Ouch !
The painful truth about body piercings
by Kamalanath Liyanage
The history of body piercings
goes back to over 5000 years. These were seen as highly attractive and
to enhance sexuality. In those periods, this fine art was done by using
gold, bone, tusks, gems, feathers and more intricate things.
The Egyptians were keen on this aspect which can be seen with the
discovery of some pierced mummies. In that era, the art of piercing was
only allowed to royalty because it emphasized their beauty and wealth,
especially for the Bedouin and Nomadic tribes. Body piercings are also
mentioned in the Bible.
Roman centurions pierced their nipples not because they liked the way
it looked, but to signify their strength and virility. Even Julius
Caesar pierced his nipples to show his strength and his identification
with his men. Aztecs, Mayans and some American Indians practised tongue
piercing as part of their religious rituals.
Just how willing are you to do a body piercing? Body piercings have
seen a resurgence of interest in the past ten to twenty years and are
becoming a significant part of the mainstream Western culture. The
introduction of the highly skilled piercers, modern tools and variety of
designs of piercings moderate the fashion.
 Ear Piercing
Ear piercing is by far the most common and socially accepted
piercing. Men and women now pierce one or both earlobes, either once or
multiple times as a matter of self expression. This can be for simple
decoration, or to show solidarity and a member of a social group.
Military personnel, especially naval officers would pierce their left
earlobe as a show of comraderie. Gay men used to pierce their right
earlobe as a show of “gay pride.”
 Nose Piercing
The nose is traditionally pierced in two places, the first being on
the side of one nostril. Generally smaller studs are placed in this
spot. The second is a cartilage piercing through the centre part of the
nose. This piercing been dubbed, “the responsible facial piercing”,
because of a small U-shaped bar is placed there.
 Naval Piercing
In ancient Egypt, this particular piercing was reserved solely for
the pharaoh. In today’s society, this is a common piercing. This
piercing is usually sported by those that want to show off their
mid-drift. This piercing is more common in women than men.
Tongue Piercing
Tongue piercings run vertically from the upper to the lower surface
of the tongue. This piercing is said to give increase pleasure during
oral sex, but most people have this piercing for aesthetic purposes.
Genital Piercing
Genital piercing is popular in both men and women. Those piercing
directly on or very near the sex organs amplify sensation to make
stimulation more pleasurable but should be done carefully.
 Nipple Piercing
Nipple piercing is done equally by men and women. This is a piercing
that is considered attractive but definitely painful during the
piercing. However, many also choose this piercing because it increases
the sensitivity of the nipple, making sensation more pleasurable. Men
and women both discover that these nipple piercings can be delightful
playthings in bed.
The general procedure of doing piercings
The person performing the piercing should provide a safe, clean, and
professional environment. Initially the area where to be pierced (except
for the tongue) is cleaned with a germicidal soap (a soap that kills
disease-causing bacteria and microorganisms). Then the skin is punctured
with a very sharp, clean needle. The piece of jewellery, which
sterilized, is attached to the area.
The pierced area is cleaned. The person performing the piercing
checks and adjusts the jewellery. The person performing the piercing
gives you instructions on how to make sure your new piercing heals
correctly and what to do if there is a problem. |
