Glossary of Piercing Terms

A
Absess	Bacterial infection trapped under the surface of the skin, causing a small blister or bubble of puss to form.
Ampallang	Male genital piercing. Typically done horizontally through the Glans Penis and slightly above the Urethra. This piercing can also be done through the center of the Urethra as well. This piercing is used to increase sexual pleasure for both the wearer and his partner. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Anti-Helix	Ear cartilage piercing. The anti-helix is the curved ridge of Cartilage on the inner curve of the ear just inside the Helix. This piercing should be done with a small Bent Barbell. Your ear's anatomy will determine the size and type of jewelry. Care should be taken to ensure the holes are spaced properly to accomodate the jewelry. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Anti-Tragus	Ear cartilage piercing. The flap of Cartilage on the lower inside curve of the Ear Lobe opposite the Tragus. This is another piercing that can be done with either a Captive Bead Ring or a small Barbell. Caution should be taken as the cartilage here is rather thick. This also means that the piercing can be a bit painful. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Apadravya	Male genital piercing. Similar to the Ampallang but running vertically from the top of the Glans Penis and exiting at the bottom just behind it. This piercing is used to increase sexual pleasure for both the wearer and his partner. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Autoclave	A machine used to sterilize tattoo and piercing equipment. It utilizes pressurized steam to kill bacteria.
B
Barbell	Body jewelry type. A wire post threaded at both ends to accomodate a ball or other type of decoration. It can be either straight, bent slightly (bent barbell) or bent nearly into a complete circle (circular barbell).
Beauty Mark	Facial piercing. Also known as a Madonna, a Monroe or a Chrome Crawford. This piercing mimics a beauty mark by using a small beades stud near the corner of the mouth. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Benzolkonium Chloride	A highly recomended active ingredient in cleaning solutions suitable for piercing aftercare. Can be found in such products as Bactine and Ear Care by Inverness.
Body Jewelry	Any of a vaiety of items used for insertion and ornamentation of the body. Body jewelry can be made from a variety of materials including body-grade Stainless Steel, wood, plastic, stone, and bone.
Bridge	Facial piercing. Aftercare is critical to avoid infection as the blood supply in this area is shared by the brain. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
C
Caliper	An instrument used to measure thickness and distance in piercing. Used to determine placement of jewelry and to mark entry and exit points for the piercer.
Captive Bead Ring	Body jewelry type. A closed ring that holds a bead by the use of latteral pressure to keep the ring closed. Captive bead rings can be any shape including square, tear drop and circular.
Cheek	Facial piercing. Used to mimic dimples in a cheek, this piercing is difficult and risky due to the number of muscles and nerves in the face.
Christina	Female genital piercing. Surface piercing done above the clitoral hood so that the bottom bead rests at the base of the clitoris to enhance sexual pleasure. This piercing is done vertically with a Barbell. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Clitoral Hood	Female genital piercing. The flap of skin that covers the Clitoris is a popular piercing as it enhances sexual activity. Care must be taken that the jewelry is placed so that the bead lies over the clitoris when aroused. This piercing can be done horizontally or vertically with a variety of jewelry types. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Clitoris	Female genital piercing. Also called a clit piercing, thi piercing goes through the base of the clitoris, either horizontal or vertical. This piercing is not suggested as desenzitation can occur. A small Captive Bead Ring or small Barbell is used. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Conch	Ear cartilage piercing. This piercing goes through the section of ear just outside the ear canal. It is a painful piercing and should only be done by someone who is commited to their body modification. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
D
Daith	Ear cartilage piercing. Usually pierced with a small Captive Bead Ring, this piercing is tricky to do as it sits closer to the ear canal and is tough to get to. The cartilage also tends to be thicker at this point making at bit more painful than a Helix. The jewelry penetrates the top inner ridge of Cartilage above the Daith. It is also dependant on your ear's anatomy; the ridge of Cartilage has to be deep enough to accept the jewelry. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Diameter	The inside measurement in inches of a Captive Bead Ring or Curved Barbell.
Downsizing	The replacement of a piece of jewelry with one of a smaller Diameter, Length or Gauge. This is typically done after the healing period of several piercing types. I can also refer to someone who has a large piercing and is looking to reduce the size of their piercing.
Dydoes	Male genital piercing. Piercing done on circumcised men by placing small Barbells along the crown of the Glans Penis. this piercing is used for sexual enhancement but has a high risk of Rejection. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
E
Earlet	See Flesh Tunnel.
