I remember the days when the most people would pierced were their ears. Then, belly button piercings and nose rings became en vogue. Today, piercings are more widely accepted, from eyebrows to ear cartilage and even risqué places below the belt. Piercing meanings have evolved along with these trends.
Piercings are about self-expression, but they’re not devoid of meaning. Quite the contrary! Like any illustrative tattoo or bespoke piece of jewelry, where you choose to pierce your face or body tells people a lot about you. From the rebellious allure of a septum piercing to the sensual mystique of a nipple piercing, body piercings serve as a personal canvas for showcasing your unique identity.
Read on to demystify the meaning behind piercings. You’ll take more pride in your piercings and perhaps decide to add some extra body jewelry after learning about piercing symbolism!
Slay the Game with Earlobe Piercings
Although one of the most traditional types of piercings, that doesn’t make earlobe piercings any less special.
Just check out all the innovative ways people pierce their ears.
Your Ultimate Guide to Earlobe Glam
- Single earlobe piercings: A single earlobe piercing is a safe, conventional spot to get studded. You can dress up your daily looks with fun earrings in one or both ears.
- Double earlobe piercings: Turn heads with a double-pierced earlobe. You can get adjacent piercings at the same height or a second piercing a few inches above the first. Both placements are really cool!
- Triple earlobe piercings: Why stop at two when you can have a third? This piercing goes atop the second, covering all the real estate your earlobe has left. Create an awesome effect by wearing three earrings of gradually increasing sizes.
- Transverse lobe piercings: Turn tradition on its head with a transverse lobe piercing. This barbell goes through the earlobe from one side to the other instead of a traditional front-to-back earring placement.
How Your Earlobes Can Tell Your Unique Story
Some of us were pierced as babies, growing up with holes in our ears that we don’t remember getting. For those who aren’t, we eagerly await our teens to finally get that initial piercing.
It’s a rite of passage, a sign of maturity. Who doesn’t love showing their friends in the classroom or school halls their new ear piercings?
It’s a sure sign of growing up, but a fun one.
Piercing meanings: Rock Your Cartilage Piercing Like a Boss
The lobe remains the most popular ear-piercing spot, but it’s far from your only option. Daring souls who can’t get enough of ear jewelry will continue piercing up to the cartilage.
Decorative ears are such a statement-maker!
Up Your Ear Game: Styles to Die For
How should you branch into the world of ear cartilage piercings? Let’s count the ways.
- Helix piercings: Technically, any cartilage piercing is a helix style because the outer cartilage of your ear is called the helix. This piercing traditionally goes on the upper ear cartilage. A forward helix is pierced nearer the tragus.
- Daith piercings: Are you daring enough for a daith piercing? This unconventional earring goes through a cartilage fold nearest the inner ear by the helix crus. A small stud here will give your ears so much character and charm.
- Conch piercings: The concha is the ear fossa that reaches the external auditory canal. A conch piercing is focused on that part of your ear, either on the lower or upper concha. These stylistic piercings are the most prone to infection, so be careful!
- Tragus piercings: A unique earring placement, if ever there was one, a tragus piercing is opposite the helix. Your tragus is the flesh that goes over the ear opening. This piercing looks epic as all get out but requires nerves of steel since it’s painful to get pierced.
The Deep-Rooted and Chic Meaning Behind Cartilage Piercings
Why do so many brave the pain of a cartilage piercing? You must know what piercings signify. This ear jewelry is a fashionista’s best friend, guiding her through her bravest style moments and adding that je ne sais quoi.
Even if you go against the grain in today’s fashions, you can still consider a cartilage piercing. This bold ear jewelry makes you look so cool that anyone would want to be your friend! Sometimes piercing meanings are as simple as that.
Nose Piercings: Where Spirituality Meets Style
Do you know how to look effortlessly punk-rock? You could wear a disaffected stare and dye your hair a funky color, but nothing drives home your vibe more than a cartilage piercing.
Like you can express yourself with different lobe piercing styles, the same rules apply for nose piercings.
Nostril or Septum? Why Not Both!
Nostril piercings are the lobe earrings of the nose world. That’s not to say there’s a conventionally “safe” nose piercing (regarding public perception, not health), but if there were, the nostril piercing would be it.
You can get one nostril pierced or both, decorating the holes with rings or studs. These piercings are the epitome of punk rock, while a rhino piercing is the cat’s (err, rhino’s) pajamas.
What in the world is a rhino piercing, you ask? It’s a vertical piercing on the top of the nose between the nostrils.
You could also wear a septum piercing between your nostrils. You can get a barbell or more elaborate jewelry to hang out of your nose, decorating your face like the piece of art it is!
From Ancient Traditions to Modern Femininity
Nose piercings look cool, but did you know their roots trace back thousands of years? Understanding piercing meanings requires looking back to the oversized nose rings that started as a trademark of Indian culture.
Ancient South Asian culture was another proponent of pierced noses. Between those times and the 1960s, the nose ring morphed from a cultural symbol to one that punks seized.
Today, nose rings don’t necessarily make you a punk. They’ve also become dainty symbols of femininity.
Piercing meanings: Embrace Your Inner Goddess with Navel Piercings
Let’s move on below the neck to piercing meanings of body modifications like navel piercings. Long regarded as a sexy status symbol, this body piercing doesn’t have to go square on the belly button.
You can also explore an upper or lower navel piercing.
