Piercings as Art Form

Historians believe humans in the 5,000-year-old mummies' time thought that demons entered earthly bodies through the ear, and that placing metal inside the earlobe would ward them off. Today, many African tribes display expressive body piercings as part of their way of life for spiritual and societal reasons.

Piercings as Art Form

In preserving their ancient cultures and belief systems, many African tribes have continued practices of piercing their bodies that originated thousands of years ago. Piercings throughout Africa denote pride, beauty and wealth. The African Conservancy's website states, "African body art changes the wearer into an object shaped by color, movement, textures, patterns and designs." In contrast with western beliefs about the taboo nature of body piercings, many tribal Africans believe that puncturing and even stretching builds character, discipline and strength.

Ear Piercings

The Massai people, an ethnic tribe living in present day Kenya and Tanzania, historically migrated from North Africa and once ruled much of the continent. Through disease, famine and an influx of tourism, the Massai have preserved their original cultural beliefs and practices, including ritualistic earlobe piercing and stretching. Both men and women stretch their earlobes with hollow discs, and hang intricately beaded jewelry from the holes created through stretching. During traditional Massai dances and ceremonies, including circumcision for both men and women, the person being honored dresses in extensive body jewelry.

Lip Plates

Noted by "National Geographic" as a popular draw to tourists, the culturally rich Mursi tribe, living in southern Ethiopia is known for its women wearing the lip plates to display beauty and individuality. The lip plate is a large disc made from pottery or wood and worn in a woman's bottom lip that can reach up to 12 centimeters in diameter. At the age of 15 or 16, each Mursi girl has her lip cut by her mother or another woman of the tribe. The women fill the cut with a wooden plug until it heals, and then stretch the opening by adding larger plates over a series of months.

Nose Piercings

In the Christian Bible's book of Genesis, Abraham provides a "golden earring" to the woman, Rebecca, who marries his son, Isaac. The word used in the verse to describe the gift is "Shanf," which translates to "nose ring" in Hebrew. In reference to this verse, men of the nomadic Berber and Beja tribes, living in the Sahara and the Sudan respectively, present their wives with wedding rings that are worn in the nose. A large nose ring worn by a woman symbolizes a wealthy husband to those who see her. If a woman separates from her husband, the nose ring is hers to sell or barter for security.

Body Jewelry

The strategy of entire body modifications has extended been prevalent inside the human race. place in uncomplicated terms,‘body modification’refers on the approach of doing improvements inside the entire body. The improvements integrated is often momentary or long-lasting in nature. mostly completed for that objective of beautification,entire body modification has emerged for being pretty diverse from what it had began as. The need to have at the same time because the tactics for entire body modification has undergone transformation.

This strategy of doing improvements inside the entire body has many implications and differs from tradition to tradition. whilst sharp objects,to tattoos to amputations are all categorized as tactics to change any portion on the entire body,jewelries will be the most typical factor that is certainly made use of in entire body modifications.

Apart from becoming a style statement,entire body modifications in early days had been completed for purely spiritual good reasons. This factor however prevails inside the contemporary instances where by examples is often cited from many areas. Believers do so using this faith that their sacrifice and suffering will fulfill God and so they are going to be granted their wishes. The suffering inflicted about the entire body whilst engaging in so will become immaterial at that time.

Tracing back again on the instances of Indus Valley civilization,ornaments or jewelries has played a critical position in entire body modifications. Earrings,anklets,necklaces,nose rings all excavated from your ruins have proved they had been in use in all those days. The Bronze statues of the dancing lady excavated at a person these website bore evidence on the exact actuality. Bangles,rings,head bands also uncovered in the excavation web-sites are proof on the actuality that even adult men made use of these for entire body modifications.

For several cultures across the planet,entire body modifications have an completely diverse need to have and significance. It is surely an inherent portion of their tradition and so they are taught to imbibe this from their pretty childhood. Say for illustration in Myanmar,the gals on the Padaung tribe has this custom to dress in restricted neck rings about their necks. The apply begins at a tender age of five.

Whilst at the moment,the range of ring place about the neck is a person,the range shortly will increase with time. It’s really prevalent amongst them to dress in as several rings as you possibly can about their calves as well. The greatest purpose for engaging in so should be to modify the neck as inside the approach it will get elongated from time to time to alarming charges. Other entire body modifications followed by tribes connected to this use jewellery extensively for elongating their ear lobes or ear piercings completed formerly.

Instances of entire body modifications could also be uncovered inside the American tradition where by the usage of labrets is typical amongst 1st Nations individuals inhabiting the North west coast. Modifications on the lips with the usage of lip plates are typical amongst Sara and Mursi individuals,typically of African origin.

Body modifications can consequently be categorized as typical and ‘extreme’. whilst some are momentary and simple to accomplish like entire body piercing,ear piercing,dermal anchoring that is putting a smaller steel bead about the skin,neck rings and tattooing –some is often genuinely unsafe and damaging. The excessive types include tongue splitting and added ocular implant.

