Body piercings - What you need to know
by Mia Kilby
Body piercings are as popular as ever but to the piercing virgin can still remain something of a big titanium mystery. We shall talk you through it.
Where does one go to modify one's body? How do you take care of said modification? Will a tongue piercing kill you if the wrong vein is pierced? There are many questions and luckily for you guys as your writer/trained body piercer (yes, really) I'm here to separate the facts from fiction.
Evidence of body adornment in the form of piercing dates back many years, with early tribes being amongst the first to practice it. Fast forward a century or three and piercing is now a booming multi million pound industry. There are piercing studios left right and centre and body jewellery can be bought with ease.
Piercings aren't as permanent as tattoos but they are still a complex procedure and need to be treated with the respect they deserve if they are to heal up properly and not reject/get infected. They are also age restricted and ID/parental consent will be required as proof of age.
Contrary to popular public opinion, piercings are pretty safe procedures. The worst that can usually occur is infection or excessive swelling. By keeping vigilant and choosing a respected studio, such things should be of minimal relevance.
If you are going to bite the bullet and modify yourself, make sure youre doing it for the right reasons. I see so many people who only want to get a piercing because 'so and so' has it; they expect instant results and aren't prepared for the piercing care required afterwards. Listen to your piercer, ask questions, check out studios beforehand - don't just go into the first one you see. Unlike tattoos, piercings are relatvely rare in the celeb world. Why? Hmm, I'm not sure. I think they need to indulge themselves a little bit more and succumb!
Most piercings take 6 months plus to heal and certain things may need to be avoided during this time. I usually reccomend saline solution to clean the area twice daily with fresh tissue (as opposed to cotton wool as the threads ofte get stuck around jewellery) and that hands are throughly washed before handling the area, to minimise chances of infection. In addition,depending on the individual piercing, other steps will need to be carefully adhered to.
The biggest fear for many clients I see is "will it hurt?". As a general rule, cartilage, nostril and nipple piercings (this last applies mainly to guys as they have smaller nipples than us giries and it seems to hurt them more) are the most painful, but this can vary from person to person. Like a tattoo it can be a case of 'no pain,no gain' but the whole thing usually only lasts a minute or two so is relatively short lived. Post piercing, expect sensitivity and redness, and possibly swelling. However, paracetomol and the odd ice pack should sort this out nicely.
So, I hear you cry, where can I go online to have a gander at the latest and greatest body mods? I suggest visiting http://www.bmezine.com/. These guys talk about everything from ear streching to scarification and suspensions.
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