mungbean's list of body piercings
me at my 21st, vampyre mung
me at my 21st, vampyre mung
some stranger: "you pierced miss muff? you must really not like her!"
mung: "what are you talking about? i like her so much, i got her jewellery
mung's bit
Read my Tongue Piercing Story on BME
Read my Hood Piercing Story on BME
Okay well this is where I add my little piece about piercing. This section may change as frequently as my moods do so stay tuned. :) I myself have had my navel, tongue, clitoris hood (vert), a second tongue piercing and a centred lip piercing - done in that order and I love all five (btw, boring piercings include 5 lobe and 2 cartilage piercings). I have stretched my second set of lobe piercings to 6 guage which means they have a diameter of 4mm! The first set I have stretched to 10g, which is a diameter of 2.4mm. My navel is stretched to 6g also. My tongue and hood piercings are at 14g but I would like to stretch my hood to around 10g, and possibly my tongue piercings tho I have yet to find somewhere in the Brisbane area that knows how. My favorite would have to be the hood piercing of course for obvious reasons. Girls, thinking about getting a piercing? This one was the least painful during healing and the piercing itself was like getting pricked with a pin. Now the reason I get poked is this: I find body piercing very sexy and think it is a huge turn-on. Obviously my navel piercing doesn't do much for my libido, but it is a cute, sexy piercing. Too bad it's so damn common theses days! Which is why I've stretched it... I got sick of being like everyone else :\ Come on girls, get something a bit more original will you?! I'm warning you that it is a very painful piercing. Mine took around a year to heal. Other plans for my piercings include nipples and more. Okay well I am done preaching and dribbling. If you want to get pierced to impress, to look cool, to piss of your parents, to rebel against something, DON'T! Please, you'll just regret it later on. Think carefully before getting poked friends! I was lucky, even tho I'd moved out of home before I was pierced (apart from my ears) my parents are very cool with it all! Have any questions? Don't be afraid to mail me and ask - I love talking piercings and I'm pretty well-read on the subject to an extent. NO PERVES PLEASE, NO I DON'T HAVE PICTURES ORRIGHT! Oh yeah and the below guide is NOT to be taken as a serious swear-by-it guide okay. So if you find something 'wrong' in what is said, tough shit, but u can let me know if u like. :)
Click here for a fantastic and informative article "Things To Consider Before Getting A Piercing" from the BME site. This is the BEST Body Modification site ever!! Fully recommended if you're interested in getting a modification, any type of modification! ANY. Also informative for parents, doctors, teachers, etc and it will open your eyes to a whole new world, believe me!
Ear Cartilage
The ear cartilage is also a very common piercing, but is often done by untrained
people at ear piercing salons with studs and guns. An ear cartilage piercing
should only be done by a body piercing professional and should be treated as
any other body piercing. The piercing should be done with a needle that is one
size larger than the jewelry. For example, if a 18 gauge ring is to be worn, the
piercing should be done with a 17 gauge needle. Cartilage piercings should not
be stretched more than one gauge. It is also common for a Keloid scar (a lump)
to form on the back of the ear after the piercing, but these scars commonly
disappear with time. However, due to this, piercings should not be performed
too close together until the piercings have time to heal.
Specific ear cartilage piercings:
Tragus
The tragus piercing is performed on the piece of cartilage in front of the
opening of the ear canal. The same procedures of an ear cartilage piercing
apply to this piercing. When cleaning this piercing, take care not to get any
cleaning solutions in the ear as they may cause deafness.
Conch
This piercing is made through the bowl shape of the ear cartilage and are
described as "upper" and "lower." A ring or barbell may be used and is usually
determined by the location and size.
Daith
This piercing is made through the Crus helicis, the inner-most ridge of the
cartilage above the Tragus. The initial jewelry suggested is a ring, about 16
ga and round 7/16" in diameter.
Helix
The helix piercing is made through or around the upper edge of the ear. You
must be careful to use a large enough diameter ring to go around the curl of
the ear with allowing at least 1/8" to 1/4" for swelling. The initial jewelry
should be a CBR.
More piercings...
