Bridge piercing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An example of a bridge piercing.

This is another example of a bridge piercing with a left eyebrow piercing.

A bridge piercing is a body piercing through the bridge of the nose, usually directly between the eyes of the wearer. A variation on this piercing, the vertical bridge piercing is a surface piercing, with all of the risks or potential complications related to surface piercings.

[edit] Jewelry

Bridge piercings are most commonly pierced with straight barbells, although curved barbells and surface bars are also possible initial jewelry. Once the piercing is healed, it is possible to wear a captive bead ring in it, although depending on the placement of the piercing, a D-ring styled ring may be necessary to prevent migration caused by the pressure exerted by the shape of a ring.

Like many other facial piercings, there are many misconceptions about bridge piercings. Some involve eye problems, such as involuntary eye crossing. Other beliefs have to do with infections from piercings spreading to the brain, via the sinuses. Bridge piercings are a minor piercing and carry very few risks or complications and no impact to the eyes.

[edit] History and Culture

Bridge piercings are of contemporary origin, possibly being first performed in 1989 by body piercer Dan Kopka of the Gauntlet body piercing studio in Los Angeles on Erl van Aken, a body piercing pioneer and actor famous for wearing jewelery in his bipedicle flap.

[edit] Trivia

• The bridge piercing is also known as an "Erl" or "Earl" piercing, after its first recipient, Erl van Aken.
• In 2005, James Sooy, a Dallas, Texas based artist, became the first person to wear custom made eyeglasses through a bridge piercing.

[edit] External links

• Body Modification E-Zine Encyclopedia entry on bridge piercings
• Body Modification E-Zine Encyclopedia entry on Erl van Aken
• piercedglasses.com, website of James Sooy