Symptoms of Cartilage Piercing Infection

1. You may experience severe pain, redness and swelling in and around the piercing site.
2. Often, very often, a white fluid drains out of piercing. This must not be mistaken with pus, because it is lymphatic fluid that acts like a cleanser for dirt and bacteria.
3. After a few days, yellowish crust forms, indicating that the piercing has started healing. However, it cannot be with every piercing.
4. If proper care is not taken while piercing, it can lead to infections or if you do not take proper aftercare instructions, infections may develop.
5. Infections are characterized with pus formation, bleeding, throbbing pain and bumps on piercing. Sometimes, piercing may produce foul smell.

Care for Cartilage Piercing Infection

A professional piercer must advise a person about proper piercing care. He must execute some precautionary steps while piercing. He must use sterilized instruments and wear clean gloves while piercing. Apart from these, a person who gets his ear pierced must follow the following steps to avoid cartilage infection.

• Do not touch cartilage piercing with the naked hands. Dirty hands is the access point for bacteria to enter the piercing.
• Use a disinfectant soap to wash the hands properly.
• Never play with piercing jewelry. Fingering the piercing jewelry with dirty hands cause infection.
• While putting on clothes, take proper care of piercing.
• Use an antiseptic lotion to clean the piercing twice a day, till it heals completely. You can soak jewelry in alcohol solution for disinfecting it.
• Never apply hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil or alcohol directly on piercing.
• Don’t change the jewelry frequently in the initial months.
• Always keep your hair clean and do not keep the public telephone receiver on the ear directly.

Risks of Tongue Piercing

Following are the risks in tongue piercing:

Infection:
Tongue has major blood vessels connected to it, that reach the brain. If the blood vessels in this area get damaged while piercing, it causes infection that spreads to other vital organs, particularly brain. In worst cases, infection in tongue piercing may cause death.

Nerve Damage:
The major risk of tongue piercing in association with blood loss is the nerve damage. As you know, if the nerve gets damaged, it can’t be corrected. A damage to nerve in the tongue can make the tongue useless. Hence, nerve damage and tongue piercing has a close relation, that is very important aspect of tongue piercing.

Blood Loss:
Before infection, piercing process leads to a puncture of blood vessels and it leads to severe blood loss. Only surgery can help in perforating the blood vessel.

Oral and Dental Issues:
People opt for barbells when they get their tongues pierced. This results in fractures, chips and cracks to the front teeth. If it is so, fillings or crowns are required to repair the broken teeth. Additionally, barbell may rub against the sensitive gum tissues and they must be dealt with a surgery.

Painful Affair:
In some people, tongue piercing may cause neuralgia, that refers to the severe pain. It is an unnerving and uncomfortable condition. Pain causes problems while speaking and eating. It becomes worse, if the food gets stuck in the barbell.

Gulping it down:
There is potential risk of swallowing the jewelry. It gets worse if gets stuck in the lungs which leads to other problems.

Procedure and Aftercare of Eyebrow Piercing

Procedure:
A needle is sterilized with by rubbing alcohol initially. It is held with the clean rubber gloves and allowed it to dry. The piercing area is wiped off with rubbing alcohol and any hair strand which might there must be pulled back or removed. Now, the skin is shifted and is maneuvered with fingers such that the needle may be pushed straight into the skin on other side. If the person is ready, then needle is pushed firmly and quickly to the other side. Needle is removed by the piercer and jewelry is pushed into the piercing. Finally, the area around the piercing is cleaned thoroughly with soap and water.

Aftercare:
Fortunately, this piercing does not get irritated easily and thus, it is one of the safest piercings. Unfortunately, this piercing hurts while it is being pierced. But it is not that important, the important part is its aftercare. Following things must be kept in mind regarding the piercing on eyebrow:

• The healing time of eyebrow piercing is about 6 – 8 weeks.
• The most important thing about the piercing is it must be cleaned every day.
• Make a salt solution and soak a cotton ball in it. Apply this cotton ball on the piercing to dissolve any crust.
• Make sure that you clean your hands with antibacterial soap before touching.
• Do not use anything that contains alcohol, betadine or hydrogen peroxide to the piercing.
• Do not wear any makeup on or near the piercing until it heals completely.
• If you have a barbell, use a soft toothbrush to remove any crusting.
• When your piercing is new, do not handle, twist or swim the piercing to avoid irritation.
• Remember to sleep on other side of the piercing. This avoids infection and snagging of ring.
• If you have any infection, consult the piercer immediately.
• The aftercare regime must be followed until the piercing heals fully.
  

Techniques and Risks of Nipple Piercing

Techniques

• Piercing that are undertaken by experts involve the use of an exceedingly pointed hollow surgical needle similar to the ones employed for giving drips or blood.
• This implies that for the majority of nipple piercing the needle is pierced in an instant and the degree of uneasiness is minimal.

Risks

There are a number of risks that are associated with naval piercing. The risks involved are mentioned below.

Infection: In the absence of adequate care, infection can result in scarring and even blood poisoning.