Ear Lobe	Ear piercing. One of the most commonly accepted piercing, this Soft Tissue piercing goes through the fleshy, lowermost part of the ear. It has historically been pierced with needle and thread into a raw potato, paper clips (ouch!), piercing jewelry, Piercing Guns at the mall and professionally with a Piercing Needle. This is the only body piercing that can be done safely with the use of a Piercing Guns. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Ear Project	Ear cartilage piercing. Any piercing that requires specialized jewelry or multiple entry holes. An Industrial, a long Barbell along the top edge of the Helix, is such example. They are a tricky piercing that require the jewelry to be long enough and aligned properly to avoid damage to the Cartilage. It should not be done by an inexperienced piercer as alignment is critical. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Exam Gloves	Thin, pliable gloves used by the piercer to protect and control the spread of bacteria. Clean gloves must be used at all times during a piercing proceedure and removed any time the piercer needs to handle something outside the piercing area..
Eyebrow	Facial piercing. A common facial piercing done with either a small Captive Bead Ring or Barbell. Typically placed toward the end of the eyebrow just above the corner of the eye. A ring will loop around the brow while a bar will go behind the brow.
F
Forcept	An instrument used for grabbing and holding skin tissue in place during the piercing proceedure. Forcepts resemble a pair of tongs and should be taken from a sealed Sterilization Pouch in front of you.
Flesh Tunnel	Body jewelry type. Jewelry used to show off extreme sizes in ear lobes.
Frenum	Male genital piercing. While a Frenum is the name for skin tissue that holds an organ in place, such as the webbing under your tongue, a frenum piercing is one done to the underside of a man's penis. Done in the soft tissue just behind the Glans Penis, this piercing is used for sexual stimulation. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Frenum Ladder	Male genital piercing. Also called a Jaccob's Ladder. This is nothing more than a series of two, three or four Barbells placed in a row down the shaft of a man's penis. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Frenulum	Oral piercing. This piercing is placed into the webbing under the tongue. This piercing is usually done with a very small Captive Bead Ring or a very small Circular Barbell.
G
Gauge	Term used to refer to "size" or diameter of the wire used in the manufacture of body jewelry. Body jewelry is typically anywhere between 18 gauge and 00 gauge. The larger the number, the smaller the diameter of the wire. 14 gauge is a standard size for most common piercing.
Gauge Wheel	An instrument used to measure the thickness of body jewelry wire.
Glans Penis	The spongy tissue at the head of a man's penis.
Guiche	Male genital piercing. This unusual piercing is done at a section of skin found between the scrotum and the anus. A heavier gauge ring is used and some men claim that the weight of the ring (or weights attached to it) adds an exciting sensation during sex. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
H
Hafada	Male genital piercing. A piercing of the scrotum sack towards the base of the penis usually done in pairs. It is intended to increase sexual sensation for the man. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Helix	Ear cartilage piercing. Commonly called a Cartilage Piercing it is typically done anywhere along the outer rim of skin and cartilage of the outer ear. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Hypoallergenic	Term used to indicate something that is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. A common allergic reaction with piercing is a reaction to certain metals or metal compounds such as nickle. Metals used for body piercing should be highly inert, meaning they should not react to chemicals, and oxide-resistant, meaning they should not corrode from fluids.
I
Industrial	See Ear Project.
Insertion Taper	A blunted piece of metal that gradually increases in size from a point to the desired gauge size. It is often used to reinsert jewelry into piercing that have closed or to stretch an existing piercing up to the next gauge.
Inverted Navel	Torso piercing. A Navel piercing centered on the lower rim of the belly button rather than the at the top. This is not a common piercing as the selection of jewelry is very limited.
J
Jaccobs Ladder	See Frenum Ladder.
K
Keloid	Hard fibrous scar tissue that builds up around the opening of a piercing as the body tries to repair itself.

L
Labia	Female genital piercing. Done either on the inner or outer labia, these piercing are historically connected to chastity practices. Today these piercing are for the enhancement of sexual pleasure. While the Outer Labia offers pleasure during sex play, the Inner Labia can be more intimate. Placement of the jewelry should be done with care to avoid discomfort to the wearer while sitting. Captive Bead Rings or Barbells can be used. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Labret	Facial piercing. This popular piercing is done centered under the lip in the ridge just above the chin. A special stud is used that has a flat surface on the inside to minimize discomfort to the wearer. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Labret Stud	Body jewelry type. A special stud Barbell used for Labret Piercing that has a flat surface on the inside to minimize discomfort to the wearer.
