difficulty in piercing your conch. Unlike some other ear or body piercings, there aren't any strange angles, bends, or specific equipment that must be used. The piercing is a straight shot using a simple, basic, sterile piercing needle. The Conch is one of the easiest places to get pierced.
Once you and your piercer agree that a Conch is right for you, your piercer will recommend the best jewelry - it usually is a captive bead ring for the initial piercing. And just to forewarn you, the gauge (that is, the thickness) of the jewelry might appear to be rather large. Don't be alarmed! These piercings call for jewelry of a larger girth, and it won't hurt anymore than if it was pierced with a smaller gauge. Once your piercing has healed (it will take about a year to be fully and completely healed) you can replace it with a myriad of affordable and fun jewelry. The first three to six months are very crucial in the healing process, so take good care of your ear!
Your piercer will mark your ear with a marker to denote where they think it will look best on you; once you have confirmed or rearranged the position, your piercing will happen. Clamps are usually used (all they do is secure the area from moving), and a straight piercing needle will push through on your exhale. It is a very fast procedure, and your jewelry will slide in your new hole. Once your piercer has finished securing the piercing, your ear might feel a little hot and your heart may be thumping rapidly, but that is just the adrenaline and endorphin kicking in. Enjoy it while it lasts - many people live for that thrilling feeling! The actual pain ranges from person to person, but most don't feel any pain. Like so many piercings, this one looks more painful than it actually is, so don't be nervous!
You can get more than one piercing in your Conch, and then it's called a Conch Orbital. Basically, an Orbital is two separate piercings joined together by one piece of jewelry (please see my orbital article for more information). You can also get the Conches in both ears pierced but I would suggest staggering these two piercings so as to ease the healing process. For example, for about 3 months after your piercings, you really shouldn't sleep on the ear with a pierced Conch; getting both Conches pierced simultaneously may therefore interfere with your sleeping patterns and may lead to prolong healing in both ears. Discuss with your piercer if a conch orbital is right for you - if you think you may want one in the future, alert your piercer so that they can give you a piercing in the right location.
The aftercare for the Conch is very easy - not only is this an easy piercing to get, it's easy to take care of, and it's easy to find jewelry for it! Soaking your ear in warm salt water (properly called a saline solution) is one of the best ways to assist your new piercing. The next best thing to do is NOT TOUCH your new piercing! It's very hard to do - it's a new addition to your body so you will doubtless want to play with it - but don't touch it! Human hands are covered in germs and bacteria and fidgeting with your new vulnerable piercing can lead to infection. Only touch it when you are cleaning it, and be sure your hands are clean first! Other simple tips to avoid an infection include not putting your cell phone on that ear, don't sleep on it, don't use headphones that go into your ear canal, and try to keep long hair away from it (it can wrap around the back) during the healing time (once it's healed, no big deal if your hair touches it).
Taking care of your Conch is very easy, all it takes is routine cleaning, abstaining from touching it, and common sense! Your piercer will give you a complete rundown, so pay attention. Should any problems arise, return to your piercer and they should be able to provide you with more advice or solutions. Enjoy your conch, and get ready to be the envy of many!
Conch Piercings
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To peruse body jewelry, body piercing news, articles, pictures, and other body modifcation information, Jewelry For Body Piercings is one of the best resources on the internet.
Piercing has become part of our mainstream culture, so it is no surprise that many people are considering body piercings. Facial piercings specifically lip and cheek piercings are enjoying a soaring popularity surge. There are several different types of lip and cheek piercings, including the Medusa, the Monroe, the Lip Frenulum, Lip plate, and Labret. Before getting adorned in any of these locations though, it will behoove you to read on and learn more about the risks associated with each piercing.
The Medusa is still a relatively uncommon piercing, but many piercing parlors have noticed that more and more people are asking for this piercing. Located directly under the septum of the nose, in the center above the top tip, a Medusa piercing is eye catching indeed. Very similar to a labret piercing, the ball rests in the dip on the top lip. There will be swelling after the piercing, and for some people the pain is minimal, while for others the pain is intense. There are a lot of nerve endings located around the lips, and while most skilled professional piercers will not hit a nerve, there is always that slight risk that must be considered before committing to the piercing.
The Monroe also goes by two other names: The Madonna and The Crawford. Named after the three iconic women with famous moles near their mouth (Marilyn Monroe had a mole on the left side, Madonna has one of the right, and Cindy Crawford has a mole very close to the upper lip) the piercing location you choose will determine the exact name of your piercing (left cheek = Monroe; right cheek = Madonna). These piercings heal rather quickly, but for a couple days to a week after the piercing there may be significant swelling. After 8-12 weeks, you can replace the jewelry (which will be too big...the initial jewelry must accommodate swelling, so as the swelling goes down, the jewelry will be too large) with something a bit more snug. This piercing is very popular, and looks very beautiful if proper aftercare is strictly followed.
