Glossary
anti-eyebrow piercing: A piercing through the skin beneath the eye opposite the eyebrow
anti-tragus piercing: A piercing through the cartilage of the ear opposite the tragus, the small flap of cartilage closest to your face)
APP: Association Of Professional Piercers is a nonprofit organization that distributes health and safety information associated with body piercing to the general public.
argyria: A skin discoloration caused by the absorption of metal into the skin from piercing jewelry
aspiration: When an object becomes lodged in your lung on inhalation. This can happen if your oral piercing jewelry comes loose and you inhale at the wrong moment. Be sure that you check the tightness of your mouth jewelry once or twice a day.
autoclave: A device used to sterilize equipment used in piercing. If your piercing studio doesn’t have one, find another place to get pierced.
bananabell: A curved barbell that is especially well suited as navel jewelry
barbell: A piece of body jewelry that has a shaft with a ball on each end
belly button piercing: A piercing through the top flap of skin around a navel
belly button ring: A piece of jewelry worn in the navel. Typically a curved barbell and 14 gauge.
blowout: When the skin of a piercing builds up during healing, causing it to push out at the other side of the piercing
body jewelry pliers: Two types of pliers designed to open and close a captive bead ring without damaging your body piercing or body jewelry.
bridge piercing: A piercing that passes horizontally through the bridge of the nose.
bull ring: A circular barbell that is shaped like a U with a ball at each end. It is typically used with a septum piercing.
bump: “The Bump” A small red or white bump next to one of the holes of a body piercing. Typically nostril and nipple piercings.
caliper: tool that measures the diameter of a ring such as a captive bead ring.
captive bead ring: A circle with a bead to connect the ring together. Also known as “captured bead ring”.
cartilage: A tough connective tissue in the body that is found in the ear and the nose, among other places in the body
cartilage piercing: This piercing takes place on the cartilage of the ear the area of the ear other than the traditional ear lobe piercing. Typical cartilage piercings include tragus, anti-tragus, rook, conch, industrial and helix.
celluilitis: A systemic infection that is characterized by redness and sensitivity at the site where it starts, such as the piercing site. Cellulitis can spread very quickly and be difficult to heal properly.
cheek piercing: Usually placed in the cheek where a dimple
chin stud: A labret – a straight shaft with a flat disc on the end meant to be inside the mouth and a ball on the outside
chondritis: Bacterial infection of the cartilage
circular barbell: A bull ring – a semi-circular piece of jewelry that does not close completely and has a ball at either end
clamp: Used to hold skin taut and support it during a piercing
clavicle piercing: A piercing that runs beneath the collarbone
cleavage piercing: This piercing is a surface piercing placed in the center of the chest either vertically or horizontally.
conch: A piercing at the inner cartilage of the ear
curved barbell: A curved barbell is a slightly bent shaft with a ball at each end. Also called a banana bell
daith piercing: A body piercing that is placed in the cartilage part of the ear that protrudes out of your inner conch.
dangles: A curved barbell that holds hanging ornaments like beads or gems or fine chains.
dental acrylic body jewelry: also known as acrylic body jewelry and uv body jewelry, it is made with an acrylic used in dental work to help avoid wear on your teeth
dermal punch: This is a piercing tool that removes a round area of skin
ear lobe transverse piercing: This piercing is placed along the length of the ear lobe (right angle to traditional ear lobe piercings)
ear tragus piercing: This piercing is placed on the small flap of cartilage most forward of the ear, near the cheek bone.
earl: A horizontal facial piercing on the bridge of the nose
earlobe: The soft lower part of the ear that does not contain any cartilage.
expander: A long, cylindrical piece of body jewelry that is larger on one end and is used to stretch a hole for larger gauge jewelry
externally threaded body jewelry: The threading – the ridges that you screw the ball onto – are located on the outside of the shaft. Most piercers prefer internal threading for oral or facial jewelry because the smooth shaft is less likely to injure tissues.
eyebrow piercing: A piercing placed along the eyebrow at a right angle to the brow.
eyelet: An eyelet is a hollow cylinder that is usually placed in large gauge or stretched ear piercings.
