Here's a short introduction to types of Body Piercings. You should get to know them before getting pierced. That way you can choose the type that is right for you.
Ear Piercing
Ear piercing is by far the most common piercing seen. Women have had their earlobes pierced for decades, and men have started to do the same within the last 40 years. The earlobe piercing is the most socially acceptable piercing. Most employers will allow at least one small earring in each lobe, barring safety reasons. This can be for simple decoration, or to show solidarity and a member of a social group. Military personnel, especially naval officers would pierce their left earlobe as a show of camaraderie Gay men used to pierce their right earlobe as a show of "gay pride." This is no longer case. Men and women now pierce one or both earlobe, either once or multiple times as a matter of self expression.
Also common is cartilage piercing in the ear. Lesbians have begun piercing the right upper corner of their ear cartilage for the same reason of solidarity. There is no widely known symbolism for piercings elsewhere in the ear cartilage. Most portions of the ear cartilage can be safely pierced by an experienced professional.
Nose Piercing
The nose is traditionally pierced in two places, the first being on the side of one nostril. Generally smaller studs are placed in this spot. The second is a cartilage piercing through the septum, or the center part of the nose. This piercing has been affectionately dubbed, "the responsible facial piercing", because if a small U-shaped bar is placed there, the piercing can be easily be turned back into the nostrils. This makes the piercing more difficult to spot.
Tongue Piercing
Tongue piercings run vertically from the upper to the lower surface of the tongue. This piercing is said to give increase pleasure during oral sex, but most people have this piercing for aesthetic purposes. With proper jewelry, this piercing will heal very quickly, but special consideration should be given when using metal jewelry. Metal can cause damage to the gums and tooth enamel.
Nipple Piercing
Nipple piercing is done equally by men and women. This is a piercing that is considered attractive. However, many also choose this piercing because it increases the sensitivity of the nipple, making sensation more pleasurable. Because individual nipple sizes vary, this piercing is more difficult for some than others. Smaller nipples are much harder to pierce. Those individuals with smaller nipples are encouraged to seek a professional with more experience in this area.
Naval Piercing
In ancient Egypt, this particular piercing was reserved solely for the pharaoh. In today's society, this is a common piercing. This piercing is usually sported by those that want to show off their mid-drift. This piercing is more common in women than men, solely because there are styles of women's blouses designed to show this area.
Genital Piercing
Genital piercing is popular in both men and women. Those piercing directly on or very near the sex organs amplify sensation to make stimulation more pleasurable. Some of the popular piercing sites for male genitalia include: the tip/head, at the base of the shaft at the public bone, and the scrotum. For women piercings can be placed on: the clitoris; the hood; the inner and outer labia; and the triangle.
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When people think of ways to show off their individuality (or rebellion) they may choose a tattoo or body piercing to say they do things their own way. Tattoos can be placed in hidden areas but if you get tired of them, they are difficult and expensive to remove. Piercing locations other than your ears can accomplish the same thing and if you opt for an area like your navel, you can choose when and how to show off your jewelry. In addition, you should be able to simply remove the belly ring and have the piercing close up on its own if you get tired of it.
Piercing your navel is not to be taken lightly. Because this is one of the most delicate areas to pierce, the procedure should be done by a professional. Care must be taken to clean the site and use only sanitized tools when doing the piercing. Afterwards, you need to be very careful with the area. Keep it clean and protected until it is completely healed which can take up to a year.
Even after it is healed, you need to keep it clean and be especially careful what type of belly button rings you purchase. Better quality jewelry will be the wisest choice especially if you have allergies to certain metals. For best results choose titanium or 18K gold. You may also find nylon or teflon jewelry that will not bother you.
After that, you have nothing to do but enjoy and show off this new addition to your life. You will find belly button rings for every occasion. Depending on your mood, you can sport a variety of bar bells or dangling jewelry. 
And most important of all, you can choose to share this decoration with the world or keep it as something only seen by you and your significant other. Either way, it can make you feel sexier than ever.
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Piercing of the body actually goes way back into history. In fact, the oldest known body piercings are in excess of five thousand years old. These ancient piercings consisted of two large plugs that were inserted into a man's ears. In addition, the Egyptians in ancient history also practiced all sorts of body adornments. Belly button piercing was restricted to the pharaohs of the time. However, earrings were common among the well-to-do citizens of Egypt.
In fact, throughout the centuries, some form of body piercing has been in existence at one time or another. This practice seems to serve different purposes for different people, groups and cultures. Sometimes, it is done as a ritual. Other times, it is done purely for aesthetic purposes. It is even practiced to indicate social standing in some areas.
For instance, the Aztecs, Mayans and American Indians all practiced tongue piercing as part of a religious ritual in order to bring them closer to their Gods. In addition, the Mayans and Aztecs pierced their septum, with items such as boar tusks, as part of appearing to be fierce warriors to their enemies. Other warriors and tribes of the world used not only tusks, but different types of bones and feathers as part of enhancing their appearance.
Central and South Americans sported lip piercings to draw attention to their lips. These piercings often held elaborate gold, jade and/or gemstone adornments or large wooden plates to draw attention to and/or increase the size of the lip. The larger a wooden plate used, the more the lips become stretched. This is deemed as attractive in some cultures.
Between the Dark Ages and the Renaissance period, the interest and practice of body piercings waned somewhat. Yet, the Renaissance brought with it a renewed interest, and many different types of piercings were used among royalty.