The Lip Frenulum is another rare piercing, and not everyone has the correct anatomy to have this procedure done. An upper lip frenulum piercing is often called a "smiley" because when the wearer smiles, the captive bead can be seen; a lower lip frenulum piercing is called a "frowny" for the same reason. These piercings are simple procedures for a professional piercer, but it is important to remember that teeth and gum damage can definitely happen over time with these piercings.
The Lip plate is very rare in America, but common in parts of Africa and the Amazon. This look has a devoted following in many body modification circles, and the practice is indeed very ancient - but not for everyone. Lip plates consist of piercing the lower lip and over time stretching (properly referred to as "gauging") the hole to accommodate lip plugs. Lip plugs are circular discs usually made of light wood or clay. Once you have committed to the Lip plate, your lip will be stretched to a point where only surgical operations can eliminate the gaping hole in your lip. This is not a piercing to be cavalier about - only do this if you have done all the research you possibly can, and are willing to stick with it for the long haul. While most piercings heal with no visible effects, this particular piercing will not. For all intents and purposes, this is a permanent piercing.
The labret is the most common sort of lip piercing. Many people have multiple labret piercings! It can accommodate rings or studs, and takes about 6-8 weeks to heal. Most people after the allotted healing time get a special piece of jewelry that has a labret backing, to help prevent tooth and gum aggravation. There are many types of "bites" - informal terms to describe various piercing placements (ex: Snakebites = two labret piercings on opposite sides of the lower lips); there is great potential for uniqueness and individuality. Horizontal lip piercings are extremely rare, and most piercers will not perform this type of piercing.
As with other oral piercings, infection can happen with lip and cheek piercings. There is a lot of bacteria located in and around the mouth, so careful cleaning will help prevent infection. As always, only get pierced in professional setting and with completely sterilized tools to minimize your chance of serious health consequences. Eating spicy foods, consuming alcohol, and smoking should not happen during the first 6-8 weeks of your new piercing - all of these will hinder your bodies healing efforts. Your piercer will give you a complete rundown of what to expect during healing, how to cope with problems that may arise, and the best aftercare habits. Assuming you have a decent amount of common sense, your new lip and cheek piercing will be healed in no time!
Lip and Cheek Piercings Information
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To peruse body jewelry, body piercing news, articles, pictures, and other body modification information, Jewelry For Body Piercings is one of the best resources on the internet.
Body piercings have seen a resurgence of interest in the last ten to twenty years and are becoming more and more a part of the mainstream Western culture. Take a look at any fashion or entertainment magazine and you'll see plenty of well-known celebrities with body piercings like navel rings or a labret. You might be surprised to find out that piercing is actually an ancient form of expression that most cultures have practiced at some time or other for thousands of years. Egyptian body piercings reflected status and love of beauty The earliest known mummified remains of a human that was pierced is over 5,000 years old. This worthy gentleman had his ears pierced with larger-gauge plugs in his ears, so plugs may be one of the oldest forms of body modification there is! We also know that the Egyptians loved to adorn themselves elaborately, and even restricted certain types of body piercings to the royal family. In fact, only pharaoh himself could have his navel pierced. Any one else who tried to get a belly button ring could be executed. (Tell that to Britney Spears!) Almost every well-to-do Egyptian wore earrings, though, to display their wealth and accent their beauty. Elaborate enameled and gold earrings frequently portrayed items in nature such as lotus blossoms. Body piercings are also mentioned in the Bible. In the Old Testament it's obvious that body jewelry is considered a mark of beauty and wealth, especially for Bedouin and nomadic tribes. In many cases, body jewelry was given as a bridal gift or as part of a dowry. It is clear that piercing was a sign of status and attractiveness in Biblical times. Romans were practical piercers Romans were very practical people, and for them piercing almost always served a purpose. Roman centurions pierced their nipples not because they liked the way it looked, but to signify their strength and virility. It was a badge of honor that demonstrated the centurion's dedication to the Roman Empire. As a symbol, it was important and served a specific function, unifying and bonding the army. Even Julius Caesar pierced his nipples to show his strength and his identification with his men. Genital piercing through the head of the penis was performed on gladiators, who were almost always slaves, for two reasons. A ring through the head of the penis could be used to tie the organ back to the testicles with a length of leather. In gladiatorial combat, this prevented serious injury. With a large enough ring or bar, it also prevented the slave from having sex without the owner's consent. Since the gladiator was "property," a stud fee could be charged to another slave owner for the highly prized opportunity to raise the next generation of great fighter. Making love or war, piercing makes it better Going across the ocean at around the same time, the Aztecs, Maya and some American Indians practiced tongue piercing as part of their religious rituals. It was thought to bring them closer to their gods and was a type of ritual blood-letting. The Aztec and Maya were warrior tribes, and also practiced septum piercing in order to appear fiercer to their enemies. Nothing looks quite as frightening as an opponent sporting a huge boar tusk thrust through his nose!
