Celebrities with Body Jewelry

Body piercing has been around since the dawn of time, but it has grown more popular and public over the last few decades. While some fashion historians claim that the popularity of body jewelry has been spurred by celebrities joining in the fun, we contend that the popularity of body jewelry in general and the acceptance of body piercing by mainstream America (and the world) have given celebrities permission to express themselves without fear of being branded undesirable or a rebel. Think we’re wrong? Take a look at which celebs sport body jewelry – and where they’re wearing it.

Body Piercings

Navel piercings are the single most popular piercing outside of ear piercing, and that’s no different among the celebrities. Who do you know that wears a belly ring? How about…

• Alyssa Milano (Charmed)
• Aria Giovanni (model)
• Ayesha Takia (actress)
• Avril Lavigne (singer), who also sports multiple ear piercings
• Beth, a popular Spanish singer from Barcelona, who also sports a lip ring and a nose gem.
• Beyonce, rap artist and singer
• Brittney Spears, pop singing idol sports a belly piercing and multiple ear piercings
• Catherine Bell, co-star of JAG
• Christy Turlington, model, who is said to have started the whole navel ring fad when she strutted her belly jewel on the runway.
• Fiona Apple, singer
• Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls
• Gillian Anderson, actress
• Gwen Stefani
• Heidi Sorenson, Danish singer
• Janet Jackson, singer, has had her tongue, nipple, and belly button pierced
• Hitomi, Japanese singer
• Jenna Elfman, actress
• Jessica Alba, actress, who also has multiple ear piercings
• Keira Knightley, actress
• Keisha Buchanan of the Sugababes has a navel piercing
• Kelly Clarkson, singer and American Idol, has her navel and nose pierced.
• Lara Dutta, Indian model and actress
• Lindsay Lohan, following the trend with navel and multiple ear piercings
• Madonna, with a navel piercing and a nose gem
• Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina fame, has a navel piercing
• Meryl Cassie, actress who has appeared on The Tribe, Xena and other series and movies
• Naomi Campbell, model
• Nicole Richie, model
• Niki Appleton, singer from All Saints
• Ophelia Winter, French actress and singer, also has a nose piercing
• Paris Hilton, model and actress
• Princess Zara, the daughter of the UK’s Princess Anne and granddaughter of Queen
• Elizabeth II, also has a tongue piercing
• Tata Young, singer, along with multiple ear piercings
• Teri Hatcher, actress
• Vanessa Warwick, British actress, also has a nose piercing and a Madonna stud
• Whigfield, Danish singer, who also sports a nose jewel

Note that there’s not a single male celebrity listed with a navel piercing. Apparently, only the ladies are brave enough to sport belly jewelry. Among the guys, the most popular piercing seems to be a nipple piercing. The male celebs that sport ringed nipples include:

• Axl Rose of Guns n’ Roses
• Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction
• Eric West, singer
• Gerry Connelly, comedian
• Jaye Davidson, actor
• Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica
• Lenny Kravitz, singer/musician, also has a nostril piercing
• Tre Cool, drummer of Green Day
• Tommy Lee, Motley Crue’s drummer, has a pierced nipple, several earlobe piercings and a pierced nostril

Facial Piercings

Eyebrows, noses, lips and labrets – facial piercings are also common, especially among singers. Among those that sport facial jewelry are:

• Adina Howard, actress, nose and tongue
• Amy Lee, lead singer of Evanescence, eyebrow
• Anouk, singer, nose
• Christina Steurmer, Austrian actress, lip and eyebrow
• Christina Aguilera, nose, nipple and lip
• Cree Summer, actress, nose
• Crunchy Black, rapper, eyebrow
• Benji Madden, guitarist for Good Charlotte, has several facial piercings
• Billie Joe Armstrong, singer for Green Day, used to have nostril, multiple ear piercings and his tongue pierced
• Davey Havok, singer for AFI, has a lip piercing and large gauge ear piercings
• Flavor Flav, Public Enemy rapper, has a nostril piercing
• Lajon Witherspoon, singer from Sevendust, has a septum piercing
• Tupac Shakur, rapper and actor, had a nose piercing
• Billy Martin, guitarist for guitarist for Good Charlotte, has multiple ear piercing, nostril piercing and lip piercing
• Line Sorenson, Danish actress, labret piercing
• Lisa Bonet, nose piercing
• Lisa Lopes – rapper of TLC, had an eyebrow piercing
• Lorrie Morgan – country singer has a nose piercing
• Mary J Blige – singer, had a nostril piercing
• Mel B – singer of Spice Girls, has a tongue piercing, eyebrow and multiple ear piercings.
• Melanie Chisholm- singer from Spice Girls England has a nose piercing and multiple ear piercings
• Da Brat – rapper, has a nostril piercing
• Diana king- Singer, has multiple ear piercing and a nose piercing
• Dolores O’Riordan – singer – Ireland has multiple ear piercings.
• Easther Bennet- pop/soul singer- England has a nose piercing
• Elisabeth Wurtzley Author USA has a nose piercing.
• Elisabeth Hurley actress and model UK has a nose piercing and multiple ear piercings
• Eva Briegel – singer of German band Juli, has a nose piercing and a lip piercing
• Eve-rapper, had a nose piercing
• Fantasia Barrino-American Idol Winner, has a nose piercing
• Mutya Buena – singer, formerly of the Sugababes, has a tongue piercing, Monroe piercing and a nose piercing
• Mya, singer, nostril
• Paula Cole, singer, nose
• Pink, singer, nipple and nose
• Scarlett Johansson, actress, septum
• Shazney Lewis, British singer, nose and multiple ear
• Sinead O’Conner, singer, nose
• Fergie, singer with the Black Eyed Peas, eyebrow
• Sybil Buck, model, septum, nipple and tongue

