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Body Piercing

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Body Piercing
This article throws light on body piercing and provides tips on choosing a safe body piercing parlor.

Body piercing has become quite fashionable over the years and has expanded to all parts of the body. It is estimated that nearly 5 - 10% of the American population has had some form of body piercing done. What was at first considered merely a punk statement has begun to be accepted in mainstream life. Take a look at the health and contamination issues when considering tattoo and body piercing. What are the requirements for a good body piercing parlor?


Body Piercing

Getting an earlobe or eyebrow or tongue pierced is increasingly popular with teenagers. Piercing can be done on the navel, lip or tongue too. Female body piercing is regularly done on the nipples and navel. An enticing piece of jewelry on the belly button can also be offset with a suitable tattoo. Ensure that the body piercing is done hygienically and by a qualified person so that you don't end up with scars. A body-piercing professional must follow the guidelines approved by the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). The starter jewelry for female body piercing must be sterile and opened only in your presence.


Clean the body piercing area with an antibacterial soap to prevent dirt and infection. Remove all vestiges of soap carefully. As the body piercing heals, it tends to secrete some dead cells, plasma and lymph. This then dries on the openings of the piercing as a crystalline crust.

Loosen up and remove all crusty formations around the tattoo and body piercing. Avoid tight clothing that can cause friction and pain. Oral piercing such as tongue and lip often swell significantly for several days following the piercing. Ointments may leave a sticky residue that may delay the healing process. Gels and water-soluble products aid easier healing.


Body piercing jewelry

Body piercing jewelry is generally made of stainless steel. The 316L or 316LVM steel works best for body piercing jewelry. You can also pick up funky personal pieces of body piercing jewelry in sterling silver or titanium. Silver jewelry is not used immediately after a body-piercing job since it has a tendency to tarnish and scratch.

Titanium body piercing jewelry is available in a range of exciting styles and finish. Jewelry pieces made of wood or ivory are also used for body piercing jewelry pieces. Hardwood and Ivory are natural materials and work well with the oils of the body. Starter body piercing jewelry is generally a captive bead ring or barbell.


Tattoo and body piercing

Accentuate your tattoo with a body-piercing job. Choose your tattoo carefully depending on the part of the body you are planning to fix it on. Choose a body piercing jewelry to suit the body part or the tattoo. It is essential to keep the area of body piercing and tattoo clean so as to allow quick healing. Fingering the jewelry can lead to infection. If you get your body-piercing job done by someone who is not sufficiently skilled, you stand the risk of damaging your body too.


Body Piercing must be placed at a certain depth in order to be accepted and successfully healed by the body to remain long term. If it is placed too close to the surface of the skin, it may work itself towards the surface and the jewelry may be ejected. Sometimes the area to be pierced is clamped with forceps to stabilize it before the needle is guided. Once the needle is removed, the starter body piercing jewelry is put into place.


Tattoo body piercing parlor

Choose a body-piercing parlor with care. Don't be rushed into the procedure till you feel comfortable with it. A reliable body piercing shop maintains accurate records of clients. Sterilization and cleanliness is paramount when choosing a body-piercing parlor. Ensure that the body piercing instruments and the piercing area as well as the body piercer's hands and needle are sterile.

Piercing needles are highly specialized and designed specifically to pierce the flesh while causing the least amount of pain. Body piercing needles come in a range of gauges for different types of piercing. Some body piercing parlors have a steam heat autoclave that ensures sufficient heating temperature to kill all bacteria. Make sure that the ear and body piercing shop you plan to use is registered with the local council.

A quality body piercing shop will have a separate area for cleaning and sterilization of instruments. Use of sterile disposable swabs, disposable gloves is essential to prevent contamination. Ear piercing guns must not be used for other body parts. Only sterilized instruments and jewelry should be used. Titanium piercing jewelry costs more than surgical steel, a genital piercing will cost more than an eyebrow.


Some of the complications that can accompany tattoo and body piercing are prolonged bleeding, swelling and scarring. If contaminated jewelry pieces or instruments are used, you stand the risk of contracting Hepatitis B or C or tetanus. Skin allergies are sometimes noticed to body piercing jewelry.

The American Dental Association opposes tongue, lip and/or cheek piercing and deems them as health hazards. The American Academy of Dermatology is against all body piercing with the exception of the ear piercing because there is enough fatty tissue in the ear lobe and it has a good blood supply.


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