The Prince Albert piercing compromises of the piercing of the male genitalia, from the outside of frenulum through the urethra. The piercer uses a reception tube that they placed into the urethra, which ensures the needle exits at the correct point of the genitalia. There is a nerve bundle running along the center of the frenulum, and most piercers prefer to avoid the bundle, and others do not. Usually, the piercer will center the pierce if the bearer is circumcised, but if he isn’t circumcised, the piercer will approach the side of the frenulum because the skin in the area needs to be able to reposition itself.
Prince Albert piercing is named after Queen Victoria’s consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Allegedly, he wore a ring attached to his genitalia that was then strapped to his thigh in order to maintain a smooth line in the tight trousers worn at that period. There is absolutely no valid way to verify if this practice by the Prince was true. There’s is even a suggestion that it was Queen Victoria’s grandson, Prince Albert Victor who had the genitalia piercing.
Prince Albert’s piercings can be stretched to a 0 to 00 gauge, meaning approximately a 11/32 inch diameter. The piercing generally are pierced at a 10 gauge to 12 gauge and in case of the 12 gauge size piercing, these are usually stretched immediately, or right after only a partial healing. Outside of this stage, the Prince Albert piercing is rarely seen below a 10 gauge. 4 to 6 gauge is the most common stretching point.
The jewelery worn for a Prince Albert piercing is a Prince’s Wand, a curved barbell or a captive bead. The Prince’s Wand is unusual because it consists of a hollow tube with a threaded end cap. The tube is inserted into the urethra and then a stem is inserted through the piercing and into another threaded hole on the side of the tube (kind of like a policeman’s nightstick). The curved barbells are about 3/8 inches in length, making one ball sit on the lower side of the genitalia and the other ball sit at the urethral opening. This is to prevent discomfort that will come from the jewelery moving about during daily wear.
People have been piercing their ears for many decades and while the practice used to be almost exclusively the domain of females, in the 1960s males began to embrace the piercing of one ear. Meanwhile as the decades and social norms progress, many people are piercing other parts of their bodies and are doing so for various reasons. And for individuals who have only ears pierced or no piercings, they frequently wonder why people get body piercings. This is an interesting question and it can be approached from various perspectives and the answer to it can also come from different orientations.
The face and ears are still the most common place to find piercings. Lips, the nose and the tongue follow behind the ears in popularity but are also extremely common. The reason many people choose to get a piercing beyond their ears is almost as various as the personalities that exist under them. It is extremely common to get a piercing to mark an important life event or anniversary of a major achievement or event. In addition, one of the most common reasons for people to choose to get a piercing is for personal aesthetic reasons and as a manner of self-expression. Some of the reasons are similar to those for which a person will get a tattoo.
Sometimes a piercing, particularly a non-conventional though extremely visible one is intended to express an opposition to traditional conservative viewpoints. Political statement oriented reasons may fall into the category of self-expression, though they do not occur as commonly as the others stated. The actual practice of body piercing dates much farther into history than the accepted trend of the 20th century and it has actually been a common and even celebrated occurrence in many cultures throughout history. One of the most important things to keep in mind if you are considering getting a piercing is the importance finding a qualified technician. Safety and professionalism is of the highest priority if even you only plan to have your ears pierced.
Fans of San Francisco restaurant Casa Sanchez can get free meals for life if they get a tattoo of the restaurant’s logo.
A tattoo of the logo (the owner’s younger brother riding a corncob and wearing a sombrero) entitles the bearer to a free meal and drink once a day for life.
A human mummified remain, well over 5,000 years old, is the earliest known body piercing. The mummified remains was a man known as ‘Otzi the Iceman’, he had large plug ear piercings; plugs seem to be the oldest form of body piercing or body modification ever recorded. Egyptians, back around 3150 BC, enjoyed adorning themselves with body piercings, and only the Pharaohs and the royal family were allowed to have certain types of body piercings that would distinguished them among the commoners. The Pharaoh were the only ones allowed to have their navels pierced, if anyone else was caught with a navel piecing, they were put to death.
The Bible also references body piercing; Genesis 24:22, the servant of Abraham gave Rebekah bracelets and nose rings. In Deuteronomy – 15:12, body piercing marks a slave and in Exodus, the golden calf, which was created by Aaron, was forged from the earrings of the Hebrews. In ancient Africa, nose piercing was a common practice among the Beja and Berer tribes, which are the oldest known inhabitants of the Sahara Desert. In the Middle East, the Bedouins, who are the original dwellers of the Sinai Arabian area, denotes their wealth by the size of their nose ring, this nose ring is then given to a future wife as a dowry and can be used as security by the wife if the marriage doesn’t work out. In India, nose piercing became popular when Middle East introduced it as a status symbol worn by the Mogul Emperor. The Maya and Aztec civilizations were known for piercing the tongue during blood rituals. The Kwakiutul, Tlinglit and Haida tribes of Northwest America region, practice tongue piercing in a ritual to create an altered state in which the shaman could communicate with the spirits.