Allergic Reaction: Some people are allergic to particular metals and only realize this during piercing and have a serious reaction to the jewelry.

Nerve Damage: If a piercing isn’t positioned cautiously, it can penetrate a nerve, detaching it and making the adjoining area devoid of any sensation.

Nipple Piercing Care Tips

The nipple is one of the most popular body piercing sites for both men and women. Nipple jewellery can be made from gold, white gold, steel or gold-plated steel. Popular varieties include a ring (with or without a bead or pendant threaded through it), a dumbbell and a D-shaped ring with the straight side through the nipple.

It is important to choose an experienced piercer in order to reduce the risk of infection. Hygiene is crucial. For example, if the instruments aren't properly sterilised between clients, you may catch a blood-borne disease, such as hepatitis B.

Nipple Piercing Care

Don't touch or handle the piercing unnecessarily.

Don't twirl or turn the jewellery unnecessarily for the first month or so.

Clean and disinfect daily and turn ring from one end to the other. Scabs that form on either end of the piercing should be left alone. During the first 3 weeks avoid swimming, long hot baths and sauna due to a raised chance of infection from tissue softening.

Cover with gauze during sun tanning. During the healing process a scab will form and the puncture site may ooze slightly (lymph). The oozing may get onto the ring and when dry is like a scab. This should be removed from the ring using warm water and slowly turning the ring. This is done best under the shower.

During sleep or exercise, keep jewellery in place and the piercing intact by either covering with sticking plaster or wearing a bra.

Healing

For women who opt for nipple piercing, healing period runs six to twelve months. This is a crucial piercing, regarded as a deep tissue injury in technical term. The piercing heals from the external limits back towards the middle and can frequently take a great deal of time to become properly established.

Techniques and Risks of Nose Piercing

Techniques

1. Piercing that are undertaken by experts involve the use of an exceedingly pointed hollow surgical needle similar to the ones employed for giving drips or blood.
2. This implies that for the majority of nose piercing the needle is pierced in an instant and the degree of uneasiness is minimal.

Nose Piercing Risks

There are a number of risks that are associated with nose piercing. The risks involved are mentioned below.

Infection:
In the absence of adequate care, infection can result in scarring and even blood poisoning.

Allergic Reaction:
Some people are allergic to particular metals and only realize this during piercing and have a serious reaction to the jewelry.

Nerve Damage:
If a piercing isn’t positioned cautiously, it can penetrate a nerve, detaching it and making the adjoining area devoid of any sensation

Aftercare Tips for Nose Piercing

Aftercare Tips

You must at all times make it a point to keep your hands clean prior to touching your nose piercing. You need to do this to ensure that your hands are not the source of contamination for the area that has been pierced. The use of sterile cotton, cotton gauze or other disinfected material should be used for cleaning from the second night onwards.

Healing Nose Piercing

The curing of an ordinary wound and the healing of a nose piercing is significantly dissimilar. For a normal wound the body simply has to restore and rejoin the injured tissue, but with nose piercing, this process is made difficult by the presence of an unfamiliar substance, the jewelry.

The healing period for nostril and septum piercings can take between six and twelve weeks.

List Facial Piercings

Facial piercing have increasingly become very popular in many youngsters, especially guys. In early days, you don’t have much options other than ear and nose piercings. But today, it is possible to get as many facial piercings as you want. Here are some of the popular different types of facial piercings for guys.

Eyebrow Piercings: Eyebrow piercings are the most popular type of facial piercing among guys. There is no specific location or spot to get an eyebrow piercing done. They can be performed horizontally or vertically, anywhere around your eyebrow. However, there is a high chances of migration in this type of piercing. Therefore, make sure that you wear only lightweight jewelry for eyebrow piercings. The most popular eyebrow jewelry are barbells and eyebrow rings.

Tongue Piercing: Today many youngsters, both boys and girls find tongue piercing very attractive and cool. It is usually performed directly through the middle of the tongue. Tongue piercing needs a proper aftercare to heal properly, because there is a high chance of getting tongue piercing infection. Make sure that, you get the piercing done by a licensed or professional piercer and follow aftercare instructions carefully as guided by your professional piercer to prevent infection and many other piercing problems.

Lip Piercing: There are many different types of lip piercing, based on the location or the spot where you get your lip piercing done. To name a few, you have labret piercing, vertical labret piercing, medusa piercing, horizontal lip piercing, angel bites, snakebites, spider bites, Monroe or Madonna piercing and filtrum piercing. You can also go for chin piercing, it looks great on guys.

Septum Piercing: This is another great choice for guys, who are looking for a funky facial piercing, which is also called bull rings. It is performed on the septum, that divides the two nostrils. This kind of piercing can be quite painful. But, once you get it done, it really looks funky and stylish. Septum piercing usually takes 7-10 weeks to heal completely.

Bridge Piercing: This is another unique kind of facial piercing, which is done on the nose bridge, between the eyes. The good thing about this piercing is that, it can heal relatively very fast and is less painful when compared to spectrum piercing.

