Body piercing: where and how.

Although earrings have been worn since time immemorial, most clinicians will have noticed more and more patients over the past 30 years who have been seen to have single or multiple piercing almost anywhere into the skin. This article will try to trace the history of body piercing, its comparatively recent popularity, where on the body piercing occurs, and the requirement for guidelines and legislation to try to ensure that the risks inherent in body piercing are lessened.