There are as many different styles of body piercings as there are cultures that embrace the practice. Body piercing has been used as a cultural, a symbolic statement of status and beauty or can denote when a person has become an adult, a wife, a slave or a rebel, for as long as humans have been around.
The job of body piercing is not for everyone, but if you’ve decided this form of body art is for you, then you may wish to become certified in body piercing.
A quick online search will provide a number of schools that specialize in piercing, such as the School of Body Piercing in California. You will also want to apprentice with a piercing and tattoo studio. The first step is to talk to as many tattoo artists with experience that you can find. When interviewing with the artist, remember that this is much like applying for a job. Mature behavior and a good appearance will allow you to make the best impression possible.
Take the time, too, to be knowledgeable about the field; discover trends in piercing, specific health information, and learn about the piercing artists who are well known in the field. This demonstrates a desire to be a part of the piercing community, and will increase your chances for being accepted as an apprentice.
Once inside the community, continue to study your field; you’ll also want to become certified in First Aid and CPR; any act that pierces the body requires knowledge of how to best handle safely such issues as blood cleanup, used needles, and medical waste.
There are different schools and course work offered for this practice. In the instance of the School of Body Piercing, they offer a three day course. Others schools may offer a degree. It may not be necessary to become certified in order to obtain a job in a piercing studio, but it won’t hurt to do so. While the certification process may not take long, it’s advisable to take nearly a year to go through the various steps of apprenticeship. Generally, you won’t be allowed to pierce a client for six months; you should be using that time to study the piercing world.
In every state, there are different laws governing body piercing, so it’s best to investigate the most recent regulations. Check with local tattoo shops for information regarding these regulations and learn about any required courses and tests to earn the certification.
Getting a tattoo is not as radical a move as it once seemed, as it has become fairly common for people from all walks of life to get a permanent image in their skin. That’s good news for those who fear the social stigma, but there is still some natural nervousness for those who are getting their first tattoo. Knowing the stages of the process can be enormously helpful in easing any fear or worry, so you can know that it’s all moving along just as it should.
The first steps, or preparations, are very simple. You select a tattoo parlor, or a particular artist, based on their reputation. Usually it’s best to have a good recommendation from a friend, so you can be sure the parlor has a good profile for courtesy and cleanliness. You can have a design selected ahead of time, or go in and look through their albums to find something you’ll want on your body. Next, you’ll fill out some paperwork, which is basically a release form, and decide on the price.
When these preparations are complete, it’s time for the big moment. You’ll be seated in the chair, usually one specially designed for your comfort, but also to allow easy access for the tattoo artist. The spot for the design will be cleaned, and often shaved, so that the artist can work cleanly on a blank canvas. If you know the spot ahead of time, you can do the shaving ahead of time. The artist will certainly appreciate it! Then they’ll start the work. They will transfer the design via thermal fax, and place in on your skin, so that they have a perfect template to work from. The artist will prepare the needles and the colors, so everything is ready and there won’t be any unnecessary pauses in the work. They start by tattooing the outline first, and then get to coloring it in. This can take awhile on larger, elaborate designs, and even with smaller ones it can seem pretty long. Understand, however, that the pain at first will eventually get easier, as you get used to the feeling, and the endorphins in the body kick in.
Last, the artist will clean the area, and place a protective bandage over it, to soak up the minor bleeding, and to insure that the colors stay bright and sharp. They will give you any special instructions on how to take care of it for the first few weeks. Before you leave, and after you pay, make sure to tip. 20% is generally a generous amount for good work.
There is an ongoing trend in the United States that has transcended cultural boundaries and social taboos. And for all of the worried parents out there, you can relax, the trend is in wearing a tattoo. And you might actually have one yourself. They have become extremely popular with people from all demographic backgrounds and considering that a basic design is relatively inexpensive, when put in the perspective that it will last a lifetime, most people can afford to get one. And while the cost of a tattoo is usually manageable, the idea does bring up one of the questions most people have when they are thinking about getting one. How much does a tattoo cost?
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is not so cut and dry. It is possible to get a basic tattoo for around fifty dollars, though they can also climb in price depending on how complicated the design is and also how big it is going to be. Also various estimates for a simple design indicate that a base price is sixty to seventy dollars. It is important to know that the price will quickly escalate into the hundreds when you start to add colors, size and intricate shapes. Other complicating factors include the amount of colors that need to be used and how they will be blended into the design. The cost of the tattoo can also be affected by where on the body they are going to be. There are numerous factors that can actually affect that cost of the same basic tattoo, and it is always recommended that you check with your technician and receive an estimate prior to beginning the work.
Another thing that is recommended when you are ready to begin looking for a place to have your tattoo put on is that you shop around for a specific artist, rather than look at shops. If you plan to have more than one tattoo, or even many, it is a nice feeling to have a solid relationship with a particular artist. However, it is also common to see the work of a particular artist and decide to experiment with a few different ones. Whatever you decide to do, just be sure to have a solid estimate before work begins and be sure of your design before you commit to it.
