History of Piercing

Body piercing is a form of body modification that has been practiced in various forms by multiple sexes since ancient times throughout the world¹. The oldest mummified remains ever discovered had earrings, attesting to the existence of the practice more than 5,000 years ago¹. Nose piercing is documented as far back as 1500 BCE². Nipple and genital piercing have also been practiced by various cultures, with nipple piercing dating back at least to Ancient Rome while genital piercing is described in Ancient India c. 320 to 550 CE¹.

Types of Piercing

There are several types of body piercings³:

1. Classic Piercings: Traditional piercing method that provides for piercing the skin perpendicularly all the way through like in the well-known earlobe piercing³.
2. Surface Piercings: Piercings through the surface of the skin on flat parts of arms, legs, along the spine or on other flat parts of the body³.
3. Microdermal Piercings: This piercing method involves making a single point perforation. A piece is held in place with the help of a special anchor under the skin³.

Piercing Placement

Different types of piercings can be placed in various parts of the body. Here are some examples⁴³:

• Ear Piercings: Includes lobe, daith, helix, forward helix, conch, tragus, antitragus, rook, industrial, and snug.
• Facial Piercings: Includes brows, nose, cheeks, tongue, and lips.
• Body Piercings: Includes neck, nipple, navel, corset piercing, and genital piercing.

Each type of piercing has its own healing time and pain level. For example, a standard lobe piercing has a pain level of 1/10 and a healing time of 6-8 weeks⁴.

Remember, it’s important to consult with a professional piercer to understand the risks and aftercare associated with each type of piercing. Always ensure that the piercing is done in a clean, sterile environment by a trained professional.