Ear Piercing: Ear piercing is very popular among girls, but it looks great on guys too. Moreover, ear piercing is the safest and easiest of all body piercings. You have plenty of options to choose, when it comes to ear piercing. Some of the common types of ear piercing are conch piercing, ear lobe piercing, industrial piercing, daith piercing, tragus piercing, helix piercing and rook piercing

Ear Piercing Tips

It usually takes around 8 to 10 weeks for the ear piercing to heal completely if proper aftercare tip are followed. The infections can cause granulomas and small bumps in and around the area. A person can avoid these condition if he/she follows the below mentioned aftercare tips.

1. Clean the area during shower daily as it may help in speeding the healing process.
2. Cleaning the area too many times may affect the defense mechanism of the body to heal by itself.
3. Use saline water to rinse the pierced area in order to remove the crust formed due to accumulated lymph.
4. Make sure that your hair does not cause any kind irritation as it may transmit bacteria, dirt, oil and all the other kind of irritants into the pierced area.
5. Take proper care while using hair care products and shampoo as they may cause inflammation and irritation.
6. Make sure that use products which are dye-free and perfume-free during the healing period of the piercing.
7. Always keep your pillow covers clean in order to avoid the bacteria to infect the piercing.
8. Follow a healthy lifestyle as it may speed up the healing process.
9. Stay away from drugs and alcohol and eat balanced and healthy diet.
10. Take zinc and vitamin B supplements as it helps in giving boost to the immune system helping in healing the pierced area as soon as possible.

Things to Avoid

1. Avoid touching of the pierced area frequently with dirty hands.
2. Rotate the jewelry gently in order to prevent the formation of crusts.
3. It is always recommended to wash your hands every time you touch the piercing.
4. Avoid removing the jewelry for the first few months in order to prevent any kind of damage of the wound and to provide maximum time for it to get healed.
5. Avoid the usage of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or witch hazel as they may cause scars on the ear.
6. Keep the area dry by avoiding too much application of ointment on the area.
7. Avoid the usage of public telephones as they may transmit bacteria to the pierced area.

Tongue Art Piercing Information

Body piercing has become a fad among youngsters of today and among all of them tongue piercing is gaining popularity slowly. Teenagers opt for this piercing as a significance of asserting something or breaking the rules. They also choose this to rebel against their parents. Most of the people believe that tongue piercing increases sexual pleasures. Sometimes, it may lead to complications and infections sometimes. The following article may give you the basic tongue piercing information.

Healing Time

It takes around six weeks for the tongue piercing to get healed. It may cause severe swelling which may last for 3-4 days. People sporting it may find it difficult in speaking at least for a week. Eating food may also be a problem and this may cause inconvenience for 2-3 weeks.

Risks

1. The most dangerous risk involved in tongue piercing is getting the vein cut during the procedure.
2. Tongue may bleed heavily during or after the procedure and the person may require medical help.
3. Large sized gauge used for piercing can lead to the erosion of the gums.
4. Large jewelry may result in chipping of the teeth.
5. Usage of unsterilized equipments may sometimes lead to HIV or Hepatitis C.

4RHM34TFF9W6

Female Nipple Piercing

Nipple piercing is an increasingly popular form of female body piercing. This type of piercing is not only aesthetically pleasing, but considered to be physically pleasing also, as it is known to increase the sensitivity of the nipple, thus increasing the sensual and pleasurable sensations felt when the area is stimulated.

Another factor that makes pierced nipples worth considering is the feelings of empowerment many women gain after having a nipple pierced. Nipple piercings are also one of the few types of female body piercing that are very easily concealed, making them that much more private, personal and exciting.

The piercing is done through the base of the erect part of the nipple. Care should be taken to ensure the piercing does not penetrate the areola, as this can lead to a breast tissue infection known as mastitis. Piercing is done with a needle, a clamp is often used also, but is completely optional. Any angle can be pierced through the nipple and one nipple can also accommodate multiple piercings.

The jewellery used for nipple piercing is typically barbells or rings, but the use of most types of jewellery is possible. Any rings used should be of a large enough diameter to allow for initial swelling, otherwise irritations and other complications may occur. Jewellery such as nipple shields can be an excellent way to showcase the breasts, whilst still easily concealed beneath clothing or lingerie.

A concern many women have with this type of female body piercing is potential issues with breast feeding. So it is worth noting that as long as all jewellery is removed from the area prior to feeding, breast feeding with nipple piercings is completely safe.

Inverted nipples can be corrected and kept in an erect position with the help of a nipple piercing.

As with any female body piercing, always ensure your piercer is an experienced professional, and make sure any questions and concerns you may have are discussed prior to piercing.

Belly Button Piercing

Body piercing is when a needle is put through part of the body and then a foreign object is inserted as jewellery. Eventually, the skin around the jewellery heals and a hole is left. The hole is the piercing. It is perfectly safe when done by professionals who are careful. DO NOT pierce your own belly button. The piercing needs to be done with a sterilized needle, gloves and other sterilized pieces of equipment.