Length	The measurement in inches of certain types of body jewelry such as Barbells, Curved Barbells and Labret Studs.
Lip	Facial piercing. Unlike a Labret Piercing, Lip Piercing are done closer to the lip and utilizes a Captive Bead Ring to encircle the lip. A simetrical piercing with a ring evenly spaced on either side of the lower lip is refered to as a Snake Bite. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Lorum	Male genital piercing. Similar to the Frenum but done more towards the base of the penis rather than the towards the end. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
M
Madison	Surface piercing. This particular piercing is both unique and daring. It is placed at the base of the neck, centered between and just above the collar bones. A word of caution though; many Surface Piercing tend to grow out rather quickly, so care should be taken to ensure against Rejection and avoid an ugly scar. -- See Common Torso Piercing for more details.
Migration	Outward pressure against jewelry by the body can cause the jewelry to be pushed through the skin, causing the jewelry to 'travel'. At best, the body will find a 'comfortable' location as the jewelry Nests itself into the body. At worst, the body will Reject the jewelry, causing it to push through the skin.
Monroe	See Beauty Mark
N
Navel	Torso piercing. This very popular piercing is placed centered above the belly button. Unfortunately due to the location this piercing can be very tricky and has a higher rate of infection and/or rejection. Getting this piercing requires greater care during healing. -- See Common Torso Piercing for more details.
Nesting	The period during healing where the body adjusts to having a piece of jewelry in it. Jewelry may Migrate some small distance during this time.
Niobium	Another body safe metal used for jewelry. Niobium is often anodized to give the metal a wide range of colors.
Nipples	Torso piercing. The most common method of piercing the nipple is horizontally with either a Barbell or a Captive Bead Ring although a vertical Barbell can be done on its own or as a second piercing behind a horizontal one. Typically men are pierced with a Captive Bead Ring and women with a Barbell for comfort, although either can be used. This popular piercing is often done to enhance sensitivity to the nipples of both men and women. The down side is that it is a sensitive area to heal and healing time takes a while. -- See Common Torso Piercing for more details.
Nostril	Facial piercing. Usually done with a Nostril Screw,a nose piercing can also be done with a very small Captive Bead Ring. Once healed, a specialized stud called a Nostril Bone can be inserted, although the placement for a ring is slightly different than that for a stud. Due to the large amount of capillaries, nostril piercing can often bleed a lot. Aftercare is critical to avoid infection as the blood supply going to the nose is shared by the brain. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Nostril Bone	Body jewelry type. A small, thin bar with a decorative ball on the outside and a smaller ball on the inside used to keep the jewelry from falling out.
Nostril Screw	Body jewelry type. A specialized jewelry used for Nostril Piercing where the post ends in a small spiral on the inside used to keep the jewelry from falling out.
P
Piercing Gun	A device designed to pierce a person's ear lobe with a piercing stud. Piercing guns should never be used on anything other than ear lobes.
Piercing Needle	A small, sharp, beveled metal tube used to remove a portion of tissue in order to accomodate Body Jewelry.
Play Piercing	Term used for temporary piercing done primarily for the sensation one gets from being pierced. Play piercing use thinner and longer needles than commonly used for body piercing and are often removed within a short period of time.
Plug	Body jewelry type. A solid, cylindrical piece of jewelry that is flared on the ends or contains gromets or 'O' rings to keep it in place. Plugs are made from just about any material including metal, plastic, bone and wood. Larger plugs can often enhance the 'tribal' look.
Prince Albert	Male genital piercing. Typically done with a Captive Bead Ring placed through the Urethra and exiting slightly behind the Glans Penis on the underside of the penis. Special 'PA' jewelry or a Curved Barbell can also be used. This piercing is used to increase sexual pleasure for both the wearer and his partner. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
Pubic	Male genital piercing. A piercing centered at the base of the man's penis. Typically done with a Captive Bead Ring positioned so that it stimulates the female during intercourse. -- See Common Male Genital Piercing for more details.
R
Receiving Tube	A small metal cylinder used to "receive" a piercing needle to prevent an accidental puncture. Typically used for nostril piercing and certain ear and genital piercing.
Rejection	The body has a tendency to want to get rid of foreign objects. This includes body jewelry. Piercing stays by tricking the body into accepting the jewelry. If the body is not succesfully tricked, the jewelry will be pushed out by the body, often resulting in an unfavorable scar.
