Conch Piercings

Conch Piercings are located in the hollow of the ear; It is called a conch shell because of the resemblance to the conch piercing. Literally pierced to the Centre of your ear, this is not a very popular piercing (as far as numbers), but people with piercings of Conques (and other enthusiasts of mod BOD) absolutely love!

Conch Piercings pass through thick cartilage located directly in your ear. Because there is an abundant amount of surrounding tissue, the risk of migration or rejection are non-existent. If you are looking to start your first foray into body piercing (outside the traditional ear lobes), is a large piercing to start with!

Borers experienced and reliable will have no difficulty to break into your shell. Some other piercings, ear or body, it does not any strange angles, elbows or any specific hardware to be used. The piercing is a shot of law with a simple piercing needle, base, sterile. The conch is one of the easier to get places percé.

Once you and your piercer agree that a conch shell is made for you, your piercer will recommend the best jewellery - it's usually a ring of Pearl in captivity for initial piercing. And just to warn you, the jewellery (i.e. thickness) gauge may seem large enough. Not be not alarmed! These piercings call jewelry of a greater circumference, and it Won't hurt more than if she 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 jewellery, affordable and fun. The first of three to six months are very crucial in the process of healing, so well take care of your ears!

Your piercer will mark your ear with a marker to indicate where they think it will look best on you. Once you have confirmed or rearranged the position, your piercing is going to happen. Clips are usually used (all they do is to secure the area to move), and a needle piercing right will push through your exhales. It is a very rapid procedure, and your jewelry will slide into your new hole. Once your piercer has finished securing the piercing, your ear might feel a little hot and your heart can be deaf quickly, but it is just the adrenalin and endorphin kick in. Enjoy while it lasts - many people live for this exciting feeling! The real pain varies from person to person, but most feel no pain. As piercings, this one looks more painful that it is actually, then don't be not nervous!

You can get a piercing in your shell, and then she called an orbital conch. Fundamentally, an orbital is two separate piercings, joined together by a single piece of jewellery (see my orbital article for more information). You can also obtain the Goms in both ears pierced but I would suggest staggering these two piercings in order to facilitate the healing process. For example, for approximately 3 months after your piercing, you really should not sleep on the ear with a breakthrough conch; two Goms pierced simultaneously can interfere with your sleep patterns and can lead to prolong the healing in both ears. Discuss with your piercer if orbital conch is made for you - if you think that you can in the future, alert your piercer so that they can give you a piercing in the right place.

The conch is very easy - not only is it easy to obtain piercing, it is easy to take care of, and it is easy to find jewelry for her! Soaking your ear in hot sea water (correctly called saline solution) is one of the best ways to help your new piercing. The best thing to do, it is not to touch your new piercing! It is very difficult to do - this is a new addition to your body you will probably want to play with him - but do not touch it! Human hands are covered in germs and bacteria and fidgeting with your new vulnerable piercing can lead to infection. Only touch when you are clean and make sure that your hands are clean first! Other simple tips to avoid infection do not put your cell phone in this ear, do not sleep on it, do not use a helmet which go into your ear canal and try to keep long hair away from her (it can wrap around the back) during the time of healing (once it is healed, no big problem if it affects your hair).

Take care of your conch is very easy, there is the routine of cleaning, to refrain from touch and good sense! Your piercer will give you a complete overview, so attention. Should arise any problem, return to your piercer and they should be able to provide you with advice or solutions more. Enjoy your conch and prepare to be the envy of many!

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Body Piercings - 5 Excellent Tips on Getting a Body Piercing

I wrote a guide on tattoos, now for a guide on piercings. Tattoos along with piercings are a great way to express oneself. Many people are into body modification, and to most it is a form of art. I myself have several piercings: my eyebrow, my nose, and my lip. So trust me, I know what I am talking about when it comes to piercings. I have written this guide to help you out since I have done all of this first hand. So here are some step-by-step instructions on how to get a piercing.

1. You need to choose where you are going to place your piercing. Make sure that it is in a place that is going to suit you, and also a place where it won't interfere with your workplace if you work. But then again, you can always get a clear retainer to minimize the sight of your piercing so you won't have to take out your piercing. A retainer is a clear piece of body jewelry that you replace your metal jewelry with so that the hole won't close, while making the piercing virtually invisible. (I personally used retainers when I was working at a very professional clothing store where they were quite strict on piercings.)


2. Find a good piercing/tattoo parlor. Always be sure to go to a professional to get your piercings. Also make sure that all needles and jewelry are sterilized.. Watch the piercer do this! Make sure that your piercer is wearing gloves. You can get HIV or other infections from unsterilized needles and jewelry. You do not want this to happen! Watch carefully. Do not be afraid to speak up if something is not right. Also, pick the correct type of jewelry in case you are allergic to metals of any kind. (I can only use stainless steel jewelry for that reason.)



