Technically speaking body jewellery can be a term referred to jewellery worn on any part of the body like earrings,
rings, necklaces,
bracelets. But this term, body jewellery is commonly referred to body piercings.
Body jewellery, better known as piercings, is considered to be a fad created by the younger generations. But it is far from the truth. It cant be denied that it is made popular by people with bold or experimental taste when it comes to jewellery. But it has been into existence since several decades.
Body jewellery has a lot of interesting histories attached to them. They have always been regarded as an important aspect of any culture or religion. In earlier times, many tribes in North America, Asia, Rome, Greece and Africa used body jewellery to exemplify beauty, power or status. For example, Egyptians used piercings to reflect beauty and their status. Piercing was commonly done in ears, neck, nose, lips, or tongue.
But just like many other old styles that come back in fashion every now and then, body piercing jewellery have also made a comeback and are in vogue. Besides ears, other body parts that are desired for piercing are nose, eyebrow, nipple, ear lobes and naval. This type of jewellery is equally popular amongst men and women, if not more.
There are wide varieties of materials used to make body jewellery. Some substances like metals, glass, plastics and organic materials are commonly used. But each raw material has its own set of properties that may or may not be harmful to be inserted in the body. So it always safe to educate yourself about the various materials used to make this jewellery as health is always above fashion.
Out of all the raw materials, metals are the most favoured ones. You will see sterling silver, gold, surgical stainless steel, niobium and titanium being commonly used for piercings. But as mentioned earlier, metals of certain properties that can cause skin reaction or allergies in some people. Thus few metals are apt for just short-term use whereas few metals are perfect for a long-term wear.
Sterling silver is appropriate for a short-term use. As it is an alloy, the presence of other metals besides pure silver can lead to allergic skin reaction in some. People with extremely sensitive skin should be careful while getting a silver piercing. On the other hand, titanium is considered to be the safest metal to be used as body jewellery. It is the hardest metal with the highest grade and it is almost devoid of nickel. This solid material can easily bear the regular wear and tear without getting disfigured or any scratch. Though titanium is the most expensive metal used to create body jewellery, it is still worth every penny for someone who is hyper-sensitive to other nickel containing metals.
There are certain things that you need to be careful about in body jewellery. Get the piercing done from a certified and hygienic place only. Dont get lured by cheap offers because if necessary precautions are not taken while inserting the jewellery then it can lead to severe infection. With little precautions, body jewellery can transform your body into a piece of art.