You must opt for a parlor with wide range of jewelry so that you can pick up the required piece. But before doing so, you must know what kind of jewelry is safe on your part because there are chances of some metals for causing infections during new belly button piercing. Surgical stainless steel jewelry is preferred. Jewelry made of solid gold, titanium, or niobium may also be used.

Put on loose fitting clothes. Tight apparel will irritate the belly button. Take it easy and relax. Often, it is nervousness that causes discomfort. Breathe in a controlled manner. Focus on inhaling and exhaling. Concentrating on your breath (or other objects) will sooth your muscles. This will reduce the pain.

The first and most important thing to keep in mind Belly Button Piercingis that you should not touch your new piercing unless absolutely necessary. It is recommended that people clean navel rings once a day with warm water and antibacterial soap and avoid using any creams or alcohols that will irritate or dry the skin.

Belly Button piercing has been prevelant for centuries and can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Indians. Body piercing made a statement and stood for their status in society. Many piercings were believed to represent a connection with the Gods. As time evolved, society and the perception of piercing changed, the only accepted piercings were that of the ears of women. The truth be told is that body piercings, especially rings look good.

Body Piercing Basic

My friend has been a body piercer for over 30 years, and although I never followed him into the profession, I have picked up a thing or two. It never ceases to amaze me how many people do not know the basics of maintaining their piercings. The most surprising question I hear asked over and over is “how long to I have to clean it?”.

It’s really one of those questions that makes you stop and think why this person wants to be pierced. That doubt in you mind is confirmed by the look of shock on their face when to they’ll need to continue cleaning it at least once a day, more so in the first few weeks.

Cleaning Tips

When you first get a major piercing (like a belly ring), you will notice that a gooey substance will leak from the ‘wound’ for the first few weeks. This is nothing to be concerned about as it is just body fat that the body is expelling from the area until the wound is healed. You will need to clean this fat off the piercing on a regular basis to prevent infection. This body fat tends to dry hard, do not move the ring or barbell around too much when this occurs, as it will tear the healing flesh around the ring/barbell.

The best way to clean your new piercing is boil a kettle and place the hot water in a bowl. Dissolve some salt into this water and allow to cool. When the salt-water mix becomes cool enough to touch (but still warm) dip a cotton tip into the water and then gently start to clean the ring/barbell and surrounding skin. Be prepared to use a number of cotton tips, as you need to avoid ‘double dipping’ the tip. In addition, you will need to use a fresh cotton tip when cleaning opposite side (i.e. a different tip for both the top and bottom of your tongue). This is to stop the spread of germs or possible infection. You will need to clean fresh piercings several times a day.

If the ‘gooey’ substance does dry onto the ring/barbell and you are unable to get it off with just the warm salt water, try having a hot shower first – this will soften the hard substance making it easier to clean.

Please Note: Avoid using things like mentho or other alcohol-based substances to clean your piercings. These substances will tighten the skin (effectively closing the wound) and trap the excess body fat and waste in the piercing, which can lead to infection.

Once the piercing has established itself, it usually will not discharge any substance, meaning that the wound has fully healed. When fully healed, you should clean your piercing at least once a day. You can do this while in the shower, just give it a quick clean to get off excess sweat and dirt.

How can you tell if the piercing is infected?

The first sign of infection is generally a redness to the flesh around the piercing, and the wound continuing to discharge well after the recommended healing time (times vary depending on what you get done and the technique the piercer uses – you should be informed on healing times when you get the piercing). The area around the piercing will generally be painful. An infection can occur at any time, so you need to keep an eye on your piercing and keep it clean. If in doubt, go back to your piercer (or if not available your doctor) and get them to check it out. Infections can be very serious and may need to be tended to on a medical level – do not be afraid to enquire or ask for a professional opinion.

The History of Piercing

NOSE PIERCING HISTORY
Nose piercing is very attractive, and can accentuate the face, because the nose is the face's most prominent feature; Leonardo Da Vinci believed that the nose set the character of the whole face.

Nose piercing was first recorded in the Middle East aproximately 4,000 years ago, it is mentioned in The Bible in Genesis 24:22 Abraham requested his oldest servant to find a wife for his son Isaac, the servant found Rebekah, and one of the gifts he gave her was a "golden earring" the original Hebrew word used was Shanf, which also translates as "nose-ring".

This practice is still followed among the nomadic Berber and Beja tribes of Africa, and the Bedouins of the Middle East, the size of the ring denotes the wealth of the family. It is given by the husband to his wife at the marriage, and is her security if she is divorced.

Nose piercing was bought to India in the 16th Century from the Middle East by the Moghul emperors. In India a stud (Phul) or a ring (Nath) is usually worn in the left nostril, It is sometimes joined to the ear by a chain, and in some places both nostrils are pierced. The left side is the most common to be pierced in India, because that is the spot associated in Ayuvedra (Indian medicine) with the female reproductive organs, the piercing is supposed to make childbirth easier and lessen period pain.