3. Check the environment. Does it look clean? Do you feel safe? Are you seconding guessing anything? These are questions to ask yourself. You can always back out of a piercing if you don't feel right. Or you can go to another parlor if the current parlor is doesn't "feel right".



4. After you get pierced, make sure that your piercer gives you specific aftercare instructions. Do whatever they tell you to do, and don't divert from it. Do it for the recommended time so that your piercing will heal properly.


5. Try not to touch, rub, or hit your piercing. If you touch your piercing, bacteria from your hands might get into your piercing and infect it. Rubbing and hitting your fresh piercing can cause irritation and possibly infection.

So there are 5 simple steps to follow. Choose where you are going to get pierced on your body. Find a professional parlor. Make sure everything is sterilized. Make sure you feel safe. Take proper aftercare of your piercing with the instructions given to you. Don't touch, hit or rub your piercing so it does not get irritated or infected. Easy as pie! Good luck on your piercing!

Was this guide helpful? Want more information on piercings? Please visit [http://bodypiercingfaqs.blogspot.com/]

Tragus and Anti-Tragus piercing

Tragus piercings and anti-tragus piercing became more and more popular - in fact, tragus piercings are now one of the most common piercing ear autour. The tragus and anti-tragus are fresh expressions of the piercings mundane lobe of the ear and ear piercings are the more familiar form of body piercing.

The tragus is a small piece of thickness of cartilage that advance leave the ear canal. To obtain an understanding of the exact location of the tragus, place a finger by the outer corner of the eye. From this point, the trace of the finger on the back straight, until you touch your ear. The first piece of your ear that you feel is your tragus. You should be able to understand this little nub between your fingers - it is where the piercing will pass by.

There are all kinds of misconceptions on the tragus. Some people may try to tell you that your tragus piercing will affect your balance - this is just right. Your balance is affected by fluids in your battery of the ear, which is located in the depths of your ears and is away from any surface pierce-able. The tragus has nothing to do with your balance, to be fooled by educated people who could try and tell you otherwise. In fact, the only objective has a tragus is to keep your headphones (like the standard iPod headphones) safely in your ears; and once pierced, there are thousands of listeners to choose from which will not irritate your piercing. Honestly, the tragus has nothing to do with your ear, your hearing or balance. It is just a flap of cartilage - perhaps if humans developed sonar and echo-location the tragus would be useful (traguses super developed help bats use sonar, for example)- but alas, in our case, it is just a surface begging have pierced!

The tragus is recommended to be drilled with a ring of Pearl in captivity, but a barbell will suffice. The rings of reason are almost always preferred for initial piercing the dumbbell is because the rings tend to heal faster, better and in a secure manner. Once healed, you can use any type of jewelry, even the typical jewelry normally reserved for the lobes of the ears. Your piercer will help you choose what gage is for you (and indeed, expanding the tragus is not unrealistic, but rare), mark the location on your ear and push the right through the needle. Some tattoo artists can put a plug behind the tragus "catch" the needle, some piercers simply use tweezers with the needle through, and still others simply use their hands. Each borer is different, so they will Pierce according to their style. Pliers are the most common method and many report people who injures the clamping really to secure more than piercing the skin! The tragus piercing should be painless - there are not many nerves it-, but some people that think about slight and temporary pain. Because it is so close to the ear, some people say they hear a little his "pop!", as the needle shoot through. Must hear you some noise, it is nothing to worry about. Once the needle, the jewellery are slipped in place and secure, and you are done! The entire process, from prep to finish should not take more than five minutes.

The tragus takes some time to heal - up to a year to be fully and completely healed. Many people irritate their new piercing by placing their cell phones Sales up to their ear or by sleeping on the ear with the piercing. I suggest not to do any of these for at least the first six months. If your piercing is infected (and it should not with appropriate follow-up), she soaked in salt water, do not touch it with your hands and perhaps even (using a q - TIP) rub some oil tea tree diluted around the piercing. Never use any sort of rubbing alcohol, because this irritate and disfigure your piercing. Your piercer will give you a complete overview of what to expect and how to manage your new piercing well, therefore attention to their advice.

The Anti-Tragus is very similar to the tragus. It is pierced in the same way, is the same and the healing time is the same too. To find your place of anti-tragus, a finger on your ear lobe (usually where someone first piercing of ears would be) and with your finger, draw up a straight line. The flap of cartilage take you before your anti-tragus is empty space. Your tragus and anti-tragus are located very close to each other, and the anti-tragus is just opposite the tragus. Like the other piercing, this piercing does not affect your hearing or balance. The anti-tragus is rarer than the tragus, mainly because many people think they can get this area breakthrough, but it can be drilled and she will lead large when healed. Curved barbells and captive ring beads are more frequently used in these piercings.

