Natural Pheromones

Researchers believe that human beings produce pheromones in the same way as animals when it comes to attracting a mate. We just are not aware of it. According to the research it is thought that the sweat glands produce an odorless chemical that is detected by the opposite sex and processed through an area of the brain that determines sexual suitability.

You can enhance your body's ability to produce these chemicals through the use of some natural products. Zinc supplements which can be used as an immunity boosting supplement can help produce testosterone. Be careful when dosing with zinc and follow the guidelines for a correct amount carefully. 100 mg of zinc is toxic so watch your intake carefully.

Some herbal supplements are Tribulus and Yohombe. Again read up on the effects of these supplements and be very cautious when using them. Certain supplements have been known to be dangerous in large doses. But if you want to go the natural path to pheromone production these can be a viable solution.

Good health and exercise. I know, it's been said time and again that the secret to everything is good health. But really it's true. If you are healthy and strong you will exude self-confidence that is very appealing to the opposite sex. Good health may help your body to naturally produce the pheromones you want to attract a partner.

Some people have also experimented with bathing techniques to help unmask their body's pheromones. You don't want to smell bad, however, so make sure that you are staying clean. Perhaps you can try some of the natural deodorant products that you will find in a natural food store.

All in all, an awareness that your body is producing pheromones and how best to take care of your health is probably all that is required to take care of your attraction chemicals. If you still feel that you need an extra boost in the pheromone department, check out some of the products you can buy and add to your cologne or spray on alone. They may be just what you're looking for to attract Ms. Right.

Peter took tried and tested pheromone products on himself to answer the nagging question, do pheromones work?

Physics - Electricity and Magnetism

How are electricity and magnetism created?

Electricity has a direct relation to magnetism.

Both phenomena have their origin in the positive and negative charges of atoms.

Atoms maintain a neutral charge when in a static or calm state. In this case, the positively charged protons and negatively charged neutrons appear in the same number in atoms and their combined forces are balanced.

With the addition of energy, atoms can either release or gain new electrons, where the addition of energy creates a positive charge within the atom and a loss of energy creates a negatively charged atom. In such cases the atom is transformed into a charged ion. Ions which have few electrons attract to themselves loose electrons, where ions with an excess of electrons repel loose electrons. These phenomena are referred to as electrical charges.

The movement of electrically charged particles of a substance (conductor) is defined as electrical current. Not all substances have the ability to conduct electrical current, which means that not all substances enable to movement of free or loose electrons.

Substances which have the quality of being able to conduct electrical current are referred to as conductors, where those substances which are not able to conduct electrical current are referred to as non-conductors. All metals are considered good conductors, a characteristic which many non-metal compounds also have.

All electrical effects are created by electrical charges which affect one another through electrostatic forces. The area in which these forces act is called an electrical field. Charges with the same potential repel one another where charges with opposite potential are attracted to one another.

Besides this, each moving electrical charge creates a magnetic field. This principle does not apply only for the flow of current within a conductor but applies on an atomic level as well. Electrons which revolved around an atom's nucleus generate a magnetic moment which, with many substances, makes the atoms behave as small rod magnets (elementary magnets).

With many substances, these elementary magnets are lined in the same direction and make the substance a constant magnet.

With other substances, such as iron, the elementary magnets balance under the influence of a magnetic field, as such increasing the strength of the that field. This effect is used with electromagnets. After removing such a substance from the magnetic field, the substance remains magnetic for only a short time.

If the elementary magnets within some object are uniformly oriented, the above stated effect repels an object with uniform orientation elementary magnets while attracting objects with non-uniform elementary magnet. A magnetic field exists around such objects.

Electricity and magnetism are presently used in many areas, where not only electrical and electronic appliances operate on the principle of electricity and magnetism but where radio, television and mobile transmitters use artificially generated electromagnetic waves. Today, we can find control and regulation units in almost all mechanical machinery, such as in automobiles, washing machines and microwave ovens.

Electricity and Magnetism
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Disaster Management Practices Using ArcGIS, ArcIMS, ArcSDE and SQL

Introduction
Emergency management Ball Python Supplies Tortoise Supplies dynamic process. Emergency preparedness for disaster management is Tortoise Supplies process History Grand Theft Auto preparing, mitigating, responding, and recovering from any emergency situation. Individuals and organizations responsible for emergency management Ball Python Supplies different tools E2macpets save lives reduce human suffering and preserve economic assets before, during and after any catastrophic event. But nowadays, correct and timely Videogamesconsoles is a critical part Videogamesconsoles any successful emergency management program. The unique tool for emergency purpose is a web enabled Geographic Information System (GIS), which could provide accurate and timely information.

