For some, traditional piercings such as ear piercings, nose piercings or lip piercings, no longer hold any great interest. For those who have lost interest in these styles of body modification, a new breed of piercings called “surface piercings” have emerged. With the large amount of potential “surface” of the human body for potential piercings, there are hundreds, even thousands of possible new piercings. From the top of the body to the bottom, here are some of the most common surface piercings available today.
Eyebrow Piercings
The eyebrow piercing is the most common facial surface piercing currently. This piercing vertically penetrates the skin below the eyebrow. There is often a lot of controversy surrounding the safety of an eyebrow piercing due to theoretical paralysis of the face.
Nape Piercings
Nape piercings pass through the skin on the back of the neck. Usually these piercings are done horizontally, all though they may be done vertically at the wearer’s request. Unfortunately, due to large amounts of daily movement of the neck and irritants (such as the edge of a t-shirt,) this piercing has a high rate of rejection and migration.
Neck Piercings
The neck piercing is usually done off to one side of the neck and most commonly referred to as “vampire bites.” These are done with a surface bar and if done correctly, have a lower rate of rejection. When the piercing is removed, two small holes are left, mimicking a “vampire bite.”
Madison Piercings
The Madison piercing is named for the porn star it was first publicly associated with. The Madison passes through the skin on the surface of the collarbone area. most Madison piercings never properly heal and have one of the highest rates of rejection for surface piercings.
Sternum Piercings
A sternum piercing can be done either horizontally or vertically on the wearer’s sternum. This piercing is found to be more popular with women than with men. Unfortunately, the piercing also has a high rate of rejection due to improper jewelry used by many piercings as well as irritation from clothing.
Corset Piercings
Corset piercings are perhaps one of the most attractive surface piercings available currently. They feature a series of two aligned straight or curved rows of surface piercings. Ribbon is then laced through the piercings to give the appearcence of lacing similar to that of a corset. Corset piercings can be done down the legs, arms, the sides of the stomach, or, most commonly, down the wearer’s back.
Generally these piercings are only done as temporary piercings rather than permanent piercings. This is due to their high rejection rate as well as the fact that they are extremely difficult to maintain. Any rubbing of clothing or other irritates causes migration and rejection of the piercings.
Hip Piercings
Most hip piercings are done in pairs (one on each hip) over the pelvis bone. These piercings are prone to rejection due to irritation from clothing and frequent movement. However, proper care, jewelry and piercing techniques have shown that hip piercings have the opportunity to be permanent piercings.
If you’re seeking a surface piercing, don’t be afraid to ask to see the piercer’s portfolio (especially of healed piercings.) If they have several piercings that show rejection, then seek a new piercer. You can tell if a piercing is rejecting by the red around the tips of the jewelry. Paying for a surface piercing from a piercer who has little-to-no successful surface piercings is a waste of your time and money so be sure to find the best piercer you possibly can.
