It’s no secret that piercings are becoming more popular. Nowadays, people are willing to do a lot to look fabulous. Piercing a needle through your skin is an example of this. Junior Morgan Swallow said, “I have six, all on my ears.” In order to get a piercing, you most be at least 18. If not, your parent guardian needs to be there with you. Otherwise, you can’t get a piercing. If you want a surface piercing (a piercing parallel to the skin), let’s hope you are 18 because otherwise you can’t get one at all, due to your immature bone growth. If you go around the halls asking what piercing someone wants, they will probably lay out a whole list for you. The reason for this? Probably the parents. Parents may be concerned about the health risks or maybe they just don’t like piercings. If it is the health risks they are concerned about, well there are some, the main two being infection and rejection (your body slowly pushing the object outward in order for the skin behind it to heal. Another risk is allergies to the jewelry. This eventually forces the piercing’s jewelry out of the skin. However, infection could be avoided if proper care is taken. School Nurse Susan Whited said, “Any mouth piercing will need a lot of care because of all the bacteria.” The Hole Look gives customers a pamphlet with care advice and tips. Some of the tips include cleaning the piercing daily with something that kills germs, that is, cleaning the piercing with sea salt or a common brand H20cean. Their pamphlet also says not to use hydrogen peroxide because it stalls the healing process and dries it out. Are people willing to go through the pain just for a piercing though? They sure are. No matter how crazy your piercing might be, everyone has different thoughts on how painful the piercing process was. Senior Ashley Krusell said, “[I have] three ear [piercing] and than [a] cartilage [upper ear piercing].” Krusell also said the cartilage piercing hurt more. Whether you like piercings, or you hate them, people are still going to get them. Swallow said, “They can be interesting.” Krusell said, “I like them a lot, especially on guys.” When it comes to gauges, an object inserted in the ear to resize the piercing hole that is otherwise known as a plug, no matter your age, you can just go to the store and pick up some. Junior Zach Atkins said, “No [I don’t have any] but I want to get snakebites (two lip piercings), tongue piercing and gauges.” Swallow said, “lip and nose.” Junior Morgan Deakin said, “[I have] two, my ears. Yeah, [I want] lip, and eyebrow. If it was rejected that would [not be good].” Around the school, gauges seem to becoming even more popular, probably because a person could get them no matter what age, and lip piercings are becoming increasingly popular.