In the west nose piercing first appeared among the hippies who travelled to India in the Late 1960's. It was later adopted by the Punk movement of the late 1970's as a symbol of rebellion against conservative values, and conservative people like parents and employers still don't react well to it, so consider their reaction carefully before getting it done.

Nowadays nose piercing is gradually becoming more socially acceptable, and many celebrities have their nose pierced i.e. Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Sinead O'Connor, and Slash from Guns & Roses.

TONGUE PIERCING HISTORY
Tongue piercing was practised in a ritual form by the ancient Aztecs, Mayas of Central America and the Haida, Kwakiutul, and Tlinglit tribes of the American Northwest. The tongue was pierced to draw blood to propitiate the gods, and to create an altered state of consciousness so that the priest or shaman could communicate with the gods.

Tongue piercing is one of the most popular piercings, it's shocking, provocative and fantastic for oral sex (for both sexes), but at the same time no one need know you have it. Janet Jackson, Keith Flint from Prodigy, Mel B from the Spice Girls and Malcolm Jamahl Warner from the Cosby show all sport pierced tongues.

EAR LOBE PIERCING HISTORY
The ear-lobe was probably man's first attempt at body piercing due to the ease with which it can be pierced. The oldest mummified body in the world was found frozen in an Austrian Glacier in 1991, tests showed the body to be over 5,000 years old. The body had pierced ears and the holes had been enlarged to 7-11mm diameter.

Ears were probably first pierced for magical purposes, very many primitive tribes believe that demons can enter the body through the ear, because demons and spirits are supposed to be repelled by metal, ear-piercing prevents them entering the body. Sailors used to have an ear pierced to improve eyesight, and if the bodies washed up somewhere it would pay for a christian burial. In many societies ear piercing is done as a puberty ritual, in Borneo the Mother and Father each pierce one ear as a symbol of the child's dependance on their parents.

Ear piercing is an almost universal practice for men and women, it's only in western society that it's deemed effeminate. At various times in history men wore elaborate earrings; during the Elizabethan era many famous men such as Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raliegh and Francis Drake wore gold rings in their ears.

"As the Roman Republic grew more effeminate with wealth and luxury, earrings were more popular among men than women; no less a he-man than Julius Caesar brought back to repute and fashion the use of rings in the ears of men."

"Jewels & Women; The Romance, Magic and Art of Feminine Adornment" Marianne Ostier, Horizon Press, New York, 1958

LIP LABRET PIERCING HISTORY
The piercing of the lips for the insertion of objects into them is very widely practised throughout the world, however only two tribes pierce the lips with a ring; the Dogon tribe Of Mali, and the Nuba of Ethiopia. Among the Dogon the piercing of the lip has religious signifigance, they believe that the world was created by their ancestor spirit "Noomi" weaving thread through her teeth, but instead of thread out came speech. All the other lip piercing that is practised in the world is done with labrets, which can either be a pin of wood, ivory, metal, or even in one case quartz crystals. Among the tribes of Central Africa, and South America the Labret piercing is stretched to extremely large proportions, and large wooden or clay plates are inserted.

Among the ancient Aztecs and Mayans labret piercing was reserved for male members of the higher castes, they wore beautiful labrets fashioned from pure gold in the shape of serpents, golden labrets with stones inset and ones of jade or obsidion (labret in Aztec "Tentetl"). The Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, and the Inuit peoples of northern Canada and Alaska wore labrets fahioned from walrus ivory, abalone shell, bone, obsidian, and wood.

The Makololo tribe of Malawi wear lip plates in the upper lip called Pelele. The African explorer Dr. Livingstone asked a chief the reason for this, in surprise the chief answered "For beauty! They are the only beautiful things women have. Men have beards, women have none. What kind of person would she be without Pelele ? She would not be a woman at all."

"The plug of wood in the lips, which became little by little a disk, and then a real plaque, was in some manner a sign of possession of the husband of the Djinja woman. It is the man who is to marry her, and very often him alone who operates, transfixing the lips of the young girl with a blade of straw forms the first sign of the deformation to which she will be subject as an adult. It is in sum, a betrothal rite."

Dr. Muraz reffering to the Saras-Djinjas tribe, who insert lip plates up to 24cm in diameter in both lips. Chari River South of Lake Chad in "Nudity to Raiment" Hilaire Hiler London 1929

SEPTUM PIERCING HISTORY
The piercing of the septum is probably the second most common piercing among primitive peoples after ear piercing, it's even more common than nostril piercing. It's probably so popular for the same reasons as nose piercing, with the added attraction that the piercing can be stretched and large pieces of jewellery can be inserted, i.e. pig's tusks, pieces of bone, feathers, pieces of wood, etc.

The septum piercing is particularly prevalent among warrior cultures, this probably has to do with the fact that large tusks through the septum give the face a fierce appearance. The use of septum tusks is very prevalent in Irian Jaya, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, pig's tusks being the most popular. Among the Asmat tribe of Irian Jaya the most prestigous septum tusk is the "Otsj" this is a large bone plug, which can be as thick as 25mm. They are usually made of the leg bones of a pig, but occasionally they are made from the Tibia bone of an enemy slain in battle.

