Body piercing has been a popular method of self-expression since ancient times. Roman centurions wore nipple rings to show their virility and courage, Amazonian warriors put heavy metal rings through their noses to intimidate their enemies and ancient Egyptian royals had naval piercings to prove their high status in society.

Today, although still associated with tribal people such as the Masai warriors of East Africa, body piercing has become a popular fashion in western society, made widespread in Britain by punk culture in the mid 1970s. Piercing the ears, nose, navel, tongue, and other parts of the body has now become commonplace, particularly among teenagers and young adults.

Ear piercing is the most common form of body piercing. A hole is pierced through the fatty tissue of the earlobe and an earring is inserted. Ear piercing is normally performed using a specially designed gun. Piercing with a gun should only be carried out on the earlobes, and not on any other part of the ear, or rest of the body. More...

All other types of piercing must be carried out using a hollow needle, which is pushed through the skin and tissue of the body part being pierced. This ensures there are clear entrance and exit holes. A piece of jewellery, usually a decorative bar or ring, is then pushed through the hole. More...

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted into the skin's top layer. The process, which may last up to several hours for a large tattoo, causes a small amount of bleeding and minor to potentially significant pain.

A tattoo may take only a few hours to acquire, but give it plenty of thought first. If you protect yourself from possible risks, you're less likely to to regret it later.