With time,the perception of style has undergone a substantial improve. For so extended,footwear,jewellery and handbags co ordinate flawlessly with trendy attire drew the focus inside the crowd. Now may be the time,whenever a ethnic embroidered attire from India or simply a chic Indo western dress in is very well complimented by a flawlessly completed entire body modification.

Dermal Punch

Dermal (or biopsy) punches are surgical instruments that are becoming more and more accepted in the body modification community. While not every body part needs to be dermal punched (in fact, we recommend the use of piercing needles for most piercings), if a large gauge piercing is desired in the cartilage of the ear, dermal punches can’t be beat!

Dermal Punching on Ear Lobes: We do not recommend using dermal punching on ear lobes. (The list of pictures below shows the procedure on the ear lobes, this was only done for the purpose of being able to take better pictures. The Silicone Ear would not allow us to punch the cartilage without it destroying the ear.)

It is healthier to have a needle piercing performed, and then gradually stretch the piercing to the desired size. Dermal punches remove tissue, which, if used on earlobes, can cause thin lobes, which will be detrimental to further stretching. It is best to have as much tissue in your lobes as possible if you wish to stretch them--this will keep your ears and your piercings safe and happy.

Dermal Punching on Ear Cartilage: Since it is unhealthy to stretch cartilage piercings up more than a few gauges, dermal punching is a great alternative for people who would like large gauge piercings in the conch or outer conch. Small punches require that jewelry be worn throughout the entire healing time. Large punches can be healed without jewelry, once bleeding has stopped.

Risks: There is a severe risk of bleeding with any dermal punch, as it is a large wound in your body. Insertion of properly sized jewelry can help to put pressure on the wound. However, bleeding can still be severe and should be monitored closely during and after the procedure.

People with bleeding conditions such as hemophilia or people taking blood thinners should consult a doctor before performing this procedure. In the event that bleeding does not stop or a dangerous loss of blood occurs, seek immediate medical assistance.

There is also a risk of infection, as with any modification. By having a sterile environment, sterile tools, and sterile jewelry, this risk can be easily minimized. It can be further minimized by having this procedure done by a licensed professional.

Unlike needle piercing, this modification removes a round circle of tissue from the punched area, therefore this is a permanent modification.

Ear Gauges

Do you want to express your feelings in an artistic way? Do you want to create a new fashion statement to become unique among your group? Well, a new fashion trend that is becoming popular among different age groups is the so called ear gauges. It is a process of stretching your ear holes so as to fit large earrings or gauges. This is exceptional and very fashionable.

But, ear gauging is not totally a new trend in fashion. Many countries are already practicing it as part of their culture and tradition. This is also a form of body modification techniques which include body piercing and tattooing. If you have the courage and patience to feel the pain of ear gauging, then this fashion is suited for you.

Ear gauges range from a wide variety of sizes, styles, and designs. These are available in different jewelry stores and they can be found at affordable prices as well as fancy. Along with the gauges, you will also need tapers for those who already have pierced hole. This is needed to stretch the ear holes and achieved the desired diameter.

But for those who still do not have ear holes, you need first to let your ears be pieced with a piercing professional. This would take a long time because; you’ll need to wait for the wound to heal. Even with those who already have ear hole, you will still need to wait for the holes to increase in size. This is a process so you don’t need to rush up.

Ear gauging requires the help of a piercing professional to prevent complications. The area should always be cleaned with antiseptic solution to avoid infection. It will take approximately two week before you can wear ear gauges and display your unique fashion style.

Sources
Office 20 Con
La Sumisa

The basics on ear stretching.

How to Stretch your Ears

1. Get your ear / ears pierced professionally. Yeah, your mate can do it with a safety pin, but trust me, you're saving yourself a scarring and complications down the line.

2. Once your ears are COMPLETELY healed (I'd leave it for two months), buy either a 1.6mm or 1.2mm straight titanium body bar. These are the standard sizes for most body piercings and will easily be available. If you're not sure what you're looking for, just ask the staff. They're usually affordable. Push the bar through your pierced ear slowly, it will seem like it isn't going to fit at first, but it will with a bit of wiggling and determination.

3. After your ear has healed from the first stretch (give it at least two weeks) you can stretch up to 2mm. Use a titanium taper.

4. Continue in this way until you reach your desired size. Always leave at least two weeks between each stretch and always only go up by 1mm - otherwise you risk a blow out... A blow out is scar tissue pushed through the back of the ear. Not pretty! Once you reach 5mm, start wearing plugs or tunnels - don't wear tapers. If you get to a point where it is getting difficult to increase in size, try using tea tree oil to help to ease it in - never force a stretch.

FAQ

Q. Does it hurt?
A. Everyone has a different pain threshold. All I can say is try it and find out yourself, but don't expect it to be pain free.

Q. Is it normal for it to still sting the day after I stretch it?
A. Yep. It can sting up to the point when it heals. 

Q. My ear lobe is throbbing / aching / very tender / swollen / weeping / bleeding - what should I do?
A. You can either choose to take it out totally and leave it to heal by itself - tea tree oil and antiseptics can help in the process. If you think you can still stretch, baby your ear like you fear it's going to drop off - rub tea tree oil into it at least three times a day, downsize about 2mm and let it get some air until it's totally healed.

