Body piercings are a form of body modification that has existed for thousands of years. The oldest evidence of a body piercing dates back to the 5th century BCE in Siberia where pierced animal teeth were found in nomadic burials.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and people get them for many reasons: to give their body shape or aesthetics, as a way to express their personality, and as self-expression.
People often get piercings for different reasons. Some do it to give their bodies additional shape or aesthetics while others use it as a way to express themselves. It is also common for people to choose piercings as a way of expressing themselves through art.
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The Risks of Getting A Piercing
Piercings and other body modifications come with a certain amount of risk, such as the possibility of contracting a bacterial infection.
After obtaining a piercing, some people develop an abscess on their skin. This pus-filled lump that develops around the piercing can be rather painful. This is a potentially dangerous adverse effect. Without treatment, the patient runs the danger of developing sepsis or blood poisoning.
It is a potentially fatal illness that happens as a result of an infection that has been contracted. It has the potential to cause organ failure and death.
As a result of the higher concentration of bacteria in the mouth and nose, infections are more prevalent with piercings in this area.
Other dangers related with body piercings also include the formation of a keloid around the piercing site, swelling around the piercing site, and bleeding caused by a ruptured blood vessel
There are also dangers associated with body piercings that are specific to certain locations.
How Do You Choose The Right Piercing?
When you are choosing a piercing, there are certain factors that you should consider. Some of these include but are not limited to your age, your skin type, the piercing type, and the location of the piercing.
One thing that you should consider is your age. You may not be able to get certain piercings because you are underage or because they are too painful for children.
Skin type is another factor to take into consideration when deciding on which piercings to get. Certain piercings do not work well with sensitive skin so it is important to know how your skin will react before getting a piercing done. It is also important to know if there is any chance of an allergic reaction so as not to put yourself at risk for infection or other complications from a poorly-done piercing.
Where Can You Get A Piercing Done And How Much Do They Cost?
Piercings are popular among both women and men. They are not just for teenagers or people who want to look “edgy”. There are all sorts of ear piercings out there to suit any taste, be it gauges, ear cuffs, or dangling hoops. It is not just limited to your ears too. You can have heavily embellished septum rings or diamond belly button rings.
But how much does it cost? Unfortunately, that is not an easy question to answer. The cost of a piercing varies depending on what kind of piercing you get and where you choose to get it done.
Ear piercings are one of the most common type of body piercings. The cost to get your ears pierced ranges from $10-$80 depending on the type of earring you want, where you do it, and what jewelry the studio provides.
A nose ring is a ring that goes through the skin in the septum (nose) or upper lip. The cost to get your nose ring or cartilage pierced ranges from $25-$600 depending on where you go and what jewelry they provide.
It is always best to go to a reputable piercing studio where they use needles rather than guns, as these cause far less trauma. Many tattoo parlours offer this as a service as well.
Conclusion And Pro Tips For Aftercare For Your New Piercing
One of the most important things to do after getting a new piercing is to clean it with salt water or saline. Saline helps with healing and provides bacteria killing properties, while salt water is more gentle on the skin. Keep it away from contact with irritants such as sweat, hair products, perfume, dirt and dust. Apply ice packs on the area if you experience swelling or discomfort.
There are also a variety of healing methods for piercings, including using an ointment or cream made from aloe vera, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil or lavender oil.