You Want To Do WHAT To My WHAT!?!

The Basics of Piercing

By Mistress Norische

A Brief History
Body piercing is an ancient art, known throughout the world for centuries. The oldest mummified body found to date, was discovered in an Austrian glacier and found with a 7 – 11 mm in diameter ear piercing. Piercings or earrings to be specific are mentioned in the Bible many times first in Genesis 24, also in Exodus, Numbers, Judges, Job, Hosea, and Ezekiel. Each culture appears to be touched by some form of body piercing, from the Aztec to the Aborigines, from India to America; generations have felt the searing pain of metal being run through tender flesh and the euphoria that follows such an experience.

The history behind some piercings is quite interesting. The Prince Albert for example has a rather fascinating history. This piercing was known as the "Dressing Ring" during the Victorian era. During that time period males wore rather form fitting trousers, and to minimize the frontal bulge somewhat they would strap the penis against the leg they would utilize this form of piercing. With the assistance of a leather strap and a rather decorative ring a male was able to be fashionable without being offensive. It is rumored that Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, wore such a piercing.

Primarily this was done to secure his penis, but also to hold back the foreskin so as to minimize the odor and not offend the Queen's delicate senses.

Another piercing that has a rather interesting history is the labia piercing. This form of piercing was originally done as a form of chastity device. Multiple piercings were placed on either side of the outer labia, then a leather or metal piece was secured appropriately to ensure against any unwanted visitors. Some references stated the rings were interwoven as a permanent chastity device and others stated a chain would be run through the rings, crisscrossing the vaginal opening, no matter which method was chose each served as a functional chastity devise.

What Are The Risks Involved With A Piercing?

• Blood poisoning
• Severe swelling and inflammation around the piercing site
• Scarring
• Jewelry embedding
• Localized infection
• Allergic reaction to jewelry metals and/or antiseptics
• Excessive bleeding due to blood vessels being pierced
• Piercing of cartilage leading to deformity in that area
• Blood born pathogens including HIV, Hepatitis, and Septicaemia

If you choose a reputable piercer who is mindful of the risks involved and takes every precaution to minimize the risks, the chances are your piercing will turn out to be a memorable and rewarding experience. Remember if the individual is a professional he or she will be happy to provide you with references and educate you on the different risks and after care necessary.

Choosing a Piercing

Once you have reviewed the risks and have made an informed decision to have a part of your body pierced the next step is to decide what type of piercing to get. Most individuals have a pretty good idea of what body parts they would want to have pierced and what body parts are a definite no no. The choices don't stop there, for example if you want your nose pierced... do you want a bridge piercing, a nostril piercing or a septum piercing. Normally there are multiple types of piercings that can be done for the different areas of the body. Here are a few examples to take into consideration.

Terminology

• Ampallang – A male piercing done horizontally through the head of the penis, sometimes going through the urethra, sometimes going above the ureathra. Healing time 4-8 months.
• Antitragus – A piercing of the ear through the cartilage opposite the tragus. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Bridge – A piercing done between the eyes on the bridge of the nose, this type of piercing is not for everyone, it is rather difficult to do and takes an extended time to heal. Healing time 6 months – 1 yr.
• Clitoris – A piercing done either horizontally or vertically through the clitoris. Healing time 1 – 2 months.
• Hood – A piercing done through the hood of the clitoris, if done well the bed of the piercing will fall directly on the clitoris when the female is sexually excited. Healing time 1 – 2 months.
• Conch – An ear piercing done in the recessed area of the ear leading to the ear canal. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Daith – This is an ear piercing done through the cartilage that curves into the inner part of the ear above the tragus. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Dydoes – A penis piercing involving a pair of barbells placed on either side of the coronal rim of the penis head, this type of piercing should be done on circumcised males. Healing time 2 – 6 months.
• Eyebrow – A piercing done through the eyebrow itself, normally this piercing is maintained either by a loop or a barbell. Healing time 6 weeks – 2 months.
• Frenum – A penis piercing done on the underside of the penis, through the layer of skin that holds the organ in place, Healing time 2 – 6 months.
• Guiche – A Male piercing placed through the skin between the scrotum and the anus. Healing time 2 – 6 months.
• Helix – An ear piercing done on the folded rim of cartilage and skin surrounding the outer are of the ear. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Labia – Both the outer and inner labia may be pierced, either with one piercing or a series of alternating piercings. Healing time 1 – 2 months.
• Labret – A piercing done between the lower lip and the chin, This piercing requires a special form of stud, a barbell with one flat end and one bead end, some people like to utilize a spike or loop as well. Healing time 6 weeks – 2 months.
• Lips – The lips of the mouth can be pierced anywhere, although these piercings tend to take a while to heal and they do swell quite a bit.
• Lorum – A variation to the frenum piercing, this piercing is done at the base of the penis where it joins with the scrotum. Healing time 2 – 6 months.
• Navel – The navel is a very fashionable piercing these days but can be somewhat tricky, this piercing has the highest rate of rejection and infection of any piercing. Healing time 6 months – 2 yrs.
• Nipples – Both male and female nipples can be pierced. Healing time 2 – 6 months.
• Nostril – A piercing on either side of the nose through the nostril. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Prince Albert – A penis piercing that goes through the urethra and generally exits through the area where the shaft and head of the penis meet. Healing time 1 – 2 months.
• Rook – A piercing through the top ridge of cartilage on the upper ear. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.
• Septum – A piercing done through the tissue that separates the two nostrils. Healing time 6 weeks – 2 months.
• Tongue – The tongue can be pierced almost anywhere along its center. It is important to place the piercing in such a manner that it does not affect speech. There is normally quite a bit of swelling and hence speech will be affected to some degree, but if the size of the barbell is too big or the position is inappropriate then speech may be affected for the duration of the piercing. Healing time 1 month – 6 weeks.
• Tragus – An ear piercing done on the cartilage located at the front of the ear opening. Healing time 2 months – 1 yr.

