Piercings at JHS
April 12, 2022
Piercings are a common accessory worn by people of all ages, including many students at JHS. Students’ piercings can vary from navel piercings to eyebrow piercings and everything in between. The most common piercing seen at the high school is lobe piercings, with septum piercings coming in a close second.
“I have 3 lobe piercings on each side, a cartilage on each side, a rook, a daith, and my belly button pierced,” said Brooklyn Haller ‘23. Haller is not the only student at JHS who has those kinds of piercings. “I have my septum pierced, I have my singles, doubles, and triples, and cartilage and snug piercings on my left ear,” said Sydney Pille ‘22.
There are many reasons why one would choose to get a piercing. According to Psychologized.org, women tend to get piercings and tattoos to decorate their bodies as a form of self-expression. Women are also more likely to get piercings than men are, though men still get them. “We went to this tattoo place called Sacred Skin. It’s closed now, but we walked in and everyone was covered in tattoos and big gages,” Pille said. “Honestly, I fell in love with the environment. I still feel very at home in places like that where people have a bunch of body modifications because you can tell that they are a creative spirit.” Others tend to get piercings due to tradition, pop culture, and just for the aesthetic.
“I love my piercings,” Haller said. “I think they make me a little more original”. “There’s never been a piercing that I’ve hated,” said Ace Russell ‘23. “My favorite piercing is my septum because I feel it fits my aesthetic.”
Although piercings are a fun way to express yourself, there are some precautions you should take before getting one. According to Healthychildren.org, some complications you may face with a piercing are infections, allergic reactions, tearing, dental issues (depending on the piercing), bloodstream infections, as well as swelling. “Sometimes, if a piercing is new, and you get tapped, they’ll just start bleeding,” said Haller. “Eating and speaking was challenging with the lip piercings and my tongue piercing,” Russell said. “When I first got my snakebites done, they got swollen and they bruised on the inside of my mouth.”
Another reason why people may not want to get a piercing is because of the pain. “On a scale of one to ten, I’d say most of my piercings were about a seven, maybe even a six and a half,” Russell said. “The singles to triples didn’t hurt too bad, those were probably a three or four out of ten,” said Pille. “My cartilage was probably two or three, and I barely felt my septum”. According to Authoritytattoo.com, the most painful piercings one can get are a daith, helix, rook, conch, industrial, dermal anchor, and septum.
The cost of a piercing is also a big determining factor. Costhelper.com shares that most piercings are anywhere between $20-$55, depending on what type of piercing. “I don’t think my piercings were any more than fifty dollars,” Haller said. “On average, my piercings cost about forty dollars,” said Russell.
Aftercare for a piercing takes a lot of dedication as well. According to Mayoclinic.org, you should clean your piercing whether it is a skin piercing or an oral piercing. Mayo Clinic also suggests avoiding swimming after getting your piercing, not messing with your piercing, and keeping your piercing in place. “It’s hard to remember to clean your piercing sometimes, especially at night,” Pille said.
Despite all the challenges that can be faced with a piercing, many people still opt to get them, and many students at JHS still want more. “I really want a micro dermal piercing,” Russell said. “I really want to get my nose pierced,” said Haller.
So, if you are thinking about getting a piercing, listen to Insider.com’s advice by eating something before you get your piercing, have a professional do it, ask questions beforehand, clean and exfoliate the area you plan to get pierced, know what you are allergic to, and be sure your piercing is not made from any material you are allergic to. Although piercings are a creative way to express yourself, taking care of them is vital to avoid infections, swelling, or scarring.