The Septum piercing was beloved by the Aztecs, the Mayans, and the Incas. They wore a variety of jewellery, but jade and gold were the most popular because of their religous associations. The modern day Cuna Indians of Panama continue this practice by wearing thick pure gold rings in their septum.

The piercing is also popular in India, Nepal, and Tibet, a pendant "Bulak" is worn, and some examples are so large as to prevent the person being able to eat, the jewellery has to be lifted up during meals. In Rajasthan in Himachal Pradesh these Bulak are particularly elaborate, and extremely large.

Septum piercing was widely practised by many North American Indian tribes, the name of the Nez Perc, tribe of Washington state, stem from their practice of piercing the septum, Nez Perc, is French for Nose Pierced, and was given to the tribe by the French fur traders. Australian aboriginals pierced the septum and passed a long stick or bone through the piercing to flatten the nose, they believed a flat nose to be the most desireable.

Among the Bundi tribe of the Bismarck Ranges of Papua New Guinea the piercing is performed using the thin end of the Sweet Potato plant (Ogai Iriva), usually at age 18-22. The age at which the piercing is done varies greatly between different tribes, some tribes perform the rite at age 9-10.

"You were lost in the bush and now you have come back. You have come back mature; you are men. When you return to your hamlet many girls will come after you. But if you have lived well, and if they come after you, all the well. You will now have your noses pierced to allow you to sing with girls and lead a life like that of your elders. Your (Kangi Poroi) caused you to go to all this trouble, now it will be over."

Source: Address by tribal elder to young men undergoing the (Kangi Poroi) manhood ritual. Source: Field notes of David G. Fitzpatrick 1977 in "Bundi, the culture of Papua New Guinea people" Ryebuck Publications, Nerang Queensland Australia 1983

THE HISTORY OF NAVEL PIERCING
Navel piercing is a modern invention and has never been recorded in primitive cultures; however the navel has long been recognised as an erogenous zone, because of the difference between men's and women's stomachs. Women's stomachs differ from men's in that they are more rounded in the lower part, are longer than men's, have a greater distance between the navel and genitals, and are more deeply recessed than men's; these features are often exaggerated by artists to make women appear more feminine in paintings.

The invention of the Bikini in 1953 caused a big stir because the navel was seen as being sexually provocative because of it's similarity to the female genitals. The Bikini revolutionised women's lives, along with the liberation of their clothes their lives in general became more liberated. The process was completed when Madonna started the craze for showing of the midriff in the 1980's. The ability to flaunt their sexuality in public gave women more power and confidence in themselves.

"It is easy to pinpoint the moment when body piercing went mainstream. Christy Turlinton came out at a London Fashion show, and in the middle of her navel was a ring! The next day Naomi Campbell showed the world that anything Christy could do, so could she. A gold ring with a small pearl pierced her navel. And then at Isaac Mizrahi's show the two came out together, navels bared and beringed: body piercing as a Supermodel totem" Suzy Menkes The New York Times September 1994

"I have the most perfect belly button - an inny. When I stick my finger in my belly button, I feel a nerve in the centre of my body shoot up my spine" Madonna Time Magazine 1985

"I like it, I think it's fun!" Naomi Campbell. "I always thought it was a pretty feminine thing to do - and you can always take it out" Christy Turlington.

Shortly after Naomi and Christy had their navels pierced no one was surprised when Madonna, Cher and Janet Jackson were seen wearing navel rings. Now anybody can joins the ranks of Celebrities and Supermodels by having their navel pierced.

HISTORY OF NIPPLE PIERCING
Roman Centurions wore leather armour breast plates which were shaped to fit the body and rings were sometimes placed in these breastplates where the nipples appeared to be, the rings were used to hang a cape from. This has led to the belief by some people that the actual nipples were pierced to hang a cape from, but anybody who has had their nipples pierced would tell you that this would be a very uncomfortable practice.

"In the middle of the 14th century...Many women suddenly wore 'such low necklines that you could see nearly half their breasts', and among the upper classes in the same century, Queen Isabella of Bavaria introduced the 'Garments of the grand neckline', where the dress was open to the navel. This fashion eventually led to the application of rouge to freely displayed nipples, those 'little apples of paradise' and to placing diamond studded rings or small caps on them, even to piercing them and passing gold chains through them decorated with diamonds" "Dreamtime" Hans Peter Duerr

In the late 1890s the 'Bosom Ring', came into fashion briefly, and sold in expensive Parisian jewellery shops. These 'Anneux De Sein' were inserted through the nipple, and some women wore on either side linked with a delicate chain. The rings enlarged the nipples and kept them in a state of constant excitation...the medical community was outraged by these cosmetic procedures, for they represented a rejection of traditional conceptions of the purpose of a woman's body." "Anatomy & Destiny" Stephen Kern