Fimo clay: A manmade oil-based clay used in making the balls of body jewelry.
frenum: A band of tissue that connects one part of an organ to another such as the web under the tongue that attaches it to the floor of your mouth.
frowny: This piercing is opposite the smiley and is placed inside the frenum of the lower lip.
gauge: The measurement of body jewelry relating to the shafts thickness.
glass: Variously colored, hard, brittle, and transparent element.
gold: Easily molded rare metal that won’t tarnish. Typically mixed with alloys to produce colors and durability. Gold used in body piercing should be at least 18 karat
helix piercing: The folded rim of skin and cartilage around most of the outer ear
industrial piercing: A piercing between two sections of cartilage around the outer ear rim that is designed to hold one piece of jewelry through two or more holes.
inner conch piercing: This piercing is placed in the cartilage, at the inner area of the ear.
innie piercing: another term for a navel piercing
internal diameter: The measurement of body jewelry which is the distance from one ball to the other or in the case of a captive bead ring the circles diameter.
internally threaded body jewelry: Body jewelry that has threading inside the shaft to protect skin and tissue from damage from the edges of the threading
jungle piercing: A vertical piercing that enters the septum and exits through the underside center of the nose in between the nostrils. It is necessary to already have a pierced and stretched septum in order to do this type of piercing.
keloid scarring: An excessive buildup of scar tissue around a wound.
labret: A piece of body jewelry that has a straight shaft with a flat disc on one end and a ball on the other typical used for a chin piercing or other piercings with the end inside the mouth
lip piercing: A piercing through the upper or lower lip
madonna: Also called a Crawford or a Monroe piercing, placed just above the upper lip to one side or the other
medusa: This facial piercing is placed in the middle and above the upper lip, below the nose.
migration: Rejection of your body jewelry by your body. The jewelry is pushed outward as skin heals behind it.
nape: A nape is a surface piercing on the back of the neck, known as the nap of the neck.
nasal tip piercing: A piercing at the tip of the nose
nasallang: A industrial piercing for the nose. It starts outside one nostril, goes through the septum and exits through the outside of the other nostril.
navel: The indentation in the middle of the stomach or abdomen.
navel drop: A type of navel jewelry that has beads, chains or other ornaments dangling from one end of a curved barbell
nickel: A metal that is often combined with stainless steel to strengthen and prevent corrosion. There should be very little nickel in body jewelry because of the chance of allergic reactions.
niobium: Shiny soft and bendable element used to make colored body jewelry.
nipple piercing: A piercing through the areola of the nipple
nose bridge piercing: Piercing through the skin at the bridge of the nose
nostril piercing: A piercing at the outer edge of the nostril
oral body piercing: Any piercing that goes into the mouth, including cheek, lip, labret, chin, Monroe and others that pierce into the mouth.
outer conch piercing: A piercing between the outer edge of the cartilage around the ear and the inner area of the ear
picture ball: A piece of body jewelry that contains a picture inside one of the ball ends of a barbell
piercing gun: A device that is used to puncture body jewelry through the skin of the ear lobe. A piercing gun should never be used on any other part of the body than the ear lobe.
piercing needle: A hollow needle designed to pierce an oval hole through skin for the placement of body jewelry.
professional piercer: Professional piercers have either apprenticed or taught themselves appropriate care and techniques to safely and hygienically pierce parts of the body. A member of the Association of Professional Piercers
ptfe: Polytetrafluoroethylene is more familiarly known as Teflon. It is used to make flexible, non-stick body jewelry that is especially recommended as a replacement for metal jewelry during pregnancy
rejection: Your body may reject the your piercing by forcing the body jewelry out through your skin.
retainer: A piece of body jewelry that is usually made of clear acrylic. It’s designed to keep your body piercing open without calling attention to it.
rook piercing: A piercing through the upper part of the inner conch of the ear
septum: The inside bottom part of your nose that separates your nostrils from each other.
smiley: This piercing passes through the fold of skin located in the middle of the upper gum inside of the upper lip.
snug piercing: A piercing that passes from the inner conch of the ear to the outer conch
spirals: Spirals are body jewelry that are typically used in belly button piercings
stainless steel, lvm 316, surgical stainless steel, surgical steel: A metal that contains at least 8% nickel to make it corrosion free and hypoallergenic
straight barbell: A straight shaft with a ball on each end used in body piercings
surface bar: A surface bar looks like the shape of a staple with two screw on ends and is made to fit its anatomical placement.
surface piercing: A piercing that is placed almost anywhere on the body through a flat area of skin .
thrush: also called candidaisis, a yeast infection of the mouth or oral cavity
titanium: A metallic element that is stronger and lighter than steel and is often used to make body jewelry
tongue piercing: This piercing is typically placed towards the front and center of the tongue.
tongue rim piercing: This type of piercing is placed on the outer edges of the tongue.
tragus piercing: A piercing through the tragus, the flap of cartilage at the part of your ear closest to your face and cheekbone
tunnel: A hollow piece of jewelry similar to an eyelet.
ultra violet body jewelry: UV body jewelry is a strong transparent light weight, heat and cold resistant plastic used especially in oral body piercings.
