In the world of body arts two forms of body modification reign supreme tattoos and body piercing. And while the former needs no introduction, body piercings as an art is something a lot of people are still yet to come to terms with. Body piercings come in different types and styles, from the conventional ear piercings to the more endearing piercing styles like the Prince Albert. Are you a piercing newbie or just looking to refresh your piercing knowledge, we’ve covered the major piercings types for your reading (viewing) pleasure.
Ear piercings
The ear is arguably one of the most pierced areas of the body and ear piercings as a whole remain a popular choice for a vast majority of body piercers. Ear piercings go way back to the medieval times when Egyptian children of noble birth spotted them as a status symbol. In India, ear piercings are thought to provide relief from headaches and migraines. Depending on your preference and style there’s a long list of ear piercing styles to choose from – you can opt for an antitragus, helix, conch, orbital, daith, industrial, rook, snug, triple helix, tragus or the more traditional earlobe piercing.
Facial Piercings
For most body art enthusiast looking to make a fashion statement, facial piercings are the way to go. They present an easy way to spice up the looks of your face and your style in general. That said because they remain clearly visible for the most while, they’re one piercing style you should give a thought to before committing.
There are several types of facial piercings, among that list these standout
Eyebrow piercings; which pass laterally or horizontally through your eyebrow
Nose piercings; revered for its supposed ability of improving fertility
Lip Piercings; a sure fire way to add that alluring look to your lips. Labret piercings stand out as the most popular variant of a lip piercing
Tongue piercings; if you’re looking to spice up things a bit
Cheek piercings; for that highly sort after faux dimple
Oral piercings
Any piercing located in the interior of the mouth fits the title of an oral piercing. And because the mouth is well vascularised these set of piercings heal in no time that is of course if you follow the recommended piercing aftercare. Of the bunch of oral piercings including the frowny, smiley, the tongue piercing is the all-time favorite of body piercing artists; if you’re looking for something edgy that tick all the boxes of edginess
Body Surface Piercings
The list of surface piercings is populated with piercing styles that are best described as intimate. These category of piercing lack the outlandishness and vibrance common with facial and oral piercings. Make no mistake, however, this shimmering line of piercings that includes belly button, nipple and surface piercings are one of the most alluring types of piercing to get. If you’re goal as a body artist is to create that sophisticated and charming look you can’t go wrong with surface piercings
Genital Piercings
Genital piercing take the body modification game to another level. Done right they can be particular pleasing in terms of aesthetics. Some body artists undertake genital piercings with the sole aim of improving the pleasure derived from sex and while the effectiveness of this is still a debate topic, suffice it to say that the adoption rate of genital piercings has been on the increase. Note however, that because of their sensitive position extra care has to be taken to prevent the incidence of infections and complications. Diligent adherence to aftercare procedures should however reduce the probability of this happening to almost zero.
Which should I go for?
That is entirely dependent on your personal preference and body’s anatomy. While septum piercings might look pretty on one person they might not recreate the same look in your face. Another thing to consider is your lifestyle, Will the new piercing cause a problem? If you work in a formal environment, a septum piercing might not be the ideal choice. Finally remember that being impulsive is not necessarily a good idea, before committing to any piercing style make sure to think it through.