"For a long time I could not understand why I should consent to such a painful operation without sufficient reason. I soon, however came to the conclusion that many ladies are ready to bear the passing pain for the sake of love. I found that the breasts of those who wore rings were incomparably rounder and fuller developed than those who did not. My doubts were now at an end...so I had my nipples pierced, and when the wounds were healed, I had rings inserted...with regard to the experience of wearing these rings, I can only say that they are not in the least uncomfortable or painful. On the contrary, the slight rubbing and slipping of the rings causes in me an extremely titillating feeling, and all my colleagues I have spoken to on this subject have confirmed my opinion." London socialite writing in "Vogue" 1890

Nipple piercing was once practised by the Karankawa indians of Texas adn is still practised in the Mountains of Algeria, by women of the nomadic Kabyle tribe. In the west nipple piercing has made a resurgence, with many famous people having their nipples pierced ie. Lenny Kravitz, Jaye Davidson (The Crying Game), Gerry Connelly (Comedian), Tommy Lee (Drummer Motley Crue- Husband of Pamela Stephenson Baywatch) and Axl Rose (Guns & Roses).

BENEFITS
The benefits of having your nipple pierced are the same today as they were for the fashionable ladies of Paris and London in the 1890s. It makes the nipples larger, more sensitive, more sexually attractive, and provides a constant stimulation of the nipples, one friend of mine describes his nipple piercing as "a lightswitch for an erection". Nipple piercing is very effective for increasing the size of small nipples (especially men's), and can stop nipples from becoming inverted by pulling them out. In fact, it was recommended by doctors in Victorian England to increase the size of the nipples to make breastfeeding easier. It provides greater sexual pleasure because it gives your partner something to play with during sex.

CLITORIS HOOD PIERCING HISTORY
The word Kleitoris was used over 2,500 thousand years ago by the ancient Greeks to describe a part of the female genitals, most probably the Labia Minora or Inner lips of the Vagina. In 1593 at the trial of a woman accused of witchcraft, the inquisitor (a married man) discovered a Clitoris for the first time. When he saw this "little lump of flesh sticking out to the length of half an inch" he decided that it must be the "Devil's Teat". The other inquisitors, likewise astounded, agreed and on this fact the woman was convicted and executed for witchcraft. The word "Clitoris" first appeared in the English language in 1615, it was used in an early anatomy book to describe a small, sensitive organ located underneath the upper apex of the Labia Minora.

PRINCE ALBERT PIERCING HISTORY
The Prince Albert piercing is named after Prince Albert who was the husband of Queen Victoria of England. He was reputeded to have had this piercing done prior to his marriage to the queen around 1825, at that time Beau Brummel started the craze for ultra tight mens trousers. Because the pants were so tight, the penis needed to be held to one side or the other so as not to create an unsightly bulge. To accomplish this some men had their penis pierced to allow it to be held by a hook on the inside of the trousers, this piercing was called a "Dressing Ring" at the time because tailors would ask if a gentleman dressed to the left or the right and tailor the trousers accordingly, tailors to this day will ask if you dress to the left or right.

SEXUAL EFFECTIVENESS
The Prince Albert Piercing is very effective for sex, that is why it is the most popular male genital piercing. It provides greater stimulation to both partners during sex, and it has the added allure of being being somewhat kinky, people always have to wonder what it would be like to have sex with someone with a genital piercing. On top of all that it makes the penis more aesthetically attractive, in the same way as jewellery worn on the fingers.

FRAENULUM PIERCING HISTORY
The piercing of the Fraenulum is probably the second-most popular male genital piercing, it is usually incorrectly referred to as a "Frenum" piercing but this an abbreviated version of the true word Fraenulum . The Fraenulum is the small ridge of flesh joining the foreskin to the Glans of the penis, in most cases circumcision removes or destroys it, however in rare cases it still exists after circumcision. I can only find one account of it occurring amongst tribal people.

"Amongst the Timorese of Indonesia, the Frenulum beneath the glans penis is pierced with brass rings, the function of the ring is to enhance stimulation during sex."

Die kunstlichen Verunstaltungen des Korpers bei den Batta. Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie 16:217-225 1884.

FORESKIN PIERCING (INFIBULATION)
The practice of piercing of the foreskin for the insertion of jewellery is as old as circumcision, and is of immemorial antiquity, going back far beyond the earliest recorded history. During the games of Ancient Greece, the athletes performed nude, and to prevent their penises moving about they bound the foreskin with a ribbon and tied it to the base of the penis. This ribbon. or leather thong was called the "Kynodesme" from the Greek "Kuon" foreskin, and "Desmos" fastening band. This temporary practice probably led to the permanent piercing of the foreskin, either to prevent slaves and athletes from having sex, or to prevent them from having erections. The Roman's used a practice called Infibulation, it involved two piercings going through the foreskin (or Labia in women) and a lock (Fibula) being placed therein.

The Roman historian Mensius declares that Infibulation may be traced back to the time of the siege of Troy (12th Century BC) for he points out that according to "The Odyssey" (Bk. VIII, Line 477) Agamemnon departed for the Trojan War, and left his wife Clytemnestra, in the care of the singer Demodecus, seeing that he had been infibulated.

