Piercings

The act of body piercing is usually linked to the piercing of a part of the skin for the purpose of wearing an ornament or jewelry on the body. It is considered a form of body modification. Individuals get themselves pierced for various reasons; some cultures have traditions of getting themselves pierced; others do it for religious or spiritual practices, whereas some get piercings done for ornamental or sexual reasons. Body piercings are known to be practiced by people across the world right from ancient times. Pyramid excavations have found mummified bodies with piercings. Different forms of piercings have also found mention in the Bible. Piercings are known to be popular even during the Aztec and Maya civilizations. There are a number of ways in which the body can be pierced. The standard needle method makes use of a hollow medical needle, which is inserted into the body and through the gap created the jewelry follows the end of the needle. The indwelling cannula method follows the same procedure as that of the standard needle method; the only difference being that the jewelry is inserted into the back of the cannula, thus reducing the chances of the jewelry slipping out during insertion. When a larger gauge for the initial jewelry is required, a more advanced method known as the pierce and taper is used. Scalpelling is done with the help of a medical scalpel that is used to cut a slit for the insertion of the jewelry. The dermal punch technique is used to make circular holes, and is generally used where both skin and cartilage need to be removed. The piercing gun is used by non-professional body piercers. These guns force a blunt stud through the skin causing the most amount of trauma to the pierced body part than any other form of piercing. Body piercing is a risky process especially when done without the help of a professional. A piercing done by a professional piercer is safer and the risk of infection is also less. Individuals who would like to enjoy a safe and healthy piercing experience should look after their new piercings by keeping them clean.