Place a mental check mark next to the statement that describes you best:
You're sick of that lame single ear piercing you've had since 6th grade.
You just got dumped and want to look more "edgy."
You've spent countless hours with an ab roller and are determined to draw attention to your washboard tummy.
All of these are perfectly acceptable reasons for getting pierced someplace other than your boring old earlobe. But before you let somebody come at you with a needle, you need to know how to choose a safe parlor, how to get the right piercing for your lifestyle, and how to care for your newly altered body parts once the deed is done.
Decide which area to target. If you're plagued with some extra insulation on your mid-section, you should probably skip the bellybutton ring. If you have chronic allergies, just say no to the nose ring. Whatever you do, don't get discouraged: As long as you have a body, you've got a place to pierce.
Bellybutton rings (or if you want to sound more impressive, "navel rings") can be a sexy addition to a nicely toned stomach. If you're an athlete, a dancer or anyone else who uses the body excessively, however, you should probably re-consider targeting this region. Changing clothes frequently, falling to the ground, tackling people and sweating a lot will not allow the piercing to heal properly (read: nasty infections). But the benefits of a bellybutton ring are:
It's a low-key yet interesting place for jewelry.
It's easy to hide if you want only a select few to see it.
If something (heaven forbid) goes wrong, it's better to get an infection on your bellybutton than on your tongue, face or genitalia.
The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the human body, so it is capable of a lot of wonderful pleasures (as well as pain). Lots of people get their tongues pierced for purely sexual reasons. Ironically, no kissing or oral sex is allowed during the healing period, which lasts 3 to 4 weeks. But if you are prone to oral fixations (chewing on pens, eating lots of candy or talking too much), this one isn't for you.
The face offers a myriad of piercing options, most commonly the eyebrow, nose, lip and chin. Because the face is so out-there-in-the-open, these piercings will be very difficult to hide if need be. They can be quite funky, however, and are perfect for free-spirited, pre-corporate youths. If you're an athlete, though, avoid all of these, except maybe the nose.
When it comes to genital piercings, be rational. While they can make you scream with pleasure in the bedroom, they can also make you scream with pain in your piercer's chair. These are very sensitive regions, and are often prone to infections.