If you plan an anti-tragus or tragus piercing, make sure you use a licensed professional. Once it is completely healed, the way in which your ornament or decorate the piercing is completely to you, and jewellery possibilities are unlimited!

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Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Piercings

Piercing refers to the art of puncturing the body with a needle in order to wear jewelry in the holes. The most popular sites for body piercing are the ears, the nose, tongue, eyebrows, nipples, navel, labia and penis. Piercing is usually carried out without anesthesia in beauty or tattoo parlors. The actual act of piercing does not take more than a few minutes and is done with a needle or a piercing gun. The actual piercing is done after the skin has been cleaned and disinfected.

Though piercing is gaining popularity, it carries with it its own sets of hazards, if not carried out in sterile conditions. Sometimes piercing also could also result in a badly formed earlobe as a result of weakening and tearing of the tissue, contact dermatitis, rupture of the urethra and an infection of the foreskin of the penis to name a few. To avoid falling prey to these infections is not to get pierced in the first place, and if one does, then to make sure that the person performing the piercing is doing it in sterile conditions and is trained professionally. Also make sure that the jewelry being used is of 14 or 18 carat gold, titanium, surgical steel or niobium as jewelry made of brass plate and nickel alloys can trigger a skin allergy.

Piercing is an age old custom -- the Egyptians and the Romans did it. In Rome, slaves who were gladiators very often had to have their genitals pierced so they would always have to get their masters' consent before indulging in sex.The Aztec and the Maya tribes as well as some of the American Indian tribes also pierced their lips as a ritual. Mayans, being a warrior tribe, pierced their septum as well to intimidate their enemies.

During the dark ages the interest in piercing faded away to come back into full swing in England during the Elizabethan age where it was a great way for nobility to display their wealth and status by wearing an earring (a pearl drop or a stud).Women of that age too became more adventurous and the conservative form of dress gave way to dipping necklines as well as nipple piercing, which proved to be a great visual stimulus in the bedroom!

In the 1960s hippies who traveled back from India brought the custom of nose piercing to the west. This has diversified into many different types of body piercings in today's world.

Piercing provides detailed information on Piercings, Ear Piercings, Nose Piercings, Lip Piercings and more. Piercing is affiliated with Gold Belly Button Rings [http://www.e-BellyButtonRings.com].

Body Piercings and the Danger of Infections

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.

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].

How Piercings came to be

The art of body piercing has been practiced by people from around the world since antiquity. Bodies mummified with piercings have been discovered, including the oldest mummified body discovered to date, the body is more 5300 years old & is that of Otzi the Iceman, found in an Austrian glacier. Otzi had an ear piercing 7-12 mm in diameter, and tattoos.

Lip & tongue piercing was historically found in African-American & tribal cultures.

Nipple & genital perforation, dates back to the ancient India & ancient Rome.

The former as Romans believed firmly in the art of piercing, they used piercings to show force, & virility. In Roman culture, piercings were often worn as badges of honour, genital perforation was common among the Gladiators.

The Egyptians themselves adorn piercings, some types of piercings were limited & only royalty, was authorized to the to do. Only the Pharaoh was allowed to have her navel pierced, any other person attempted this, were executed.

Almost all the Egyptians wore loops of ear to display their wealth & for aesthetic reasons.

When French trappers discovered Amerindian tribes, they named them the "Nez", meaning "pierced nose" in French.

Ancient tribes wore bones through their nostrils to create fear, war, where the septum perforation is originating.

Lip Labret piercings would be originally in Central & South America, where they became popular for purely aesthetic reasons. Lip plates were often used. The Maya & Aztèques had labrets with gold and jade.

Civilisations & cultures which were separated by very large distances, came to experience a love for piercings, it's a small world right?

The most popular forms of Piercings

Forms the most widespread of piercings are and have been nose & ear piercings, these are more historically documented & were found among the most serious of goods then another type of piercing.

What piercing represented / represent

In the past, piercing representative views religious, social status, marriage, rebellion, spiritual cleansing, fear, sexual pleasure & more.

Piercings are still used in a similar way, gangs have used for piercings to symbolize the rank & sub cultures were created around aesthetics & whether or not it has a piercing.

The Prince Albert

There are a variety of theories regarding the origin of the perforation of Prince Albert, but the true origin is not known.

Historical evidence suggests that the Prince Albert piercing began to be undertaken by men in the European countries beginning in the 1800s, most people believe this piercing was not created for cultural or sexual purposes, but for a more practice, which is unknown. There is no evidence that Prince Albert was in fact one of these piercings, but it is a popular myth that people have begun to company Prince Albert piercings, because Prince Albert has supposedly this piercing.

