During my teenage years, I had this fascination with tattoos and piercings, piercings especially. I guess this admiration springed from the onset of puberty. You know the way teenagers can get, the raging hormones and all. But the kind of home I come from doesn't permit such "adventures". I'm very sure that by now I would have had about 10 piercings. (I have just 4)

It's very normal to have objects of fancy and admiration. But do we have to do things because they seem cool or stylish? You might want to make a statement by the way you adorn your body with different objects but then, you should know what it entails before heading into it. As beautiful as they look, most times they come with a lot of hidden dangers. So let's look at a brief history of tattoos and body piercings and their downsides. *History teacher mode activated*

The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word "tatu" which means "to mark something". It is arguably claimed that tattooing has existed since 12,000 BC. The purpose of tattooing varies from culture to culture. In recorded history, the earliest tattoos can be found in Egypt during the time of the construction of the great pyramids. When the Egyptians expanded their empire, the art of tattooing spread as well. Tattoos have always had an important role in ritual and tradition. Throughout history, tattoos have signified membership in a clan or society. It has been believed that the wearer of an image calls the spirit of that image. The ferocity of a tiger would belong to a tattooed person. That tradition holds true today shown by the proliferation of images of snakes, tigers and birds of prey.(scary) Now, let's examine the history of body piercings.

Piercings may have only become widely popular in mainstream culture in recent years, but the practice is far from new. Piercings date back to Biblical times and earlier. They are different types of body piercings which include, nose, earlobe, tongue, lip labret, navel, nipple piercings and some others which I choose not to mention.*side eyes*

The history of nose piercing dates back to ancient times; it was first recorded in the Middle East aproximately 4,000 years ago. It's also mentioned in The Bible in Genesis 24:22, where it's recorded that Abraham asked his oldest servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant found Rebekah, and one of the gifts he gave her was a "golden earring". The original Hebrew word used was Shanf, which translates to "nose ring".

The practice of nose piercing is still followed among the nomadic Berber and Beja tribes of Africa and the Bedouins of the Middle East. The size of the ring gifted denotes a family's wealth. It's given by a husband to his wife when they marry, and it represents financial security for her in the event that she and her husband are divorced.

In the 16th century, nose piercing was bought to India from the Middle East by the Mughal emperors. In India, a stud (called a "Phul") or a ring (i.e. "Nath") is usually worn in the left nostril, although both nostrils are pierced in some areas. The reason the left nostril is more commonly pierced is due to that spot being associated with female reproductive organs in Ayurveda (i.e. Indian medicine); the piercing is supposed to make childbirth easier and lessen period pain. An Indian woman's nose piercing is sometimes joined to her ear by a chain.

In the west, nose piercing first appeared among the hippies who had traveled to India in the Late 1960s. In the 1970s, the practice of nose piercing was adopted by the Punk movement as a symbol of rebellion against conservative values. Conservative people,particularly parents and employers still don't react well to it, so consider any reactions that could negatively affect you or your career carefully before having your nose piercings.

Ears were probably first pierced for magical purposes. Many primitive tribes believe that demons can enter the body through the ear; ear piercing could prevent that from happening, because demons and spirits are supposed to be repelled by metal.(hmmm!) Sailors used to have an ear pierced due to the superstitious belief that doing so would improve their eyesight, keeping them safer at sea. Additionally, if a sailor's body washed up on shore somewhere, a single earring could pay for a Christian burial. To this day, ear piercing is done as a puberty ritual in many societies. In Borneo, a mother and father each pierce one of their child's ears to symbolize the child's dependence on his or her parents. Even in the US and other parts of the world,Nigeria inclusive, it isn't uncommon for parents to pierce their little girls' earlobes.(mine was pierced in the hospital)

Ear piercing isn't just for girls,it's an almost universal practice for men and women alike. It's only in western society that it has been deemed effeminate, although that prejudice has diminished in recent years. At various times in history, great men wore elaborate earrings. For instance, during the Elizabethan era, many famous men such as Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh and Francis Drake wore gold rings in their ears. The practice for men of status to wear earrings goes back even further than that. As the Roman Republic grew more effeminate with wealth and luxury, earrings were more popular among men than women; no less a he-man than Julius Caesar brought back to repute and fashion the use of rings in the ears of men.

Now, we have seen the history of tattoos and piercings.(History class over*takes off glasses*) Let's examine now, the downsides of the two practices.

As the popularity of tattoos continues to grow, so does the concern about potential risks. Some risks, such as the spread of infections through the use of unsterilized needles, have long been known. But what isn't clear is the safety of tattoo inks.
Permanent tattoos are made by using needles to inject colored ink below the skin's surface. Permanent make-up is considered a permanent tattoo that mimics the results of cosmetic products such as an eyebrow pencil, lip liner, eyeliner, or blush.

What Are The Risks Involved In Getting Tattoos?

Infection – Dirty needles can pass infections, like hepatitis and HIV, from one person to another.

Allergies – Allergies to various ink pigments in both permanent and temporary tattoos have been reported and can cause problems.

Scarring – Unwanted scar tissue may form when getting or removing a tattoo.

Granulomas – These small knots or bumps may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigments.

What Are The Risks Involved In Body Piercings?

Infection of the site-Infection of the mouth or lips may cause speech, chewing, or swallowing problems or swelling that can block the throat.
Infection of a nipple can scar the breast tissue and limit the ability to breast-feed later.
The infection may be potentially serious or life-threatening and involve the entire body.

Splitting or tearing of the skin- This may cause the formation of scar tissue.
Problems with the type of jewelry used, including allergies to a metal.Jewelry in the mouth or lips can cause chipping or cracking of the teeth, gum problems, and difficulty chewing or swallowing. Jewelry can also become loose and be swallowed.
Jewelry in the navel can get caught on clothing and linens. It can even be yanked off in a fight (Have you seen this movie, The Roommate?If you have them you'll understand what I'm talking about) This constant irritation can delay healing. Navel piercings can take up to a year to heal completely.

Now you see? If you're thinking about getting a tattoo,especially a permament one,can you give that thought a rethink? Is it worth the risk? Imagine how your skin would look like with the tattoo in your old age. Would I get a tattoo? I don't think so. What about piercings? Errrmmmm....I can try 2 more on my ears*big grin* But, is it necessary? What will I tell my female children when they ask me why I have 6 ear holes and they have 2? Hahaha!! Just a thought. But! But, I still fancy ear piercings though. So my advice? Think before you ink it! And easy with the body piercings.