6 Timeless Piercings

Piercings have been around for centuries and the practice go back to the oldest human mummy. Piercings have become common in our society and culture, they are a form of self-expression and art. Around 5,000 years ago a mummified person was discovered with pierced ears. Scientist measured his ears to be stretched to about 7-11 mm in diameter. Then, around 2,000 years later King Tut’s body displayed evidence of wearing earrings. This has become a trait throughout history and a practice that was performed throughout time and cultures. Piercings were done for both decorative purposes and cultural purposes. These are the six most timeless piercings, the piercings that will always be classic.

Pierced Ear Lobes

The ear lobe piercing is the most common piercing in the world, it is one of the oldest forms of body modification. Earlobe piercings are done horizontally through the lobe of the ear and take around 6-8 weeks to heal. They have a very diverse jewelry selection and they need to have jewelry in them for the first year, to prevent them from closing. These can be pierced with a straight “stud” or barbell or a circular barbell (with a captive bead).

Eyebrow Piercing

The eyebrow piercing has been around for decades. This piercing is a vertical surface piercing, it is inserted through the bottom of the eyebrow and exits through the top. The most common type of jewelry used in this piercing is a curved barbell. It can be done with a circular barbell, but it is more customizable with a curved barbell.

Nose Piercing

The nose piercing has been around for thousands of years and it is a piercing that is quite popular in today’s culture. The nose is pierced with a hollow needle and is followed by a stud or ring. There are a number of different style nose rings or “studs” but the safest ones for healing are internally threaded or “push in” pieces. These keep the stud in place and limits the ability for it to fall out of get caught on something. The nose piercing is usually performed close to the crease of the nose on the nostril area. There are thousands of jewelry options for this piercing and can be creatively paired with other nostril and septum piercings for a full project.

 

Vertical Labret

The vertical labret piercing has been a popular piercing for both women and men throughout the centuries. The labret piercing is done vertically through the bottom of the lip. This can be done with a barbell or a curved barbell, it is one of the more popular lip piercings. This type of piercing has been documented as far back as 3,000 years ago in a tribal atmosphere.

 

Navel Piercing

The navel piercing is pierced vertically through the skin above/through the navel. It is pierced with a hollow needle and it is followed with a curved barbell or a circular barbell. Traditionally the navel piercing has one small “ball” on the top piece that sits on the skin above the navel and a larger fixed “ball” or bezeled end that sits inside the belly button. This is a piercing that can be hidden easily and is very cultural.

 

Cartilage Piercing

A single cartilage piercing up toward the anti-helix will always be a beautiful and timeless piercing. This is done vertically with a hollow needle, and it is followed by a stud or a circular barbell. Cartilage piercings go straight through the ear and they take a little longer to heal. This type of piercing can be extremely ornate and detailed (paired with other piercings bigger jewelry) or it can be simple and dainty.