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Body piercing is a form of body modification. It involves piercing a part of the human body and subsequently inserting and keeping a foreign object in the opening until the wound heals. This forms a tunnel of skin (called a fistula) around the foreign object, thus creating a suitable place for wearing different types of body piercing jewelry. The term "piercing" typically refers to this hole. One example of this process is the common ear piercing. Some cultures practice piercing as part of religious traditions. In industrialized countries, most piercing is performed for ornamental or sexual reasons.
The origins of piercing
Piercing has ancient origins. The oldest mummified body in the world discovered in an Austrian glacier was found to have an ear piercing 7–11 mm in diameter. Nose piercing is mentioned in the Bible. In Genesis 24:22 Abraham gave an earring to Rebekah, wife of his son Isaac. Nose piercing reached India in the 16th century and rapidly became accepted. Tongue piercing was popular with the elite of Aztec and Maya civilization; it was carried out as part ceremony blood ritual, not to insert jewelry. Ancient Mesoamericans did pierce ears, nose, and lower lips for jewelry, practices still popular amongst indigenous peoples in these regions. In Dreamtime by Hans Peter Duerr , it is claimed that nipple piercing became popular in 14th century Europe. On many websites it is claimed that the Romans invented nipple piercing and that soldiers attached their capes to the piercings. There is some debate about this as it is much more plausable that capes may have been hung from rings attached to their armor.
Piercing in industrialized civilizations
In the United States, ear piercing for females was long the only common piercing. Other body piercings were popularized by Jim Ward and his piercing shop, The Gauntlet , which opened in 1975 in Los Angeles. Since piercing has become more common and widespread, many new piercings have been developed that do not have a history or precedent.
Some regard body piercing as a kind of artistic expression, others as a form of sexual expression and/or stimulation. Genital piercings are some of the most common, and some piercers report that the Prince Albert piercing is the most popular of all, for females the most popular genital piercing is the vertical hood in which navel jewelry is often worn, ideally the piercing is placed so the lower part of the navel curve rests next to the Censored page. Many wearers of genital piercings keep their jewelry in during Censored page and other Censored page, but others find it uncomfortable. It depends to a large degree on the design of the jewelry and the type of sexual activity.
Media:Body_Modification_Code_of_Ethics.pdf
Media:Sizing_Chart.jpg For sizing gloves and measuring jewelry gauge and size
Types of piercings
Facial piercings
Body piercings
Male genital piercings
Female genital piercings
Healing times
Different types of piercings take different amounts of time to heal. Take what follows as a rough guide.
Please also see Body Piercing Aftercare.
See also
Media:How to Test Jewelry.pdf
Media: Body_Piercing_Aftercare_and_Healing.pdf Some healing related issues that relate to body piercing
Jim Ward Doug Malloy
External links
- Body Modification Ezine http://www.bmezine.com/ — oldest and biggest body modification website
- the ABC of piercing http://www.piercing.com/link/abc_index.html — on piercing.com
Last updated: 02-02-2005 09:27:43
Last updated: 04-25-2005 03:06:01