Q. What is a 'blow out'?
A. Scar tissue which forms and eventually gets pushed/ pushes itself through the back of your ear. If you get a bad blow out, it's extremely unlikely that your ear will shrink back to a 'normal' size. They're also really unattractive.

Q. What's the difference between a taper, a plug and a tunnel?
A. A taper is a cylinder which is sealed at both ends and 'tapers' into a thin point, they can be straight, curved or spirals. Tapers are used for stretching until the healing point ONLY. Tapers shouldn't be worn past the healing point as the uneven weight distribution can cause uneven stretching, creating scarring and a longer healing process. A plug is a cylinder usually sealed at both sides, they can be used to stretch or to wear past the healing point. A tunnel is a hollowed out plug which you can see through from one side to the other, it can be used to stretch or to wear past the healing point.

Q. What materials should my jewelry be made from?
A. Practically anything so long as it is fully sealed and treated after your ear has fully healed. Only use materials which can be autoclaved during each stretch. Titanium, plastic and silicone are the most common. Stainless steel, wood, bone and polished stone are also quite popular.

Q. Where can I buy tapers / tunnels / plugs?
A. Your local piercing parlor will definitely sell them, a lot of tattoo parlors sell them too. Otherwise, there are LOADS of shops on eBay which sell body jewelry and plenty of web stores to choose from, too.

Q. What is the smallest size of plug /tunnel? What is the largest?
A. The smallest I've seen or heard of is 2mm. Plugs and tunnels can be custom made, usually past 2" you will find it harder and harder to find 'off the shelf' jewelry and will need to find somewhere that will make them for you.

Ps: only use recommended makers / sellers!

Q. Will it shrink back to a 'normal' size? When is the 'point of no return'?
A. It's different for everyone. Mine personally shrink back over night from 12mm to around 8mm, it would shrink further the longer I left it but probably only as far as 2mm. 'The point of no return' is usually considered to be around 1.5", though it is obviously different for everyone.

Q. If I stretch it up to a certain size, will it continue to stretch by itself?
A. No, your ear can only stretch up to how far you want it to stretch.

"Depending on the size of the gauge, weight of the jewelry, and age of the person, your stretched ears can become loose and stretch a little larger. Ear weights (heavy jewelry) are designed to slowly stretch the lobe over time to fit a larger gauge piece.

This is generally done for much larger gauges because lets face it, I've never seen a taper 2" wide so they aren't very common if they exist at all. Naturally as someone gets older the elasticity of their skin breaks down therefore sagging and if accommodating weight, can stretch. "

This is why I usually recommend light weight jewelry.

Q. Why does it smell?
A. Because you're not washing it. You should wash both your jewelry and ear lobe every day. I wash mine when I wash my face - morning and night. I usually rub some tea tree oil into it once a week.

Q. My friend went from 1.6mm to 10mm in a week - why are you saying I shouldn't?
A. Because your friend will most definitely now have caused scarring / a blow out, if they should want to shrink back at any point, they probably wont be able to. It's also likely that despite your friend's macho 'It didn't even hurt!' it will have hurt like a bitch - stretching at a healthy rate should not hurt more than a slight sting.

The most fucked up thing? Ignorance

The worst thing about someone making a comment or asking a question is simply when they don't know what the fuck they're talking about, especially when it comes to Body Modification (especially when this person has had modifications performed on their bodies). To see someone with Body Modifications on them and hear them criticize others making an argument based on genter makes me sick. One can understand if a Tattoo, or piercing, etc is not well done, the best thing one can do is provide advice and a way to fix that problem instead of making the person feel bad or offended. Not too long ago while being at a gathering a tattooed female asked me why I had my earlobes stretched, I looked at her trying to comprehend what her point was and then she specified that only males stretch their ear lobes and women shouldn't. Knowing my temper, I decided to stay calmed and didn't even gave an answer to her statement since I am aware that such stupidity shouldn't be dignified with it. I understand not everyone has a full knowledge of what Body Modification is and also realized this person don't have a clue of the History of it in general. The fucked up part is that I allowed her to get away with it simply cause I tried avoiding her a major embarrasment along with an accurate reading simply to put her in place while making her look stupid in front of all those who were present. Perhaps this person don't even know this Blog exist but something tells me soon will find out about it (I can't wait) and the only choices this person will have are: to swallow her words, do some research and feel stupid once and educational update is achieved. Sometimes I rather stay quiet cause I do my best not to make anyone feel like shit and sometimes when I try to educate people they take it the wrong way. Sometimes I tend to put things in a simple way but when I use elaborated words and people don't know what those words actually mean they decide to come up with their own conclusions and spread the wrong message. When it comes to Tattoos I know some can be kind of rough looking and some can be delicate and feminine but that's a whole different story. Tattoos can be done in many ways and no matter how they look does not define a Sexual Preference or Gender and it could mean support to a Community. The last thing I want to hear is someone asking a male (for example) if he is Gay because he had a pink ribbon tattoed on instead of trying to ask what it means to him.