This practice was also common among tribes in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Some of the materials commonly used were bone, tusks and feathers. Hundreds of years later, French fur trappers in Washington State discovered American Indian tribes who wore bones through their septum and called them the Nez Perce, meaning "Pierced Noses" in French. It's interesting that civilizations separated by thousands of miles and even centuries often developed a love for the same kind of body piercings to enhance certain features, isn't it?
In Central and South America, lip labrets were popular for purely aesthetic reasons - women with pierced lips were considered more attractive. In fact, the holes were often stretched to incredible size as progressively larger wooden plates were inserted to emphasize the lips as much as possible. (Kind of like collagen today). The Aztecs and Maya also sported lip labrets of gold and jade, many of them elaborately carved into mythical or religious figures or sporting gemstones. These were seen as highly attractive and to enhance sexuality. As the world moved into the dark ages, interest in piercing died down somewhat and the medieval church began to condemn it as sinful. For a few hundred years, Western civilization abandoned the practice. As the Renaissance went into full swing, however, interest in piercing began to pick up again. A new era and a new interest in body piercings Sailors became convinced that piercing one ear would improve their long-distance site, and so the site of a sailor with a gold or brass ring became common. Word also spread that should a sailor be washed ashore after a shipwreck, the finder should keep the gold ring in exchange for providing a proper Christian burial. Sailors were both religious and superstitious, so they generally spent a lot for a large gold earring to hedge their bets. Men became much more fashion-conscious during the Renaissance and Elizabethan eras, and almost any male member of the nobility would have at least one earring, if not more. Large pearl drops and enormous diamond studs were a great way to advertise your wealth and standing in the community. It could also designate royal favor if your earring was a gift from a member of the royal family. Women, not wanting to be outshone by the men in all their finery, began to wear plunging necklines, with the Queen of Bavaria introducing the most outrageous, which consisted of not much at all above the waist. In order to adorn themselves, women began piercing their nipples to show off their jewelry. Soon they began wearing chains and even strands of pearls draped between the two.
Men and women both discovered that these nipple piercings were also delightful playthings in bed, adding sensitivity to the breasts and giving the men both visual and tactile stimulation. Men began getting pierced purely for pleasure as well. While not entirely mainstream, piercing of the nipples and, occasionally, the genitals, continued to hold interest for members of the upper crust of society in Europe on and off for the next few hundred years. The next resurgence of interest was, surprisingly, during the Victorian age, which is usually seen as very repressed. Prince Albert, future husband of Queen Victoria, is said to have gotten the penis piercing that is named after him in order wear the tight-fitting trousers so popular at the time. The ring could then be attached to a hook on the inside of one pant leg, tucked safely away between the legs for a neat, trim look. Although we have no record of Victoria's response to the piercing itself, there is ample evidence she was wildly in love with her husband and almost never left his side after their marriage! Soon, Victorian men were getting Prince Albert's, frenums and a variety of other piercings purely for the pleasurable sexual effects, and women were doing the same. By the 1890's, it was almost expected that a woman would have her nipples pierced. In fact, some doctors at the time suggested it improved conditions for breastfeeding, although not all agreed. It was an interesting double standard -- plenty of people were doing it, but no one was talking about it. Modern-day body piercings In the last hundred years or so, body piercings in the Western world have mostly been limited to the ears, a standard hold-over from the fact that both men and women wore earrings during Elizabethan times. The Puritan movement did away with men wearing earrings, however, and it didn't really regain popularity until recently. Nose rings found new interest when young people (they were called hippies then) from the U.S. began traveling in India extensively looking for enlightenment in the 1960's. They noticed the nostril rings that most women had been wearing there since the sixteenth century. In India, this was a form of traditional, accepted adornment and was often linked to an earring by a chain. For rebellious teens from America, it was a great form of rebellion. After bringing nose piercings back to the U.S., the interest in body piercings of all kinds quickly caught on during the 1980's and 1990's. Celebrities, sports stars and singers all began sporting a variety of piercings. Soon, high school students and even stay-at-home moms were flashing new body piercings. And the rest, as they say, is history! This article on the "History of Body Piercings" reprinted with permission.
Copyright 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.