Piercings in the Bible.

Body piercing are mentioned in the bible, Piercing was regarded as a beauty salon & wealth & often given as a gift of marriage, or a dot.

Interest in Body piercing

Interest in the art of piercing extinguished during the dark ages, when the Church began to condemn the art of piercing, accusing to be sinners.(Which explains why some people may consider themselves religious still condemn the art of body piercings to date)

The most recent rise in popularity of piercings was in the 1960s, when it became popular for women to get their ears pierced once more.

This is how concludes piercings are for the moment & I can review it a few times more that the time passes.

Thank you for reading.

(Source: http://piercinginfo.net)
I hope that you now know how piercings came to be.

Matthew Shaver is the author of this article, it has & a blog on piercings which he started after he realized that he did there not much information clear on piercings & the what to back & that back steps related to them.

Therefore if you need to know anything else piercings, hanging out on his blog

Piercing shops are not afraid to go Big Anymore - Corset Piercings

Tattoos are the massive change, only that you can make your body apart with surgery, right? I don't think so. Many artists are not afraid to do big things. And the big stuff ain't always tattoos. Many body piercing shops open their doors to single surface piercings and difficult even the corset piercing.

Most people have probably already seen photographs of corset piercings online, even if they are normally laced to appear as the laces on a corset. These photos illustrate, 99% of the time, play piercings or at least improperly piercings will reject that.

Skilled artists not to play piercing on lasting ones, except if it is that you specifically request. A well documented corset piercing will be more than 2 hours to draw, with spacing of good and placement to the piercing release limit and time, at least, and with a high threshold of pain, to break through. A special dumbbell, known as a surface bar, must be used on most surface piercings. These dumbbells are the form of a head down staple, with two sharp angles 90 degrees on each side. These help keep it deep under the skin and makes it more difficult to push out of the country.

Bars of surfaces, skin anchors or the tygon tubing are currently only appropriate for a surface piercing is not for temporary purposes. After the piercing heals in about a year, on the surface bar plugs may be negotiated with a new CAP that has a hoop on top. Ribbon or lace can be introduced through these hoops and tie the corset single piercing gaze. This aspect is not everyday wear well.

Corset piercings must be made only by a piercing experienced professional who has the experience and success with other types of surface piercings. Preferably the artist would have success with surface piercings of the body that you want to have the corset is the. A senior piercer will want to do regular health and balance.

If you are not interested in a corset permanent piercing, but want something fancy for a special occasion, you can use captive bead rings. These allow the corset piercing to be laced immediately, although yet again, they should not be left laced during a long period of time. Piercing set should be removed within two weeks to minimize signs of scars or other damage.

Author information:

Tara Swadley is an authority in the matter of body piercings and corset piercings, which she received and helped in the healing of many particularly. We invite you to view over the corset piercing information and even breaking news from Tara to http://www.examiner.com/x-18887-Pittsburgh-Body-Piercing-Examiner of the piercing

Nose Piercings

Nose piercing is a custom which was prevalent in the Middle East and then taken to India by the Mughals in the 16th century. In the 1960s when the hippies made their way back from India, they brought back with them the custom of nose piercing more as a sign of rebellion against society than anything else.

There are three types of nose piercings: nostril piercing, nasal septum piercing and bridge piercing. In India, the nostril is usually pierced on the left side because, according to ayurveda, this helps eith easy childbirth and relieves pains during menstruation. Now, more and more people in the West want to experiment with piercing and nose piercing has become very trendy.

Nostril piercing is done by passing a needle through the tissue and replacing it with a piece of jewelry -- either a stud or a nose ring. Studs usually have a screw behind then to keep them in place. Septum piercing, though not as common, can be performed by puncturing the tissue inside of the nose, on the septum. Common jewelry for this sort of piercing includes rings, barbells, tusks or spikes. Most rare of all kinds of nose piercing is the bridge piercing, where the jewelry worn is usually barbells.

While selecting the jewelry for nose piercing, it is always better to keep the location of the piercing in mind and to select the jewelry which will fit well. Jewelry made of 14 or 18 carat gold, surgical steel, niobium or titanium is the best in the beginning while sterling silver jewelry is only advisable after the piercing has healed.

Nose piercing should never be performed by a piercing gun as it traumatizes the tissue and can cause infections like HIV. Utmost care has to be taken while the piercing is healing, which could take up to12 months. Never touch the piercing with dirty hands, keep it clean it with an antibacterial soap, and do not try to remove your jewelry before the piercing is healed unless absolutely necessary. These steps will help to safeguard a nose piercing from any dangers.

Piercing provides detailed information on Piercings, Ear Piercings, Nose Piercings, Lip Piercings and more. Piercing is affiliated with Gold Belly Button Rings [http://www.e-BellyButtonRings.com].

