Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Body Piercings (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Have you ever wondered about getting a piercing? Maybe you thought “OMG how cute is that piercing! I also want one because that jewellery looks so cool! I am getting it done and that’s it!” Yeah… It’s not that easy! First you need to know some common knowledge about piercing types, healing times, and you should also understand the risks.
When I first thought about getting a helix piercing (made to the upper cartilage of the ear), I was 13. My mom has six ear piercings and I’ve always loved them and been asking about how she got one. She told me about hiding her first upper lobe piercing from her parents and how my great-grandmother exposed her. So when I was 15, I got my first helix piercing, and that was just the beginning… If you are thinking about getting a piercing, read on to learn some important facts and advice you have to take into account!
Risks you should not ignore
- It is possible to receive an infection if the piercing equipment wasn’t cleaned properly.
- Infections caused by bacteria getting into the puncture of the piercing can happen even if the piercing has healed fully. You can avoid this if you clean your piercing at least twice a day.
- Your wound can bleed after you got pierced.
- You can have an allergic reaction to some kind of jewellery. For example, nickel allergy: body-piercing jewellery often contains nickel.
The biggest mistakes that you can do
Getting pierced with a gun
Some people think it’s less painful to get pierced with a gun, because “It’s just a click and it’s done!” Yes, it’s just a second indeed, but this can cause a lot of trouble, such as infections, bumps, and other complications. If you want a piercing, never pierce at home! There are so many piercing studios where the piercer do it with a needle and can give you some advice.
Improper cleaning solutions
You mustn’t use creams, serums, peroxides to clean your piercing. These can cause infection and irritation. All you need is a cotton bud soaked in saline solution (a mixture of water and salt).
Wrong jewellery size
It might not sound so serious, but it is important to get the perfect jewellery, because it can also cause trouble. For example, if the jewellery is too big, your hair can hitch into it, which will irritate the wound. However, if it’s too tight, you won’t be able to clean it properly.
Changing jewellery too soon
This can set your healing back in months!!! Everyone who gets a piercing wants to style it with new jewellery and show it off, but you should always wait until the recommended time before changing it.
Piercing types and their healing times
Ear
Lip
Nose
Eyebrow
Tongue
Navel (belly button)
Microdermal
Piercings I love
Fun facts and history of body piercings
- The oldest mummified body with ear piercing and expanded earlobes was found in an Austrian Glacier. The carbon dating test shows it to be over 5,000 years old.
- The first ear piercings appear among primitive people for magical purposes. They believed that metal was effective against demons and bad spirits.
- Egyptians got ear piercings to present their wealth and portray their beauty. Only the pharaoh was allowed to have a navel piercing; anyone else who did was to be executed.
- The Ancient Romans would pierce their nipples to signify strength, bravery and their manhood. Julius Caesar himself had his nipples pierced too.
- In part of their religious rituals, Mayans and American Indians pierced their tongues, since they believed this can bring them closer to the Gods.
- In some parts of Africa, women start to stretch their lips before marriage. The lip plate size will specify the number of cows the husband has to pay for the marriage portion.
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