Goddess Magazine Stories/Articles

Body Piercing Trend (March 2012)

Remember as kids when it was a big deal to get our ears pierced? Most of our parents couldn't wait until we turned six months old to get our tiny little lobes gussied up. As we got older, we got multiple holes, a tragus, or the top cartilage of our ear(s) pierced. Today, more than just ear piercing is on on the rise. Many people modify their bodies with tattoos, but today, body piercing has become an even bigger trend. Though not as permanent as a tattoo, a piercing can be removed, but also can leave it's mark.

Reasons for piercing varies and it goes a long way back into history. They can be for cultural or religious reasons, to express one's individuality and self-expression, commemorating a life milestone or overcoming a traumatic experience, or, depending on which are of the body the piercing is, can be for sexual gratification. Modern primitives use piercing and and body modifications as a way to reconnect themselves with society, but also, piercing can be a mean of rebellion.

Nose Piercings

Nose piercing began somewhere around 1500 BCE, but has also been believed to have begun in India around the 16th century. Even today, it is customary for Hindu women to receive their piercing on the eve of their wedding day, particularly those of childbearing age. They wear a nose stud, usually in the left nostril. This is because of the nostril's association with the female reproductive organs.

Today, there are quite a variety of nose piercings. The most common is the still the nostril, where a single hole is made on either side of the nose and either a stud, ring or plug is inserted.

Next is the septum. This piercing is often referred to as the bull piercing, going right through the bottom piece of the nose, between the two nostril cavities.

The septril, or jungle piercing, can be done one of two ways. The first is done through the bottom wall of the septum and ends downward through the bottom of the nose. The other part to the septril piercing, which is not very common, uses a slightly curved barbell with one flat end and a ball at the other. It goes in through the side wall of the septum and curves downward and out the bottom of the nose.

Another uncommon piercing would be the nasallang. It goes through the nostril, passes into the septum cartilage and out the opposite nostril. It could also be done as three individual piercings, but is mostly done with one needle which is replaced with a barbell.

There are also two type of bridge piercings; the first goes through the skin of the bridge of the nose. The second, called a vertical bridge piercing or Third Eye or Unicorn piercing, is done on the surface, vertically between the eyes with a curved barbell or surface barbell.

There are also a couple types of nasal tip piercings. First, the vertical tip piercing, better known as the Rhino, which can begin from the inner nostril out to the tip of the nose, or both the entrance and exit holes are at the tip of the nose. Lastly, the horizontal nose tip piercing piercing (Austin Bar Piercing), which goes through the tip of the nose without going through the septum and cannot be seen in either of the nostrils.

I'd hate to be that person with a bad cold! How can they blow their nose with all that metal up there?

Eyebrow Piercings

Eyebrow piercing have a very short history, introduced in the 1970's as a fashion statement by punk-rock subculture.