Retainer	Body jewelry type. Any number of low-profile jewelry designed specifically to be inserted into a piercing in place of regular jewelry in order to minimize the appearance or to prevent a piercing from closing.
Rook	Ear cartilage piercing. Usually pierced with a small Captive Bead Ring, this piercing is tricky to do as it sits closer to the ear canal and is tough to get to. The cartilage also tends to be thicker at this point making at bit more painful than a Helix. The jewelry penetrates the top inner ridge of Cartilage above the Daith. It is also dependant on your ear's anatomy; the ridge of Cartilage has to be deep enough to accept the jewelry. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
S
Scrumper	Oral piercing. A piercing of the upper or lower lip frenum. An upper one is often refered to as a 'Smilley'.
Scrunty	Female genital piercing. A unique piercing done to the inner fold of skin above the vaginal opening. Individual anatomy will determine if this piercing can be done. This piercing is used to enhance sexual pleasure. Placement of the jewelry should be done with care to avoid discomfort to the wearer while sitting. Captive Bead Rings or Barbells can be used. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Sea Salt	A natural, non-iodized crystal salt used to help sooth and clean irritated skin tissue around a piercing.
Septum	Facial piercing. The thin portion of skin dividing the left and right nostrils. Any number of jewelry styles can be used for this piercing, from Captive Bead Rings to Tusks and Plugs. Aftercare is critical to avoid infection as the blood supply going to the nose is shared by the brain. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Snake Bite	Facial piercing. A double Lip piercing done symetrically on the lower lip with one Captive Bead Ring on each side of the lip.
Soft Tissue Piercing	Piercing done through a section of fleshy skin tissue such as ear lobe, tongue or nipple. The jewelry appears to "hang from" or "go through" the skin.
Spike	Body jewelry type. A tappered piece of jewelry used primarily to stretch Ear Lobes, Labrets and a few other types of Soft Tissue piercing. Spikes can be either straight or curved.
Stainless Steel	For body jewelry, the most common type of stainless steel is 316-L body grade surgical stainless steel. This pure grade stainless steel has a hard, scratch-resistant surface that does not tarnish easily.
Sterilization Pouch	A specilized paper envelope used to sterilize instruments and body jewelry. Most pouches have some sort of indicator that changes color showing that the pouch has properly gone through the sterilization cycle.
Stretching	The widening of pierced holes through the insertion of larger gauged jewelry. The expansion of pierced holes is done for aesthetic purposes and allows you to show off unique and elaborate jewelry.
Suitcase	Female genital piercing. Another unique piercing done on the lowermost end of the vaginal opening. While it can be done with a Captive Bead Ring most women find it more comfortable with a Bent Barbell. Placement of the jewelry should be done with care to avoid discomfort to the wearer while sitting. This piercing is designed to enhance sexual pleasure. -- See Common Female Genital Piercing for more details.
Surface Piercing	Piercing done where both ends of the jewelry penetrate the same layer of skin. This gives the impression that the jewelry is sitting atop the skin instead of through it. Surface piercing have a high rate of Rejection.
T
Titanium	Another body safe metal used for jewelry. Titanium is higher quality than Stainless Steel and therefore carries an higher purchase cost.
Tongue	Oral piercing. A muscular organ, the tongue can be pierced anywhere along the center so long as the frenum allows it. When pierced the tongue swells significantly requiring a longer Barbell initially. As a rule, men get the barbell slightly more forward than women as this piercing is primarily for oral pleasure. -- See Common Facial Piercing for more details.
Tragus	Ear cartilage piercing. This is the small flap of Cartilage just at the opening of the ear canal. A popular piercing, the tragus looks best with a small Captive Bead Ring. Due to the location and relatively small size of the jewelry, this piercing can be an uncomfortable process. Like the helix, this piercing should never be done with a Piercing Gun. -- See Common Ear Piercing for more details.
Tusk	Body jewelry type. Made from plastic, wood or bone, a tusk is usually jewelry that tapers down to points. Either straight or bent, they are normaly used for a Septum piercing, though smaller ones can be used in Ear Lobes.
U
Urethra	The channel that carries urine out of the body.
V
Venoms	Oral piercing. A double piercing of the Tongue done towards the tip on either side. Care must be taken to avoid piercing through either of the arteries on the underside of the Tongue.

Glossary of Piercing Terms

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