There are several more piercings that are done around the ear cartilage. They include the anti-tragus, the anti-helix,
the industrial, the orbit and the snug.
Nostril
Nostril piercings are performed, naturally, on the nose. This piercing is
gaining popularity and it is not uncommon to see people wearing this piercing.
A captive bead ring or bead ring is the most common jewelry to be worn, however
studs are also commonly worn. It is suggested, however, if you wish to have
the look of a stud, wear a nostril screw. Screws have a small curved tail at
a right angle to the stud that holds the jewelry in place and no butterfly
clasp is needed. The initial piercing jewelry should be a captive bead ring or
bead rung from 20 to 14 gauge and about 3/8" to 1/2" inside diameter. The piercing
should be done with a needle one gauge larger than that of the jewelry.
Septum
This piercing is performed through the thin layer of tissue between the outer
cartilage and the cartilage that separates the nostrils. The initial jewelry
should be captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells and septum retainers
from 14 to 8 gauge, with rings being 3/8" to 1/2" in diameter. Septum retainers
are used on people who need to hide the piercing, but rings are more recommended
for easier cleaning.
Eyebrow
The eyebrow piercings are usually made vertically so that the ring encircles
the eyebrow. Sometimes, the ring is reshaped into an oval to help reduce the
risk of the piercing migrating or growing out. The initial jewelry should be
a captive bead ring or bead ring from 18 to 14 gauge from 5/16" or 3/8" in
diameter or barbells from 5/16" or 3/8" post length.
Niebuhr or Erle (Bridge Piercing)
This piercing is performed through the tissue between the eyes on the bridge
of the nose. The piercing cannot be made too deep, but must be made deep
enough so the piercing won't grow out or migrate. The initial jewelry should
be a barbell stud or curved barbell from 14 to 10 gauge, 3/8" to 5/8" in
length.
Labret and Lip
The labret piercing is usually done about 3/8" to 1/2" below the middle of the
lower lip or just above the cleft of the chin. A lip piercing is usually made
anywhere along the outside of the lip. A thinner gauge of ring should be
avoided for this piercing because they have a tendency to tear the inside of
the lip. Also labret studs and barbells have a tendency to wear down the teeth
and gum line, but the damage is usually minimal. The initial jewelry to be
worn are captive bead rings or bead rings, barbell studs or Labret studs, all
being 14 to 12 gauge, 3/8" to 1/2" inside diameter and post length. The initial
stud should be 1/16" longer than the width of the area to be pierced to
accommodate swelling.
I had my lip pierced at The Piercing Shop in town by Lynette Rose. It was a quick, sharp piercing, with minimum pain. The healing process took a bit longer than normal thanks to my slackness to clean and rinse etc as usual! I love this piercing, very sexy on women, especially with a ring thru it. Ryno had his pierced with me and let me tell you it makes kissing a very fun experience ;P~~
Cheek
Generally the same procedures as a labret and lip piercing should be followed
for a cheek piercing. The initial jewelry should be a labret stud, 16 to 10
gauge and usually about 3/8" in length.
Beauty Mark
This piercing is performed using a labret stud and is made through the upper lip.
What sets this piercing aside from others, though, is it is usually made to one
or the other side of the center. Piercers must be careful to avoid the facial
artery. This piercing is also commonly known as the Madonna, the Marilyn and the
Crome Crawford.
Tongue
A tongue piercing is usually performed vertically through the center "groove" of the
tongue, usually about 1/2 way back from the tip of the tongue. If a large
frenulum is present (the web of tissue on the bottom side of the tongue), the
piercing should be made in front of it. The initial jewelry should be a barbell
stud from 14 to 10 gauge. The initial jewelry should be about 1/2" longer than
the thickness of the tongue to accommodate for swelling. Too short of a barbell
can cause nesting of the balls.
When I had my tongue pierced at Brisbane City Tattoo by Rick it was almost painless (I only felt a slight *pinch* when the needle went through the top) and the piercing was only uncomfortable for about 3 days. I think I was lucky, as alot of people are in pain for up to 2 weeks. I was eating solid food on the second day! I have to admit I didn't look after it (ie: I smoked bongs, cigarettes and didn't rinse half as much as I should have) and I still don't, not properly.
