Body piercing

Body Piercing For Nigerians: Is it Right or Wrong?

by Angela Ajani

It is not surprising that body piercing is on the rampage now, not only in Nigeria but the world at large, and this is common among young adults between the ages of 16-30. 

While some parents would frown at this new vogue (which is not so new as it has been in existence since times past), some parents are totally fine with it as they (mothers) pierce not just their earlobes but other parts of their bodies like the nose, eyebrows, etc.

There are different types of body piercings, from the popular ones to the hard-to-heal (the private parts).

From this article, you will get to learn the different body piercing placements and what you should know before getting a particular part of your body pierced.

You’ll also know if you should pierce more than your earlobes, but remember, the choice is always yours.

What is Body Piercing?

Body piercing occurs when an individual makes a hole into a part of his/her body for reasons best known to them.

Earlobe piercing is the most common type of body piercing, not only for females but also for males who partake in this act. 

Some people also pierce all parts of their ears, not just the lobe.

Other body parts which people pierce include the eyebrows, nose, tongue, lips, belly button, nipples, genitals, and gum (teeth).

List of Body Piercings

Here is our listing of body piercings from the least painful to the most painful:

  1. Earlobes

This is the most common part of the body that’s pierced, not just among the ladies but the men folks as well.

While it is frowned upon for men to pierce their ears, you will see that this is becoming a common tradition in today’s world.

  1. Navel/Belly button

Some ladies pierce their navels or belly button for reasons best known to them, some do it for fashion and others do it for protection.

Read also: Why women hate belly fat: the physical and emotional view.

  1. Lips

This is another type of piercing that’s common among the ladies, while some endure the pain, some cannot do so.

If you have seen any video where a lady’s lips are being pierced, you’ll understand.

  1. Nose/nostril

The image below has shown you the different parts of the nose/nostril ladies pierce. 

While some organizations are very disciplined when it comes to the dressing of their staff, some don’t care, as long as you do your work dutifully.

Body piercing

Nose piercing

  1. Septum

Unlike a nose piercing, it is not pierced through the nose cartilage, but through a thin fleshy bit, also referred to as the septum sweet spot. 

  1. Eyebrow

This is widely common among the ladies, and an example is shown in the image below;

Body piercing

Eyebrow piercing

  1. Tongue

This type of piercing gets healed quickly because the saliva serves as a healing balm for the pierced tongue. 

Body piercing

Tongue piercing

With the above on types of piercing from the most painful to the least painful, more piercings are more painful than the above-mentioned types of piercings and they are Rook, Conch, Industrial, Surface, Nipple, then the Genital.

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Body Piercing: To Do or Not To Do

Just like thinking of dyeing your hair another color, some young adults often find it conflicting to go all in by piercing other parts of their bodies.

While the choice is yours, put in mind the kind of organization you work in, the kind of church you attend, and even the kind of company you keep.

It is also important to think about your lifestyle and even your kind of job.

Imagine you work in an institution that’s deeply rooted in religious beliefs and you turn yourself to lord of the rings, or you work where indecent dressing/piercing is frowned upon. Is piercings something you’d be comfortable with?

I asked a friend of mine about piercing and this is what he has to say about the issue, “personally, piercing is morally unacceptable”.

Like what’s the intent? Why will you just intentionally pierce your body parts?

If the body parts were naturally meant to be pierced, it would be understandable but just deciding to pierce your body parts, ah!

The ones that scare me most are ladies that pierce their nipples, navel, vagina… Omo!!! 

Because of what??! How do you endure such pain? For me, It doesn’t sit right.

With what he said, you can pick something out of it, but it’s based on your personal opinion and conviction. 

It’s the same thing with how some people tattoo their skin (for reasons like injuries on the skin, and wanting to cover it up). 

Read also: Top 10 dressing tips for Nigerian women. 

Health Risks of Body Piercing

Health risks from body piercing include and are not limited to:

  1. Allergic reactions

As individuals with different body parts, people often react to piercings, making it important to know your skin type before venturing into piercing your skin. Keloids are a type of scar that forms as your skin heals.

  1. Infection

This is often common to all types of piercings, as not every person can take care of the newly pierced part of their body.

They confuse the infection for a piercing that is healing because the pierced part is going through the healing phase, coupled with the fact that there’s soreness and pain.

Apart from these health risks of body piercings, there are other risks associated with the piercing of body parts. 

While death is not often recorded as a risk of body piercing, it won’t be surprising as infection leads to death if not properly taken care of.

Read also: Benefits and side effects of wearing contact lenses. 

Conclusion

I believe you’ve learnt a thing or two about piercings and if you should go ahead or not. What you should know is that it is your choice if you want to pierce any part of your body.

If it aligns with your beliefs and day-to-day activities, you’re good to go.

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About Author

Avatar of Angela Ajani
Angela Ajani
Give her books and you've made her day. Ajani Angela is a graduate of History and International Studies from Bowen University, currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan.
Angela loves to read and meet new people. Her interests are not limited to just education; she also loves to offer advice to people going through a lot.
Angela loves to hear from readers. You can email her at [email protected].

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