Nose Piercings - History, Types, Care

Nose piercing is an old type of body modification. It is mentioned in the Bible and was first recorded in the Middle East 4000 years ago. But there is information that nose piercing started even around 6000 years ago. Nose piercing was widespread among the ancient nomadic Berber tribes of Africa, the Bedouins of the Middle East. The larger the ring was, the wealthier was his wearer. The nose ring was also given as the gift at the wedding- the husband gave it to his wife as the sign of protection to her if she would be divorced.

In India, nose piercings were brought in the 16th century by the Moghul emperors from the Middle East. Left nostrils were a common place for a piercing, but piercing in both nostrils was also met. A chain joining the ring with an ear was rather widespread. Left nostrils were prevalent in nose piercing because in India it was associated with female reproductive organs and they believed that the piercing of this place would make the childbirth easier.

In the late 1960's hippies travelled to India and they brought the tradition of nose piercing to the West Europe and America. Piercing of the nose symbolized rebellion against conservative values in punk culture and was very widespread in the late 1970's.

Nowadays many tribes in the Middle East and Africa still continue the ancient tradition and have their nose pierced. And in our society piercing is commonly done for the sake of beauty and style. Majority of celebrities has at least one piercing on their body and they show it to the whole world with pride. Janet Jackson, Sinead O'Connor, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna and may other celebrities have nose piercings.

There are three types of nose piercing: nostril piercing, nasal septum piercing and bridge piercing. Let's discuss all of them.

As it has already been mentioned above nostril piercing was widespread in India and the piercing of the left nostril was believed to make childbirth easier. Nostril piercing was also done in the ancient world to show the warrior status, religious reference and for many other reasons. Nowadays it's quite common to have one's nose pierced and it's not considered a rebellion or "punk". Any of nostrils can be pierced and the exact place of puncture is chosen by you and your piercing artist because there are some rules and advice for you to feel comfortable with your new piercing and it's important to choose the right place for it. As a rule a nose stud, a nose bone or pin are worn in nostril piercing. They look elegant and there is a wide choice of styles for you on the market nowadays.

Septum piercing is the piercing of the cartilage that separates the nostrils. Actually the puncture is done not through the cartilage, but in the sliver of thin skin near the septum. And this procedure would be almost painless. Circular barbells and captive bead rings are the commonly worn jewelry for septum piercing. Their size and style vary, so you can enjoy new outlook as often as you want. Gauging of septum piercing is also acceptable but it's a rather long process.

Bridge piercing is rather rare and looks unusual. It is placed on the upper part of the nose between the eyes. The risk of scaring and infection during bridge piercing procedure is rather high. This type of nose piercing is usually pierced with a straight barbell. If you decide to make bridge piercing, you'd better find out the detailed information about it and all the possible risks.

As any other piercing, nose piercing requires aftercare. Especially during first two months. Here are the main recommendations one with new nose piercing should follow.

Keep your piercing clean. Use saline solution at least twice a day. Don't touch your piercing and the jewelry. Wash your hands before you use cleaning solution. It's very important. Clean hands far from piercing and clean piercing are your guide to painless and quick healing process. And don't use hydrogen peroxide- it will bring more harm that good.

Be careful using a towel. And it would be better if you don't use it to dry your face at all. Blow your nose carefully. Make-up, the use of illegal medicine, smoking and taking out the ring will prolong the healing process.

If the piercing turns too red and swollen you can make an ice compress. If the pain is unbearable, consult your doctor.

After your piercing is completely healed you cam fully enjoy it and wear the jewelry you like. Make sure you don't have allergy on the most common jewelry materials such as gold, silver steel and titanium.

If you are interested in stylish nose piercing jewelry of various designs, check out our selection of 14K Gold Nose Bones, 950 Platinum Nose Studs, screws and hoops.

Nape Piercings

Nape piercings, informally called Neck piercings, are very new to mainstream culture. While it has been accepted for some time in body modification circles, people not stereotypically into bod-mod are getting their napes pierced. It is a great piercing for many people, because it can be exposed or covered according to a specific occasion with great ease.

This ability to hide or display the piercing is quite an attractive "selling point" to people, and when done correctly, this piercing can look fantastic. Nape piercings are surface piercings located on the lower base of your neck (although many people get multiple nape piercings that ascend up the neck) and they are usually pierced with surface bars. Sometimes barbells are used, but surface bars are de rigueur for this area of the body. Once you and your piercer have decided which piece of jewelry is best for you, you will most likely be asked to lay down on a table, cinch your shoulders together so that the piercer can clamp your skin at the base of the neck, and on your exhale the piercing will commence. Before the actual piercing occurs, you will be able to see where the piercer has marked you, and you can adjust the location from there if you so desire. Once the needle is through, the jewelry will be secured, and your piercing will be finished! The entire process takes about ten minutes, but the actual piercing action and jewelry insertion shouldn't even take a minute - it's very fast! Your first jewelry will be a bit larger to accommodate the swelling, but after a couple months (three months roughly, give or take) you can have the jewelry replaced to something that fits more snugly on your neck. There are many different types of jewelry for nape piercings, as any surface bar or barbell will do.