Tongue piercing is another of the more popular piercing spots, and there are a handful of celebrities that sport pierced tongues, including:

• The Game, rapper
• Tom Hern (used to at least)
• Alida-Nadine Kurras, German TV host
• Ashley Scott, actress
• Gracia Baur, German singer
• Kate Ryan, singer
• Laura Wilson, actress
• Lenna Kuurama, singer with Vanilla Ninja
• Doreen Steinert, German singer

Choosing a Piercing Professional

According to some sources, navel piercings are the piercing type most often attempted at home, either as a do-it-yourself project, or by a well-meaning friend. Simply put, this is not a good idea. The risk of infection and blood borne diseases rise exponentially when the piercing is done outside a professional piercing studio that follows sterile procedures. In addition, piercing professionals are well-versed in dealing with any emergencies that may arise in the course of the piercing procedure.

Unfortunately, many states don’t require licensing or formal exams for people who perform body piercings. If you’re considering a body piercing, we strongly suggest that you take the time to research the piercing studios in your area rather than choosing one on a whim, or just because a friend recommended it. Your main concern in choosing a reputable piercing professional is cleanliness and safety.

BME magazine, one of the most authoritative if not THE most authoritative sites about piercing on the internet, suggests that you pay an initial visit to the piercing studio BEFORE you intend to have your piercing done. That way, they say, you won’t feel pressured and can take the time to observe the surroundings and procedures. Below is a list of things you should ask about or look for when you make a preliminary visit to the piercing studio.

1. Appearance counts. The shop should be clean and tidy, with counters wiped down and floors and walls swept and washed. The staff should be neat and clean, and the restrooms tidy and clean.
2. According to the Association of Professional Piercers, a good studio will have five separate areas: the counter, the waiting room, piercing rooms, a bathroom and a separate sterilization room.
3. Proper sterilization is key. Do they use an autoclave to sterilize instruments and equipment between uses? Ask to see their spore tests – those are tests run to make sure that the autoclave is working properly. If they don’t have an autoclave or do, but don’t run regular spore tests, find another studio. Your health is too important to risk.
4. Does the studio have a license to operate? Not all states require them, but if your state or city has special codes or licenses for piercing studios, check to be sure that the shop has the necessary licenses. If they haven’t bothered to conform to the law, it’s not likely that they’re following appropriate procedures to do safe, sterile piercings.
5. Ask about the studio’s age requirements. Most studios refuse to perform any body piercing on customers under the age of consent, and many are adamant about not performing particular piercings on those under age eighteen. If a studio seems more interested in making money than in upholding those standards, you may want to find a different piercing palace.
6. Does the shop resterilize used needles? The piercer should, in your presence, open a new, individually packaged needle to be used in your piercing. Do not ever allow a piercer to use a needle on you that has been soaking in liquid, or resterilized.
7. Ask questions. Seriously. Even if you know the answers, you should ask questions of the person who will be doing the piercing and gauge the way that they answer. Ask about experience, how long they’ve been doing this and how they learned.You should get a good sense whether they know their stuff, or whether they have to grope for answers. An experienced piercer will be able to recommend appropriate body jewelry for you, talk to you about aftercare and explain the risks of the procedure without any hesitation.
8. Read the aftercare sheet before you get pierced. A piercing studio should have a standard aftercare sheet. If it mentions using hydrogen peroxide or cleaning your piercing with ointment, you should be concerned that they are not keeping up with industry standards and research.
9. Watch the piercing professional set up for your piercing. He (or she, of course) should wash his hands thoroughly before putting on a new pair of gloves. The equipment should be in sealed, sterile packages placed on a tray. If the piercer touches anything other than you and the sterile equipment after putting on gloves, he should change his gloves. If you have any concerns at all, get up and walk away.
10. If the studio uses a piercing gun, don’t do it. Piercing guns can’t be properly sterilized, and use so much force to drive the stud through skin that they can cause blunt tissue damage. In many states, it’s illegal to use a piercing gun on any part of the body but the earlobe.
11. Do they have a good selection of jewelry? Many piercing studios will not insert jewelry that they do not supply. This is not because they want to make more money, but rather because they can’t be sure of the sterility and quality of jewelry that you buy elsewhere. For that reason, it’s important that they have a good variety of jewelry in order to have the appropriate piece on hand for a piercing. As a rule of thumb, a piercing below the neck should always use 14 gauge jewelry or larger (and since gauges get thinner as the numbers get higher, that means a 12 gauge is okay – an 18 gauge is too thin.) All jewelry should be nickel-free, surgical steel or titanium.
12. Use your instincts. If the place just doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. You don’t want to be the one saying later, “I should have trusted my gut.” Just trust it.