I have a 15mm long barbell through my poor ltttle tongue, and I might get a second one! I fully 100 per cent
recommend my piercer Rick as he was gentle, no nonsense and cheap!
WELL I DID IT!!! I finally got my second tongue piercing, behind the original. Going off! I had it done at Rings 'n' Things at Darra on 22/1/00 with my bud corri the same day we first met IRL. I love it! If you're contemplating a second hole, go for it! It was the same, if less, hassle as the first one, which is almost none.
Frenulum
Also known as the tongue web piercing, this piercing is made though the web of
tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. This is a hazardous
piercing due to the fact that many blood vessels run though this area and damage
can be made to the salivary glands in this area if the piercing is made too deep.
Navel
The upper rim of the navel is the most common place for a navel piercings, but
can be done in various other places depending on the person to be pierced. This
piercing is the most difficult to heal because of clothing rubbing against it,
tight clothes, and that you are constantly moving in that area. This piercing
is also very prone to migrating or rejection. This piercing will usually
remain red throughout the healing process and even have a ring of tissue
grow around it in the second or third month of healing. This is normal and will
usually go away. The initial jewelry should be a captive bead ring, bead ring,
or circular or curved barbells from 16 to 12 gauge, 3/8" to 5/8" inside diameter
or length.
Also, the piercing of "outies" is becoming more and more popular,
however they are very dangerous! Quoted in Anne Greenblatt's
rec.arts.bodyart: Piercing FAQ, Michaela Grey of the Accociation of Professional
Piercers comments: "The falciform ligament of the liver is attached to the umbilicus
and the liver, with only about an inch of ligament betwixt." What does this mean to
you? Your outie (and your innie if you try to pierce it) is attached to your
liver. If you get the smallest infection from this piercing, that infection
has an excellent possibility of getting in your liver. Need even more defination
of this? You're dead. Just great.
I had my belly pierced on two seperate ocassions. The first was done at home by my Godfather, Dylan, who's a nurse. He nicked some sterile stuff and a needle from the hospital he worked at and away we went. Well, needless to say, that was very dodgy and not even in my navel. About 1/2 cm above it! I took that out after 6 months (yes, I kept it for that long!!) and had it done properly at The Piercing Shop in town. I went with my cousin a month after we moved into our flat. The are very professional, clean and friendly and I recommend them to anyone.
Just one thing - getting your navel pierced fucking HURTS!! And the healing process is slow and painful. Anyway, every teeny-bopper on the street has their navel pierced nowdays, so really it's no big deal. Try something different! I have stretched my navel piercing from a 14g to a 6g and it's filth! I have a lovely SS CBR in it.
Nipple
Nipple piercings can be either horizontal or vertical. Rings are usually
chosen as the initial jewelry or horizonal piercings and barbells are usually
used for vertical piercings. Because of the varying sizes of people in this
area, it's hard to say exactly which diameter of rings should be used, however
the inital piercing ring should be at least 1/4" larger than the area to be
pierced and the initial barbell should be at least 1/8" larger than the area to
be pierced.
There has been a lot of talk about the safety of women getting nipple piercings.
Women should be careful when deciding to get this type of piercing expecially when
they are of child-bearing age. There is a chance that women who have nipple
piercings have a bit of trouble breast feeding children. In addition,
women may notice irriation in their nipple piercings when they are pregnant or
even having their menstrual cycles. For more information on nipple piercings and breastfeeding scroll to the top of the page and click on the link to "Things To Consider Before Getting A Piercing".
Other body piercings... There are obviously a lot of other body piercings... this document doesn't even stratch the surface. If you need information on specific body piercings, I suggest that you talk with your body piercer about them and ask if the piercer has ever performed the piercing before. Even ask for a photograph of the piercing that the piercer has done... most are proud of the work that they do and do take photographs. This is a good way to see if a piercer knows what they are doing or are just telling you that they do. Alternatively, feel free to mail me and ask questions. I'm pretty well-read to an extent on the subject and I love to talk piercings!
