Body jewelry and body piercing practices have been observed by various groups of people all over the world throughout the centuries. Body jewelry is used to enhance personal beauty and as devices to rise above the rest of the pack. Today’s celebrities have been at the forefront in making body jewelry much more mainstream and acceptable – even desirable.

“What’s a little pain if it’ll make me look hip” seems to be the prevalent thought among the young and the old who are turning out in increasing numbers to participate in the body jewelry trend. Not so long ago, only punk rockers and those with ‘bad boy’ images, such as former NBA star Dennis Rodman, were seen sporting body piercings in mainstream media. Today, body jewelry is endorsed by pop celebrities with mass followings, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Fiona Apple and Lenny Kravitz. Britney Spears has an extensive collection of navel rings, and Christina Aguilera is said to wear the most interesting body jewelry in areas that are covered by her clothing.

Some celebrities with an otherwise ‘serious’ image are nevertheless fans of body art. Actress Camryn Manheim of the television drama ‘The Firm’ sports multiple earrings on the cartilage of one ear. Gillian Anderson, who played the cynical and skeptical FBI agent Dana Scully in the television series ‘The X Files,’ has a pierced belly button. Performers with tongue piercings include former Spice Girl Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) and dancer Jimmy Gulzar, while supermodels Christy Turlington and James King are proud of their piercings. Some sports celebrities also wear body jewelry, including WWE wrestlers A-Train and Billy Gunn, as well as football player Ricky Williams.

Body jewelry has also been used throughout the ages to enhance sensation, and by extension, sexuality and sexual performance. Genital and nipple piercing in both men and women, while not as widespread as nose, ear, tongue, navel and eyebrow piercing, still has its own following. Singer Janet Jackson has stated on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she likes the sensation that her pierced nipples give her. Other celebrities with pierced nipples include rock musicians Axl Rose and Tommy Lee, Icelandic singer Bjork and rapper Lil Kim. Pop princess Britney Spears likewise has a pierced nipple.

Celebrities, whether they like it or not, are oftentimes looked up to as role models and the influence they wield over their fans is considerable. Fans emulate their idols’ preferences: from clothing, mannerism, even to the wearing of body jewelry. More and more, they are playing a leading role not only in the direction of today’s fashion trends but also in the shaping of modern pop culture.

Body jewelry is worn as a latest trend and is quite popular among the youngsters. However, its origin and use can be traced back in the ancient time. According to the Bible, body piercing jewelry was popular some 2000 years ago. Earlier, body jewelry was considered to be a symbol of class and standard and in some places, a symbol of religious practice.

There are various reasons associated with wearing body jewelry depending on religion, culture and castes. In medieval age the jewelry was used to boast the status of the person who wore it. Interestingly, before some decades, they represented a rebellious hip culture and the hip youth. Today, in the modern era, body jewelry is a way of enhancing beauty and hence, is a popular fashion. There are many types of jewelry having origin from the ancient rituals and are still popular.

Nose piercing jewelry: Wearing nose ring can be recorded as the first type of body piercing jewelry. It is a prevailing trend of fashion and tradition in countries like India and Middle East. Till date, it is popular among the young folks. Whereas, many popular pop-stars have been found piercing their nostrils to wear nose rings.

Ear piercing Jewelry: It is the most common form of jewelry and famous among people of every religion and it is popular amongst both men and women from day immemorial. Though ear rings are used for decorative as well as cultural reasons, today, they have been alienated from their symbolic root and are being treated as any other piece of decorative item.

Tongue piercing jewelry: Wearing tongue piercing jewelry was a ritual among tribal people of some specific geographic region. However, today they are common among sophisticated young generation. Interestingly, there are some celebrities who are making tongue piercing jewelry as their fashion statement.

Eyebrow piercing jewelry:Though this kind of jewelry is famous since long, today they adorn the fashionable youths making them boast their chic outlook.

Other piercing jewelry: Popularly know as belly piercing jewelry, naval piercing jewelry is popular among women. As naval is one among the seductive part of the body, the jewelry is meant, specifically, to raise an erotic feeling. Nipple piercing jewelry is current trends of jewelry fashion though in ancient times it was being used for enhancement of sexual stimulation.

Some studies explore that piercing body parts is totally safe and convenient way to adorn body with jewelry. Some people take consent of a doctor before choosing some extra-ordinary fashion in piercing body. However, if you are getting it done from an experienced body piercing professional, you are in the safe zone. So, it is time you can zoom in to your kind of fashion with exiting jewelry.