Body piercing jewelry
Jewelry has fascinated people of all cultures since time, immemorial. Archeological studies and historical proofs show us that jewelry of all kinds was used to adorn almost all parts of the body. Jewelry has fascinated mankind or more specifically, woman for ages. Since humans evolved, the need for decorating ourselves and to enhance our appearance has been one of our chief needs. No matter how the jewelry is fashioned, it is a good idea to keep in mind that the chief purpose of wearing jewelry is to decorate the person. So it is not surprising that almost all parts of the exposed body and a few unexposed parts as well are pierced for adorning.
Body piercing jewelry might be seen as a fad or not quite classy by some but the fact remains that it is a heritage from our ancestors. Different cultures had different traditions of wearing this kind of jewelry. The most common piercings are of the ear. Almost every culture practices ear piercing. Even in modern times, earlobe piercings are very common with earrings taking top place among body piercing jewelry. The ear can also be pierced near the face, the outer edge or the inner surfaces. Nose piercings are also quite common. These are usually on the nostril or the septum. Piercings on the neck, cheek, tongue, upper lip, lower lip, eyebrows, navel and between fingers and toes are also freely practiced.
Types of piercings
There are three different types of body piercings, i.e. soft tissue, cartilage and surface to surface.
Soft tissue: the most commonly used piercing, this usually covers the body flesh and the jewelry passes through both sides of the piercings.
Cartilage: nose piercings and ear piercings apart from the lobe fall into this category. In this case, the cartilage does not stretch and neither does the hole in the cartilage close with time.
Surface to surface: these piercings are located on the same plane of the body and are harder to maintain.
Piercing guidelines
It is important that all piercings should follow the basic guidelines for safety and skin care. First rule is that all piercings should be made with a hollow surgical steel needle by a professional piercer. This is to minimize the chances for infection. It is a good idea to let the wound heal before experimenting with different jewelry. You must make sure that you follow all instructions of the piercer after the piercing is done to achieve best results and for maximum care.
Materials used for body piercing jewelry
The skin reacts very sensitively to body piercing jewelry and hence, certain rules must be followed while using this kind of jewelry. Certain materials are more prone to cause allergic reactions and are best avoided. All jewelry, especially for recent piercings must have smooth surfaces and must be made of hypo allergic metal or acrylic. Body jewelry can be made of the following materials:
Stainless steel: Surgical stainless steel jewelry is one of the best options for a newly pierced area since it does not normally cause allergic reactions. Other points in its favor are that it is inexpensive and gives the appearance and class of silver jewelry as well as being strong.
Niobium & Titanium: People who react unfavorably to stainless steel can use these materials for fashioning jewelry. This jewelry also offers a choice of different colors with beads.
Gold: The traditional and expensive option, gold is one of the best materials for jewelry. Yellow gold of 14K or more is the best since it contains lesser allergy causing materials. White gold is a common choice as well. Colored gold is best avoided, especially for new piercings since it contains toxic metals.
Silver: Though silver jewelry is not recommended for newly pierced holes, they can be used once the wound has healed completely.
Retainers: Retainers are used to prevent the hole from closing up when you are compelled to remove your jewelry for any purpose. These are usually made with Lucite, flesh colored acrylic, monofilament nylon and other inert materials.
Types of body piercing jewelry
Body piercing jewelry comes in many different styles. The most common are the captive bead rings and dumbbells.
Ball Closure Rings: A very common design for body piercing jewelry, it consists of holes in opposite sides of a bead with the bead situated between the ends of the ring. There are different types of rings as well as beads. Rings can be of any shape such as circular, square; rectangular, triangular, octagonal, oval, etc. the most common is, of course, the circular design. As for beads, they can be anything from hearts to bells, from spheres to birds.
Dumbbells: Dumbbell designs are popular as well and consist of a rod with balls at each end. One of the balls is screwed on to the rest of the jewelry. This design, though popular, offers lesser scope for variety.
Body piercing jewelry has an ancient history and by the looks of it, will have a strong future as well. While offering plenty of scope for ornamentation and experimentation, it also helps to express your personality. What has existed for years in the past will also continue to delight the future.
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