Piercing meanings: Top or Bottom, It’s Your Sexy Choice
A bottom barbell navel piercing goes inside of and below the belly button. It’s recommended for wide navels, but you can choose it just because you think it looks cool.
Just make sure you don’t rock too many high-waisted styles after getting the piercing so it can heal. An upper navel piercing is a more classic style.
You should have a pronounced navel shelf for the piercing to look good, and your navel shouldn’t cave in much when you bend or sit.
If it does, the pressure can make the jewelry painful on your belly. What if you can’t choose or you want it all?
You need a double belly button piercing, stat!
Own Your Sensuality and Confidence, Babe!
Naval piercings are the epitome of amativeness, even more so than genital or nipple piercings; because your belly is out there for everyone to see.
And it will be out there. You’ll want to wear more cropped tops in part to show off your new body jewelry, but also because exposing your belly is more comfortable than covering the piercing with a shirt or high-waisted pants.
Make a Statement with a Tongue Piercing
Sensual and sly, a tongue piercing is a subtler spot for body jewelry that significantly drives up your cool quotient.
Whoever you speak to will have the pleasure of watching your tongue piercing as you talk, laugh, and smile.
Classic or Daring? Your Tongue, Your Rules!
Will you try the sensational snake-eye style or vamp it up with the venom piercing? It’s up to you, but here’s more info to help you choose.
- Snake-eye piercing: Imagine your tongue a ferocious cobra, and you’ve got the gist of this piercing style. Two studs protrude from the tip of the tongue like snake eyes.
- Venom piercing: The name might sound scary, but the results are anything but. A venom piercing goes further back on the tongue. You can get a single or double venom piercing.
Rebel with a Cause: The Boldness of Tongue Piercings
The tongue-out, bull-horns-up symbol that’s become synonymous with rock and metal is so much more effectual with a tongue piercing.
This piercing is somewhat subtle because it’s hidden in everyday scenarios yet is so bold and in-your-face at the same time.
Eyebrow Piercings: Flaunt It If You’ve Got It
Brows will raise when you pass people on the street with your facial jewelry. An eyebrow piercing is like permanent makeup.
It augments your style whether you wear something casual or dress to the nines.
Vertical or Horizontal? Both Are Showstoppers!
The question becomes, which type of brow piercing should you try? A vertical piercing at the edge of your eyebrow is understated yet hypnotic, while a horizontal eyebrow piercing suits the symmetry of your brows naturally yet does anything but blend in.
You do you! You can’t choose wrong, so select the style that matches your personal taste.
Piercing Meanings: A Nod to Subcultures and the Ultimate Fashion Statement
Eyebrow piercings were the perfect expression of disaffection the ‘90s generation wore so well. From punk to grunge and goth, a pierced eyebrow was almost as common as Beanie Babies in stores.
The pierced brow trend has held steady even when many ‘90s relics have faded. Today, it’s beloved as a fashion statement for all.
Lip Piercings: Your Pout, Your Power
Like the right shade of lipstick can accentuate your pucker, so can a lip piercing. Just as you can select from so many fun lipstick shades, you can also play around with lip piercing styles all day to find the one that’s uniquely you.
Piercing Meanings: Labret, Monroe, or Snake Bites, Which One Suits Your Vibe?
So many lip piercings, so little time! Let’s review your options so you can plan your piercing.
- Labret piercing: A labret piercing for the lower lip is a single piercing with a stud. It’s equal parts social media cool and punk rock. Who needs lip gloss when you’ve got a diamond on your lip?
- Monroe piercing: Nicknamed after glam icon Marilyn Monroe, this piercing goes over the lip on the left side. It earned its moniker due to its placement, which is where Marilyn’s famous beauty mark was.
- Snake bite piercing: The snake bite is another style of lower-lip piercing. It goes on the outer corners on both sides to resemble a snake bite. It looks epic with rings or studs, especially double studs!
Be a Trailblazer: Individualism and Lip Piercings
Lip jewelry isn’t a common sight despite its undeniable elegance. Adding a lip piercing to your body jewelry collection is a great way to embrace your individuality.
You’ll also have a new hashtag when you post on social media. #Lippiercing!
Industrial Piercings: The Ultimate Piercing Meanings Edge
Here’s a fun fact! Industrial piercings are only called that in the United States. These through-the-ear piercings are referred to as construction or scaffold piercings in Ireland and the UK, which are apt descriptors.
The dual perforation of the ear cartilage pierces through the helix.
Classic or Custom? Either Way, You’re a Rockstar!
Only the most avid ear jewelry enthusiasts rock scaffold piercings. A classic style will get everyone talking as it is, but a custom piece of jewelry will be a must-have accessory wherever you go.
Just give it time. These one-of-a-kind piercings can take upwards of a year to heal fully.
Piercings are about individualism, preference, and self-expression, with piercing meanings varying depending on the piece of jewelry.
Piercing meanings FAQs
Do Piercings Have Any Meaning?
Piercings have many meanings according to various traditions. Piercing your ears could safeguard you from evil in some cultures. Piercing meanings also include bravery, virility, elitism, and status.
Do Lip Piercings Have Meaning?
Lip piercing meanings go deeper than surface level. In Mali, Dogon people honor their creator by piercing their lips. The Mayans and Aztecs used lip piercings to indicate status, whether the rich or the toughest warriors.