Traditionally, piercings done to the face tend to be modifications made to noses and lips. Ancient people pretty much stuck to this formula, however, modern piercing techniques have brought the “if it protrudes, pierce it” school of thought to facial piercings. Piercers and piercees alike have experimented with many variations and new facial piercings seem to come into creation constantly.

Facial piercings have a greater chance of rejecting or forming scar tissue as so many of them are through areas of flat skin, in what is called a “surface” piercing. These have a very high rate of rejection as the skin doesn’t have much slack and the jewelry is a strain on the tissue. Also, any infection to these piercings are closer to vital locations and can easily travel to the blood, so greater healing care is required.

Piercing options for those inclined to add a bit of sparkle to their first impressions are many. None of these modifications should be done without careful forethought or by a piercer who is inexperienced. The more unusual the placement, the more the piercee should be prepared to potentially have the piercing reject, or that special extended care routines will be required.

Forehead - For those with looser skin, rings or barbells can sometimes be pierced in the area of the forehead.

Temple - A surface piercing of the face. Temple piercings have a high rejection rate due to the surface tension of the skin in this area.

Bindi - a vertical barbell done just above the bridge of the nose, in the spot where Hindu Bindis are painted onto the skin.

Bridge of Nose - Sometimes called an Earl, this is most often a barbell pierced across the bridge of the nose. Eyeglass wearers may have too much conflict from their glasses to heal such a piercing comfortably.

Nostril - Any piercing through the curve of the nostril. See Nose Piercings.

Septum - A piercing done through the pierce of cartilage that separates the chambers of the nose. See Nose Piercings.

Cheeks - Cheek piercings can be through the face, along the surface or close enough to the mouth that jewelry passes around the corners of the mouth. Set close to the mouth and when worn with labret-style jewelry, this are sometimes called “whiskers.”

Labrets/Lips - Any piercings through or around the lips. Variations include the Monroe and the Medusa. See The Labret, or Lip Piercing.

Lowbrets - An alternate name sometimes given to labrets that are below the mouth, in the area of the chin.

Scrumper - A piercing through the webbing that connects the upper lip to the gums, right above the two front teeth. This piercing frequently leads to abrasion of the gums and other dental damage.

Mandible - Surface piercings that run along or below the jaw line.

To learn more about piercing, you might like Body Piercing: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References by Icon Health Publications.

For body piercing aftercare, you might like Tattoo Goo Deluxe Tattoo & Piercing Care Kit or X-Pression & Blue Wave Piercing Aftercare Kit