Nape piercings, being that they are on your neck, should not be attempted by amateurs. Even though the risk of nerve damage is practically nonexistent, you don't want to be jabbed in any of the nerves - or even worse, your spinal cord!- running down your back. A professional piercer will miss all of these nerves and you will not have any nerve damage. A drunken buddy with a sharp piercing needle, on the other hand, is nothing short of an accident waiting to happen. Besides, a professional piercer with experience in nape piercings will be more adept in proper placement of the piercing, and the depth they will pierce at will be more successful in staving off migration and rejection.

Migration (where the piercing moves from its original position) and rejection (where the body literally pushes out the piercing) are the two biggest threats of piercings in this area. All surface piercings are prone to migrations and rejections, and the neck piercings are no exception. However, if your nape is pierced at the right depth, and you follow all aftercare instructions and use common sense, you have a good chance of garnering a successful nape piercing. Besides cleaning it thoroughly, try not to sleep on it for the first week, don't wear helmet that rests directly on it, put on and take off shirts delicately, and just be very mindful of the area when using a towel to dry off. Many people report that the first week is the hardest - you don't realize how often the back of your neck is used until it is pierced, trust me - but after that the piercing does not hurt at all.

Do you want to know more about body piercings?...

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.

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The History of Body Piercings - Ancient and Fascinating Around the World

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.

About the Author:
Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her work because it gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now, she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about body jewelry, belly button rings and tongue rings. She has two dogs who are spoiled and one teenager who is not.

Helix and Helix Orbital Piercings

Many people have helix piercings, although they may not realize it. Many people refer to their helix piercing as "my cartilage piercing" and the area in question is the upper portion of the ear. It is very common to see someone with their earlobes pierced, and one or two other piercings located high on the ear. This is not a "cartilage piercing" as so many people proudly proclaim. It's a Helix Piercing.

Calling a Helix Piercing a cartilage piercing is a misnomer, because your entire ear (sans earlobes) is made of cartilage. Any piercing not on your earlobe (which is most peoples first ear piercing) is a cartilage piercing. The stereotypical second and third holes ascending from the earlobe are cartilage piercings; in this article, we shall call this particular high on the ear piercing by its proper name - the Helix.

After the earlobes, the Helix is the most popular piercing in America. For many people, the Helix is their first venture into the wonderful world of body piercing. Unfortunately for many people, it was probably pierced in a mall via a piercing gun. If you are considering getting your Helix pierced, don't get it pierced in a mall - go to a professional piercing parlor and get pierced with a sterile, safe, piercing needle instead of an unhygienic and damaging piercing gun. Having said that, once you have committed to a Helix piercing, your piercer will have no trouble piercing it for you - the Helix is incredibly easy to pierce.

Your piercer will probably recommend getting pierced with a hoop or captive bead ring, on this particular piercing, and I highly suggest complying with this recommendation. Of course, you may really want a barbell, and your piercer may think that's a viable option for you, so do what you feel comfortable with. The only real advantage a hoop or ring has is that it accommodates swelling better and holes pierced with rings and hoops tend to heal faster, but to each their own!

You will sit in the piercing chair, which almost always looks like a dentist chair, and your piercer will make mark on your ear. You get to look at the mark and approve or disapprove of the location, once the location has been agreed upon, your piercer will push the needle through your ear on your exhale. The jewelry is practically instantly inserted, and once the ball has been secured, your fabulous new piercing is done! The Helix piercings will not affect your hearing, speech, nervous system, balance, etc. These are all rumors - ignore them. It's a very safe piercing, and the pain should only last for a split second.

You can also get a Helix Orbital, which is two piercings on the Helix conjoined by one piece of jewelry. This piercing is slightly more complicated because the piercer has to measure the space between the piercings correctly, but it should not be a problem for a professional.

Cartilage does take longer to heal than the earlobe - and this piercing will take up to a year to completely heal. It may look fine and feel fine after six months, but that doesn't mean it's fully healed; twelve months seems to be the magic number for Helix Piercings. Cell phone use, sleeping on it, gel from your hair, dirty fingers touching the piercing, and ignoring proper aftercare procedures will probably result in an infection. This can be avoided by not touching the piercing, soaking it in warm saline solution, not banging objects against it (cell phones really are the biggest offenders), and having a gentle touch will go a long way in preventing infection. Even with constant care, swelling, redness, and bleeding are still common occurrences for the first couple weeks, but these should all subside by two months or so.