Generally, disasters are characterized by E2macpets scope of an emergency. An emergency becomes a disaster when it exceeds the capability of the local resources to manage it. Disaster is an event "... meeting at least one of the following criteria: kills 10 or more persons; affects 100 or more persons; leads to a declaration of state of emergency; or leads to call for international assistance." Disaster also involves humanitarian emergency, humanitarian actions, mass casualities etc. Effective disaster management requires rapid decisions and actions on behalf of relief workers. The scope of disasters is large (in terms of the number of people affected) and also the most important thing is the lack of resources to manage disasters.

Disaster management in developing countries exists within a complex political, social and economic environment, where a coherent and E2macpets approach can be difficult to implement. As such, large-scale high magnitude - low frequency disasters will continue to overwhelm local disaster managers, prohibiting effective management, particularly during the response phase. Although most natural disasters cannot be prevented, disaster losses can be minimized when appropriate actions are taken which utilize the latest technology and real-time spatial data/information. Through GIS and remote sensing we can make data / E2macpets available, and answer questions concerning the spatial and temporal dimensions for disaster management.

In today's information technology disaster management rely on IT tools such as GIS, electronic mail, document Frog Toad Supplies web and database access. GIS database can be accessed for damage assessment or to locate critical infrastructure such as chemical facility that needs to be inspected and secured. High resolution images or video sent in a real-time situation from a remote location can allow experts to assess History Grand Theft Auto Henceforth, GIS integrated with IT Grand Theft Auto Sets World Record significant opportunities to greatly improve the effectiveness of emergency management.

Recently, the internet is gaining popularity as a mechanism that can facilitate the exchange of information/data (spatial and non-spatial) in time to warn a disaster. Initiatives such as the Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN) provide evidence of the importance and the value of disaster - related information, as well as the need to obtain and share it effectively. The aim of GDIN is to "provide the right information, in the right format, to the right person, in the right time to make the right decision" (GDIN, 2005). Spatial decision support systems, commonly considered as application specific software solutions (Rinner, 2003), are used in solving complex spatial problems where alternative decisions needs consideration. Wellar (1990) and Crossland et al. (1995) showed that the use of GIS as a type of Spatial Disaster Support System (SDSS) reduced the decision time and increased the accuracy of individual decision-makers, while Peng and Tsou (2003) the Pet Reptile Supplies and benefits of GIS. Integrating these technologies in an online, GIS based SDSS has the Sitemap to increase the use and accessibility of spatial data, as well as the accuracy and efficiency of decision making, thereby improving the effectiveness of disaster response.

Hence for emergency preparedness and disaster management, GIS domains such as ArcGIS, Frog Toad Supplies SQL Server and ASP Pet Reptile Supplies integrated and explored. Modules pertaining to emergency management were also developed by integrating the knowledge of experts, managers, programmers and developers, web enabled GIS techniques were used to manage nuclear, chemical, natural and many other disasters. These web enabled GIS based applications provides salient features for hazard alert, emergency response, emergency management, leverage investment, facilitates emergency alerts, periodic situational updates, community notifications, service disruptions, interagency coordination, e-Government solution and so forth.

Results and Discussion

Web Technology for Emergency Management

GIS system integrates ArcGIS, ArcIMS, SQL Server and ASP domain networks to form a web-based emergency preparedness / management system. Both spatial and aspatial were kept in GIS database. Coding for information retrieval, search capability, feature E2macpets were carried using ArcIMS and ASP. All the Objects, Methods, Modules and Components available within the software environment were utilized effectively, coded and programmed. The application is developed as a web enabled GIS on Microsoft Windows Platform. In all the applications for disaster management, Maps are the primary output of the system which, when displayed on computer screens, are more dynamic, potential and versatile (Alexander, 1991). This system complies with Coppock (1995) who points out that the technological developments intended for use in developing countries must be kept simple, considering the skills (both technical and bureaucratic) and resources available. The tools available in the webGIS applications and its features towards emergency management are formulated similarly. The potential of webGIS tools for nuclear, chemical and natural and many other disasters were discussed as follows.

Nuclear Disaster

Although construction and operation of Grand Theft Auto Sets World Record power plants are closely monitored and regulated by the nuclear regulatory authorities, accidents, though unlikely, are possible. The most immediate danger from an accident at a nuclear power plant is the exposure to high level radiation.

Emergencies declared for nuclear power plant are defined in terms of notification of Frog Toad Supplies event, alert, site area emergency and general emergency. Notification of unusual event means a problem has occurred at the plant, but no radiation leak is expected. Alert means that small amounts of radiation could leak inside the plant, but it will not affect the community. Site area emergency describes a more serious problem. Small amounts of radiation could leak from the Sitemap Area sirens may sound. Citizens are requested to listen to radio or television for instructions and be prepared to evacuate or find shelter. For addressing the above issues an emergency preparedness plan for nuclear power plant is developed using the recent scientific web enabled GIS technology.