The most painful place to get a tattoo is the eyeball. Lips and pubic area come in a close second. Other sensitive spots include behind the ear, eyebrows, eyelids, and top of the feet.
The eye ball is usually tattooed in order to add pigmentation to a disfiguring blind eye. In these cases, an anesthetic is used so the patient does not feel any pain. The eyelids are also sensitive, but the artist will usually use a metal clamp to stretch the eyelid and provide a hard surface to press down on.
The lips are a popular place for women to have permanent makeup tattooed. If done correctly, in can give the illusion of plump youthful lips, but this area is extra sensitive because of all the nerve endings present. Similarly, eyebrows can also be painful to have filled in with a tattoo. The pubic area is another area concentrated with nerve endings. These nerves are usually used to send signals of immense pleasure under other circumstances, a tattoo in this area can induce severe pain.
Nerve endings are not the only culprits for pain. The top of the foot and behind the ear tattoos are painful because of the lack of fatty tissue in these areas. The fatty tissue under skin acts as a cushion, without this cushion, a tattoo can be painful. The lower back is a double whammy. This area has a low fat content and high concentration of nerve endings.
There are many myths surrounding tattoos and pain. Some people say they fainted while getting a tattoo. This is probably true, but not due to the pain. Tattoos do bleed, but the loss of blood is relatively insignificant. Aspirin should be avoided as a precaution since it thins the blood and will cause more bleeding. Other painkillers or topical creams can be used if needed, but most tattoos should not cause severe pain.
A teardrop tattoo under the eye does not only represent the number of murders you have committed. The teardrop tattoo under the eye originated in the 1940’s among Latino gang members. This tattoo represented murder, hard time (prison), or the loss of a fellow gang member to violence. The tear drop has since evolved into much more. As a symbol of grief and sadness it represents many things to those who have them. Latino gang members are not the only ones getting this type of tattooing on their faces. Many African American gangsters have also picked up the fad. Generally speaking, it can be said that the tear drop represents a tear that could not be shed because of a hardened heart.
Rapper Lil Wayne has a teardrop tattoo under his left eye (4 on his face all tolled). In interviews he has stated that it does not represent a murder that he has committed, it does however, represent death and loss. He has said that it is for the loss of his father and dead homies. Bird Man, rapper and founder of Cash Money record, has three teardrops below his right eye. There has been some controversy as to the meaning behind them. Rapper Fifty cent is having his lasered off. West coast rapper The Game Gucci Mane has one that signifies his gang affiliation. It is not only gang members who get this tattoo. Lars Frederiksen, of the punk band Fancid, has one under his right eye in memory of his brother who died from an aneurysm.
As one trend turns into another, many young teens are putting themselves in harms way. Older gang members expect to be dealing with a certain type of person when they see the tattoo. They have an expectation of a hardened murderer or criminal who has done time. Police will stereotype them as this way and treat them as such. Tattoos, especially those on the face, are still taboo in today’s society.
We live in a time when tattooing isn’t given a place that’s restricted to one particular gender, or even lifestyle. It seems as though just about anyone from any walk of life might have a tattoo. In the US, in the generation that grew up with the Cold War, tattoos were very much restricted to men, with very few exceptions. They were a sign that one had been either in the military or in prison, and just about the only exceptions to this were people who were on their way in to one of these institutions. Now it’s very possible to talk about tattoos for girls just about anywhere without causing people to flinch. There will be some raised eyebrows, however, and that will probably always be true.
Tattoos have a long history in the human story, and there’s nothing contemporary about wanting to decorate the skin. Early methods of tattooing involved rubbing ash into the skin, and developing ways of discoloring the body in ways that would eventually turn into the modern practice of injecting ink below the surface of the skin. In some religious traditions it’s prohibited, and it some it’s required for a priest class. In Burma, it’s still tied to an older idea that tattoos are like amulets, and can be subject to persecution, although not to the same degree it once was. In many traditional cultures there were tattoos, then, and also taboos against who could have them. Gender usually entered into the arguments in a big way.
So it might be considered revolutionary, then, that there are less restrictions here on tattoos, and girls with tattoos are not unusual. It also might simply be considered to be another fluctuation in a cultural practice that goes through mutations all the times. Whatever it is, the practice now seems to limit what girls can do with their skin. Most of the designs that are considered appropriate for girls are delicate, floral, or related in some ways to the objects typically associated with girlhood in this country. These designs can be fairies and unicorns, stars and moons, or many variations on these themes. There are also traditional spots for girls, such as the lower back, the hip, the wrist, and above the ankle. These can be some of the more painful areas, interestingly enough.
There are people who do think outside of these boxes, however. And it really is an open field still, waiting to be defined according to the terms set by those who choose to have their skin decorated. It is making a permanent mark, and is always going to be associated, then, with bold statements.