As many people do, you can get multiple piercings in your Helix. This is a wonderful way to express your individuality and creativity, but just allow time for your body to heal before changing the jewelry. Good luck with your Helix piercing, and remember with Helix piercings, your imagination is the only limit!

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Hand Piercings, Finger Piercings, and Hand Web Piercings

Hand Piercings, Finger Piercings, and Hand Web piercings are all very rare and rather extreme. In fact, if you are even considering getting one of these piercings, you are truly one of the brave. The pain varies, and in fact usually there is minimal pain involved with the piercing, but the aftercare of these particular piercings is only for the stringent at heart.

Your hands are two of the most active places on your body. They are constantly in motion, they are full of germs, and they are very sensitive (all those nerves running through our hands help the brain process pain, pleasure, and temperatures). A contemporary phenomenon is getting the surfaces on your hands pierced. I'm not against these piercings at all, but more than most piercings, it is important you understand the risks before committing to the piercing.

Hand piercings are all surface piercings, so they are susceptible to the usual suspects - migration and rejection. Your hands are chock full of muscles, tendons, and nerves, so the constant motion of your hands don't exactly work in your favor. Generally, the less disturbed the piercing area, the quicker and more successful the healing. With hand piercings you will not have the luxury keeping a hand "protected". It will be exposed to the elements, germs, daily stresses, and abuses straightaway. For this reason, only get a hand piercing if you are willing to do the following.

First of all, you must clean it religiously. Your piercer will recommend cleaning it somewhere around three times a day with a warm saline solution - don't skip this step! The saline helps keep the piercing site clean and free of buildup. You will have special instructions concerning which soap you can use, what moisturizer you can use, what liquids or gels you can't put on your hands (Neosporin is always a no-no), ad infinitum. Smoking is definitely discouraged with a hand piercing, for the cigarette smoke that will inevitably drift around it will irritate your new piercing and prolong the healing. You must also be sure to keep the piercing site clean, not just from germs, but from dirt, trash, food, etc. Remember, you have a very delicate piercing that is being assaulted from all sides, so be careful!

Your lifestyle may have to change as well during the healing period. Besides not smoking, you shouldn't be wearing gloves (they can tear the piercings out) or engaging in any activity that may put your hands at risk. If your career heavily depends on using your hands, you may want to think about getting one of these piercings extra carefully. Your everyday life will be affected by this piercing for at least a year - which is the general healing time. If you've never had a body piercing before, this probably isn't a good one to start out with!

Now that the risks are known, and you still want to go ahead, here is what you can expect! For starters, don't get pierced with a ring or hoop. You are just begging for it to get ripped out! Your hands touch too many objects everyday and a ring jutting out will get snared on something and it will be gone before you know it. Your piercer and you will decide if surface bars or curved barbells are best for your piercing location (which is largely determined by the shape of your hands, exact location, and lifestyle). It is not uncommon to have to get refitted a couple months after the piercing, for the swelling should have gone down enough to where you might need new jewelry to lie closer to the skin.

For hand piercings, the location can be almost anywhere. Surface bars will almost always be used, and the pain might be a bit intense. Rejection risk is high since there is not a lot of skin or tissue to penetrate, but with care this can be a relatively long term piercing.

Finger piercings generally don't hurt nearly as much as they look, but these too have a high risk of migration. Generally pierced at the base of the finger to look like a ring, surface bars or barbells are used. The finger will swell after piercing, and is highly prone to infection, but by following the right aftercare and being super careful, you just may be able to make this piercing last a good long while.

Hand web piercings might be the most popular of the hand piercings - the webbing between each finger (especially between thumb and forefinger) is very thin and not hard to push a barbell through. It is also prone to rejection and migration, and infection is a very real possibility. This piercing should not affect your mobility (none of these piercings should affect any of your body functions), but the hand webs are major points in acupuncture therapy, so if you talk to an acupuncturist they probably won't be keen on you receiving a piercing this area. There's no western scientific evidence that piercing your hand webs will hurt you, but if you follow eastern medicine and science, you may want to hold off on web piercings.

All in all, piercings on the hand are rather extreme. They require constant care, zealous protection, regular cleaning, and even then it's not a guarantee that these piercings will last. Yet, if you want to push the boundaries and your lifestyle affords it, you can try to get a piercing on your hand. For many people who successfully have them, it's their favorite piercing!

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Nose Piercings - Nostril, Septum, and Bridge Piercings

Nose piercings are extremely popular throughout the world. The nostril piercings are the most popular, although there is a surge in septum (properly called the nasal septum) piercings too; Bridge Piercings, located between the eyes, are still very rare. No matter which nose piercings you desire, all have the potential to frame your face and emphasize your features beautifully.

