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For many people, just hearing about body piercing brings to mind images of that Goth guy at the mall with more steel on his face than a 25-piece cutlery set. There has always been a negative reaction to most forms of body modification, and body piercing is no different. While it is true that ear piercing has been the norm for generations, by and large the masses have never been able to wrap their minds around the idea that certain parts of the human anatomy are sporting body jewelry. Why then has there been a huge trend towards body piercing within the last decade or so?

One word: celebrities. Celebrities of all shapes and sizes have jumped on the body jewelry bandwagon. It wasn*t so long ago that body piercing was relegated to the annals of *bad boys* such as punk rockers and some sports players, a la Dennis Rodman. Present day body jewelry enthusiasts, though, include not only artists who are considered a bit eccentric, but also mainstream actors and singers. Take for instance Gillian Anderson, who played the ultra-conservative Dana Scully on the popular X-files series. You wouldn*t think it from the character she played, but Ms. Anderson sports body jewelry in the form of a navel piercing.

Celebrities wield a lot of power in that they are, more often than not, looked upon as role models. If they do something, fans will do it too. So if they wholeheartedly embrace body jewelry, then so will their loyal fans. This has lead to body jewelry coming out or the closet, as it were. Nowadays, each major city has at least one *must see* piercing studio and piercers are sought after for their talents. And it's no longer the fringe crowd. You*re just as likely to see extreme body piercing on a Harvard student as on a rock groupie. Of course, with all the different types of intimate body piercing that exist today, you*re just as likely to not see anything.

This variety in body jewelry has led to a booming industry for the manufacturers of these items. Instead of boring stainless steel, body piercing enthusiasts can now choose from sterling silver, gold, titanium, and plastics which mould to fit the body and speed up healing time. This says something. It says that body piercing has arrived and it's here to stay. With more and people visiting body jewelry dealers, this is one trend that will only strengthen with time.