It's one thing to have your ears pierced. Our earlobes are less sensitive to infection, and easier to clean and maintain than many other regions of the body.

But body piercing is a whole new ballgame, so to speak. To avoid severe infection, serious injury, and even Hepatitis C, it's vital that you take this decision seriously and proceed with caution.

There have also been numerous reports of moderate to serious injury occurring during piercing procedures. Especially when jewelry is being inserted into the genitals, it only takes a slight inaccuracy to cause significant damage.

Even if the piercing procedure goes well and no infection occurs, there are still risks to consider. For instance, a 19-year-old man in the U.S. suffered a severely damaged urethra when a car accident ripped a small ring out of its resting place; the fellow's doctor says he'll have difficulty urinating for the rest of his life.

First of all, despite the proliferation of piercing studios all across North America, Europe, and Australia, very few service providers have actually undergone any formal training or licensing procedures. While certainly great skill can be achieved through informal practice, you are well within your rights to ask where and for how long any prospective piercing specialist learned his or her trade.

It's also a great idea to obtain references for a service provider. Talk with a few previous customers to be sure the procedure was performed without complication, both during the piercing process and in the following weeks.

And take the time to do a few online searches about the different material used to make body jewelry. Some metals and materials are safer than others for a variety of reasons.

For example, some raw material is intended for use with existing piercings and should not be used for initial penetration. Also, certain materials are more conducive to the healing process, while others will tarnish and cause irritation when exposed to bodily fluids.

The individual performing your piercing may or may not know these things! It is ultimately your responsibility to take care of your own body, so you need to do the proper research and be sure the jewelry that will be used in your piercing is appropriate.

In addition to the basic health concerns above, you need to take some time to be sure you really want the added responsibility of carrying a foreign object in your body on a long-term basis. Let's face it: having a metal bar inserted through your nipple is going to be a potential hazard if you are involved in a fall, auto accident, or even a crowded concert where people are brushing up against you!

Body piercing can enhance your natural beauty when done tastefully. But it can also cause unnecessary problems when approached irresponsibly.

Before going through with your new piercing, be mature enough to consider all possibilities and take the basic precautions in this article.