Nostril piercings are as old as humankind. Many cultures pierce their noses for varying reasons, be it for warrior status, child-bearing help, religious references, or coming of age rites, people have been piercing their noses for longer than recorded history. In America, nostril piercings are a relatively new fad - the first groups of people to get their noses pierced were hippies returning from sojourns in India and followers of "punk rock", so the initial impression of nostril piercings was that of a disestablishmentarianism feel. Today, having a nostril pierced is hardly considered "punk" or "rebellious" and an increasing amount of workplaces allow for nostril piercings; out of all facial piercings, this is probably one of the piercings to achieve benign responses from older or more traditional members of society.

Both nostrils can be pierced and the side you get pierced is really a matter of your personal preference. You and your piercer will decide on which jewelry is appropriate for your lifestyle (and the initial jewelry used for the piercing may not be what you have in mind) and which jewelry will best accommodate your face for the inevitable subsequent swelling. The piercer may choose the best location for your new jewelry by asking you to flare your nostrils. The best looking nose jewelry is located in the crease that become apparent during flaring and in this location you minimize your chances of accidentally ripping out your new piercing!

The Septum piercing is located, well, in the septum (the cartilage that separates your nostrils) and looks extremely painful. Actually, it is one of the least painful piercings you can get, for a good piercer won't actually go through the cartilage. Your piercer will pinch your septum to locate the "sweet spot" - a sliver of thin skin - and the jewelry will be placed there. Captive beads and circular barbells are usually used for the initial jewelry, and many people choose to gauge this piercing over time. If you decide to gauge, remember that the initial swelling will subside in one month to three months, so only after this allotted time can you begin the process.

Unfortunately, there are some stigmas associated with this piercing (most work environments are not friendly to it), but luckily, these piercings are easy to hide without having to remove the jewelry. If you get pierced with a circular barbell, instead of letting the ends hang downward you can swing the ends into your nose, thus hiding the piercing. Once you can safely remove the piercing, you can always buy a clear or flesh color retainer to disguise the piercing too.

Bridge Piercings are still rare but are becoming more visible in everyday culture. While this piercing is actually located on the nose, it is placed on the upper part (the bridge) of the nose right between the eyes, hence the name. If this piercing is flipped from horizontal to vertical, and lifted slightly on the nose and forehead plane, it is called a "minds eye" or "third eye" piercing (which is still very rare, and explained in my eye-area article). Bridge piercing is also called the "earl" as a tribute to the first person to wear this piercing (Earl van Aken). Bridge Piercings are contemporary of origin.

Bridge Piercings and Third Eye Piercings are considered "surface piercings" (a complete in-depth analysis of surface piercings will be provided in another article), so the risk of rejection is high, and once removed, scarring is a real possibility. Without fail, Bridge Piercings are pierced with straight barbells (rings simply won't work for an initial piercing, although once healed, a D-shaped captive ring may work). A professional piercer will tweak the jewelry so as to fit your face shape, if not create a completely customized piece of jewelry for you. While the Bridge piercings carry no risk to harm your eyes, or your sinuses, they should not be attempted by amateurs. If you are considering this piercing, be warned that the rate of complete healing is very low, and the risk of migration is very high. Not many people are able to keep this piercing, and reoccurring infections are a real risk even if you do take great care of this piercing!

As always, be sure to keep your new piercing clean with warm saline solution. Never ever touch your jewelry - your hands are absolutely covered with germs - unless you absolutely must and you have just washed your hands. By following these two simple guidelines, you will be on the right track to a quick and painless healing process.

During the first couple weeks, you may notice tenderness if you have to blow your nose. And to be completely forthright, you may notice that boogers stick to the inside of your piercing. The average healing period is eight to ten weeks, but this can be prolonged if you wear makeup, take your nose ring in and out repeatedly, partake in illegal drugs (this will definitely irritate your piercing), or smoke (tobacco is amongst the worst offenders for infection causers). After ten weeks, it should not hurt to blow your nose. Be gentle when drying your face - towels are your enemy for the first couple weeks, for jewelry can get caught on the fabric and get yanked out.

If you love the look of nose piercings but are uneasy about potential job prospects, you can (and should) buy a retainer. You are definitely not the first person to be in this conundrum, so many body jewelry manufacturers have created clear or flesh colored retainers - that is, jewelry specifically designed to maintain the integrity of your piercing while blending in with the rest of your face. These enable you to keep your nose piercings from closing up (because like most facial piercings, the holes will close relatively quickly) all while going undetected in the workplace. If you are interested in a nose piercing (or two...or three...) there is really no reason to hold back!

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.

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