After you have narrowed down the where, the next choice is the what.

Do you want a barbell, a stud, or a ring...or even a combination of several piercings? The decisions don't stop there; next you must decide what gauge you want. If you choose a gauge that is large you may experience keloid scarring or abscessing. If the gauge is too small your body may reject the piercing and push the jewelry out. If the diameter or length is too large the piercing may get snagged on clothing. If the diameter or length is too small you may develop keloid scarring and your body may actually envelope the jewelry.

Remember most people either go up or down in gauge and size once the swelling is gone and the piercing is healed. The best suggestion I can give on this point is to ask a lot of questions and follow the advice of an experienced piercer.

Jewelry Gauge Chart

Thickness in

Now that you have made all the right choices and are mentally and physically ready to do this, I say go for it. Once the piercing is complete now comes the final and perhaps the most important step... after care.

After Care

1. Clean the piercing twice a day, no more. If you clean it more than twice a day it may inhibit the healing process.
2. The piercer should suggest an appropriate antiseptic for you to use. Before applying the antiseptic remove all "crusties", then apply the recommended amount of the antiseptic. Rotate the piercing to spread the antiseptic, and make sure it gets inside the piercing.
3. If the piercing is to be covered by clothing, make sure the clothing is loose fitting, and lightweight. Tight clothing may irritate the piercing and the surrounding tissue.
4. Keep bodily fluids away from the piercing, even your own. The only acceptable exception to this is urine, which is primarily sterile at the time it leaves the human body. If you have a genital piercing you will want to use latex barriers for sexual activity, even if you normally do not.
5. In the case of oral piercings, if you smoke, drink or eat, make sure that you rinse your mouth thoroughly with an antiseptic mouthwash afterward. You may wish to dilute the mouthwash 50% with water.
6. No matter what the standard healing time for your piercing is, you must wear your original jewelry for 6 to 10 months before you should even think of changing it, (Unless of course there is a medically valid reason to do otherwise.)
7. Keep following the primary aftercare recommended by the piercer for a full year. While the outer piercing may be healed in a couple of months, the piercing may still be volatile for up to 2 yrs.
8. If you have any concerns or abnormal swelling or discomfort consult your piercer or your primary care physician.

Signs To Look For

1. Excessive swelling.
2. Excessive or unusual bleeding.
3. Unusual discoloration.
4. Discolored discharge.
5. Foul smelling discharge.
6. Excessive or extended pain.
7. Secondary symptoms, such as fever, chills, excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision. Etc. If any of these or similar symptoms appear please consult a medical professional as soon as possible, it may be nothing, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Something that I wish to state is that even long after your piercing has healed be mindful of its existence. A friend's daughter had gotten her belly button pierced almost a year to the day, she was getting ready for a evening out with friends and was putting on her jeans. She was running late as normal so she was rushing around trying to get dressed, brush her hair and put on her makeup all at once, With out thinking she jerked on her Calvin Kline's and zipped them up quickly. The next thing my friend hears is a blood curdling scream. He runs into his daughter's room and finds her on the floor in her jeans and brassier, curled up in a little ball holding on to her stomach, screaming. Not knowing what was wrong, my friend grabbed his daughter and lifted her to her bed where she fainted.

When her body went limp he noticed an expanding blood stain on the front of her jeans. My friend quickly took off her jeans and found the reason for her agony. She had gotten her navel piercing caught in the zipper of her jeans and had ripped it out. He used a washcloth and applied pressure to the wound, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. So he picked her up and took his daughter to the Emergency Room. About 45 minutes later she regained consciousness in the ER. They ended up putting two stitches in her belly button where her piercing had been. The tear took longer to heal than the original piercing and ended up having a nasty scar to boot.

So please remember that a piercing is a wonderful thing, but always be mindful of its existence and treat it with respect.

There are several excellent books, magazine and E-Zines out there that have loads of information in them. I have listed just a few that I think you will find interesting.

Body Modification E-Zine
Stories, Picture Gallery, Supplies, and Instructions. Excellent sight.
http://www.bmezine.com/index.html

Tribalectic E-Zine
Excellent source for aftercare and maintence.
http://www.tribalectic.com/Body_Piercing_Aftercare.asp

The Association of Professional Piercers
http://www.safepiercing.org/

As with everything this is my opinion, take what you will and leave the rest. If you wish to contact me, my email address is Norisch1@mchsi.com . If you wish to see more of my work you may find a complete listing of all my writings at... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Norisches_Quill/?yguid=99788111 in the files section.

Norische