The prevalence of the practice is attested to by the number of references to it, to be found in ancient writings. The roman writers Juvenal, Martial, Strabo, Fallopio, and Hieronymus Mercurialis all make mention of the practice. The piercing process is described in detail by the famous 1st Century Roman physician Celsus, in his treatise on medicine "De Medecina"

PALANG & APADRAVYA PIERCING HISTORY
The piercing of the Glans of the Penis for the insertion of jewellery is a very ancient practice, the Apadravya piercing is mentioned in the Kama Sutra (700AD) and the Palang piercing has been practised in SE Asia for several hundred years. Several genital piercings originate in Asia where piercing has been practised since antiquity, the following quote, from "The Kama Sutra" describes the process for the piercing of an Apadravya, or a vertical barbell through the glans of the Penis.

"The people of the southern countries think that true sexual pleasure cannot be obtained without perforating the Lingam, and they therefore cause it to be pierced like the lobes of the ears of an infant pierced for earrings."

The Palang (often incorrectly called Ampallang) is a piercing that occurred among the Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Dayak, and Iban tribes of Sarawak on the Island of Borneo. It involves piercing the Glans of the Penis horizontally, and the insertion of a barbell. The term "Palang" translates as "Crossbar" in Iban and can be related to the timber roof supports of the longhouses of the tribes of the area, and symbolises the protective power of the male over the family.

"the operation is performed only on adults. The skin is forced back, the penis is placed between two small planks of bamboo and for ten days and it is covered with rags dipped in cold water. Then the glans is perforated with a sharp bamboo needle; a feather dipped in oil, is placed in the wound until it heals. Wet compresses are used all the while. When the Dayaks travel and work they carry a feather in this canal. As soon as they grow desirous, they pull the feather out and replace it with the ampallang. The ampallang is a little rod of copper, silver or gold, four centimetres long and two millimetres thick. At one end of this rod is a round ball or pear-formed object made of metal; at the other end a second ball is placed as soon as the ampallang is affixed. The whole apparatus is, when ready, five centimetres long and five millimetres thick.... Von Graffin has seen one Dayak who had two ampallangs, one behind the other! The perforation was always horizontal and above the urethra.... The women of the Dayaks say the embrace without this ornament is like rice, but with it, it tastes like rice with salt. Mantegazza, Sexual Relations of Mankind

"The function of this device is, superficially, is to add to the sexual pleasure of the women by stimulating and extending the inner walls of the vagina. It is, in this, in my experience decidedly successful." Tom Harrisson, The Sarawak Museum Journal Vol VII, December 1956.

GUICHE (geesh) PIERCING HISTORY
The word "Guiche" is supposed to mean an opening in French, the actual translation is "window". This piercing is supposed to be a Samoan puberty ritual, but Derek Freeman Professor Emeritus of the Anthropology Department of The Australian National University, one of the world"s foremost authorities on Samoa informed me that he had no experience of this practice in Samoa. The puberty ritual practised in Samoa is subincision, this is where the underneath of the foreskin is cut down to the fraenulum. Professor Freeman stated that this practice has never existed in Samoa, and if it had in the past he would have been aware of it.

Doug Malloy Travelled to Tahiti just before WW2, where he met an Australian sailor who had jumped ship named Reggie Jones. Reggie told Doug about the piercing, and performed the piercing for him.

Doug Malloy said that this piercing originated in Tahiti, the piercing was done at age 12-14 and a leather thong inserted into the piercing, a small weight either a rock or a shell was hung from the thong once the piercing was healed. The procedure was performed by a "Mahu", in Tahiti a Mahu is a transvestite male who has taken on the role of a women, they are highly respected members of society, and they were said to possess magical powers by adherants of the ancient Tahitian religion. However, again I can find no evidence of this practice in any literature about Tahiti.

The ancient Polynesian mariners used to judge their direction by the movement of the waves, the best way to do this was to squat down and feel this movement through the swinging of the testicles. The Raphe Perineum where the Guiche piercing is done is the site of a large amount of nerves, and having a weight hanging from the piercing could possibly have helped the ancient mariners derive their direction, but this is only speculation on my part.

HAFADA (SCROTUM) PIERCING
The Hafada piercing is a scrotum piercing on the side of the scrotum, where there is a crease. It is supposed to have originated in Arabia and spread through Northern Africa and the Middle East. The piercing is carried out as a puberty ritual, it is generally done on the left hand side. The piercing was supposedly bought back to Europe by French Foriegn Legionares when they were stationed in what is now Lebanon and Syria.

Scrotum piercings aren't practised by any primitive tribes, at least I can't find any evidence of such practices, it's really a modern western invention. Some people have an incredible number of piercings through their scrotum, Sailor Sid one of the early piercers had 120 scrotum piercings at the time of his death, and he planned to have more.

Article source : http://www.painfulpleasures.com/piercing_history.htm