Body Piercing Facts and Tips

Over the past few years, body art became an undeniable craze. From A-list celebrities to the girls next door, tattoos are more than a trend—they’re an artistic movement. It's uncommon to walk down the street, go grocery shopping, or even watch TV without seeing piercings and tattoos adorning unassuming body parts. Spotlight on: ears, lips, nostrils, eyebrows, tongues, belly buttons, and even cheeks and temples.

Although once scorned as a manifestation of grunge rebellion, the tattoo and piercing industry is now internationally respected as an alternative art community. Perhaps you are one of the millions of people who think body piercings look cool—maybe you’ve even considered getting a few piercings yourself. But before you take the plunge, there are a number of questions you want answered. Are piercings safe? Are they bad for my body? What do I need to know before I get one? What’s the history of body piercing, anyway?

Body piercing, like tattooing, is a popular alternative art form—most popular among American teens. However, in many other countries, body piercing holds cultural significance. For example, natives of certain Pacific islands paint their faces to represent tribal traditions. The design begins at the eyebrows and slowly leads down the face to the throat. Many Middle Eastern tribes will only pierce the ears and nose. In some cultures, piercings represent different rights of passage, such as marriage or leaving home, or various other events in life. With each life-changing and spiritual experience, infants, toddlers, and young children accumulate a piercing. By the time a child is six years old, he or she may already have five piercings, each representing a significant time in his or her early childhood.  

In America, teens and adults do not normally associate spiritual meaning with piercings. Many American teens have various psychological motivations to get body piercings, from rebelling against parents to simply craving attention. However, other teens simply like the look and want to be a part of the latest trend. One teenage girl says she got her tongue pierced because she "was bored and wanted something to do". Another teenager with several piercing says that each experience gives him an adrenaline rush. Others look beyond the fad and see body piercing as the utmost form of self-expression. Overall, body piercing is a popular destination for teens and adults seeking excitement and new experiences.

What is body piercing?

A body piercing is a way to wear jewelry on various parts of the human body through a needle puncture of the skin.  

The piercing process:

• The designated piercing area (except for the tongue) is cleaned with germicidal soap. Germicidal soap is a soap that kills disease causing bacteria micro-organisms.

• Your skin is then punctured with a sterile needle.

• The piece of jewelry, which has already been sterilized, is attached to the area.

• The person performing the piercing disposes of the needle in a spare container, so there is no risk of blood cross-contamination.

• The pierced area is cleaned.

• The piercer adjusts the jewelry and gives instructions on how to make sure the piercing heals correctly, and advises on how to act if there is a problem.

What you need to know before you get pierced:

• If you’re under eighteen, the majority of piercing salons will not allow you to get a piercing without consent from parents or legal guardians.

• It is best you know all the risks involved and how to best protect yourself from infections and other complications.

• Certain sites on the body can cause more problems than others because they can catch infections faster, i.e. the nose.

• Tongue piercings damage teeth, while cheek and lip piercings can cause gum problems.

If you decide to get a piercing

• Make sure you know where to seek medical care in case of infection.

Common symptoms are:

• Excessive redness and tender skin around the piercing.

• Prolonged bleeding.

• Pus and change of skin color around the pierced area.

• If you plan to get a tongue or mouth piercing, make sure your teeth and gums are healthy.

• Be sure that you are up-to-date with your immunizations, especially hepatitis and tetanus.

Can you donate blood in the future?

If you want to donate blood in the future, rethink your piercing. The United States and the Canadian Red Cross will not accept blood donations from any person who had a body piercing within the past year. This reason is piercing procedures can transmit dangerous blood borne diseases.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Don't do a piercing if you have any of the following:

• Heart murmur

• Auto-immune disorder (AIDS)

• Diabetes

• Rashes

• Scars

• Abnormal moles and freckles, or other obvious skin or tissue abnormalities

If you wish to pierce a surgically altered or irregular location on your body, it’s best to consult a doctor first.

Once you are sure that body piercing is right for you, proceed with caution to ensure a happy and healthy experience!