The NuclearPlannerTM, a web GIS based application tool, provides a web-based evacuation preparedness for citizens living close to nuclear power plant, within the 10 mile radius. This is an important tool for strengthening relations with the community by reaching out to citizens with updated information and proactive planning tools. This delivers personalized response information to identify appropriate evacuation routes and response Grand Theft Auto Sets World Record Citizens living in risk area can identify their emergency reception centers, driving directions, and emergency exits. The system can also be integrated with weather, demographic data and real-time highway database and could help planners to evacuate peoples during the crucial time of natural disasters. Its major components includes end to end web-based solution, feature query, proximity analysis, emergency response plan module, evacuation routing module for public emergency, property query module, theme add in and on/off module, buffer analysis etc.

Chemical Disaster

Hazardous material are chemical substances, which if released or misused, can pose threat to the environment. These chemicals are used in industry, agriculture, medicine, research, and consumer goods. As many as 5,00,000 products pose physical or health hazards and can be defined as "hazardous chemicals." Ball Python Supplies year, over 1,000 new synthetic chemicals are introduced. Hazardous materials come in the form of explosives, flammable and combustible substances, poisons, and radioactive materials. These substances are most often released as a result of transportation accidents or because of chemical accidents in manufacturing plants.

In the early hours of Monday, Dec 3, 1984 a toxic cloud of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas enveloped the hundreds of shanties and huts surrounding a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. Later, a deadly cloud slowly drifted in the cool night air through streets in surrounding sections, sleeping residents awoke, coughing, and rubbing painfully stinging eyes. By the time the gas cleared at dawn, many were dead. Four months after the tragedy, the Indian government reported the parliament that 1,430 people had died. In 1991 the official Indian government panel charged with tabulating deaths and injuries updated the count to more than 3,800 dead and approximately 11,000 with disabilities. Considering the importance of emergency preparedness for these chemical disasters a webGIS tool Tier II Manager TM is developed.

This is a user friendly comprehensive tool developed to streamline the process of meeting emergency planning and emergency response needs. This provides a real-time Sitemap to critical hazardous chemical inventory and facility E2macpets Videogamesconsoles addresses the needs of first responders, emergency response planners, facility submitters, and state authorities. Vulnerability reports, demographic reports, notifications, and payment modules make this system more valuable. This is ensured with multiple levels of security to appropriate groups in order to have access for appropriate data and functionality.

It streamlines the process of chemical inventory reporting. Chemical storage facilities can submit regulatory and planning information through a set of Tortoise Supplies on-line forms. In following years, the facilities can revise the existing information anytime, significantly reducing the expense of repeating the entire submission process each year. Planners can access real-time information to create emergency response plans and carry out comprehensive oversight activities. When rapid response is Pet Reptile Supplies first responders can map all chemical storage facilities and instantly retrieve other supplemental information like site plans while mobilizing toward the emergency site. This provides a comprehensive, cost-effective way to meet regulatory requirements and provides emergency response information at the critical History Grand Theft Auto decision-making in no time. Its major components includes end-to-end web-based solution, chemical storage facility analysis tool with respect to infrastructure and demographics, automated authority level query tool for spatial planning, query tool for an extensive database - data retrieved in seconds and as an add-in for any back-end database platforms. For first responders, the application can be deployed wirelessly or as a standalone version, covers non-coverage areas and it also possess hierarchical level security for end users.

Disaster Warning System

As population and housing densities increase, the world continues to experience ever increasing danger and damages from natural and man made disasters. Deaths, injuries, and loss of property will increase around the world due to disasters, unless changes are made in the manner we respond to disasters. Most experts in disaster claims that the world's population is at an ever increasing risk of death, injury, and property damages from disasters. Hence to notify the disaster and to minimize the risk a webGIS based Disaster Warning System, is developed.

This Disaster Warning System is aimed to continuously alert the most geographically appropriate emergency response personnel such as rescue, fire, police, and ambulance personnel, to allow much quicker and more accurate first response efforts and further reduce disaster impacts on lives and property.

Combining the power of GIS mapping analysis and notification capabilities, the system facilitates end-to-end response and recovery. It helps to analyze a situation, send out calls, and collect responses from thousands of people in an hour using flexible standard based tools. DWS differs from any location with an internet connection, providing powerful decision-making and proactive notification capabilities.

It brings together the best in speech technology with the power of mapping through GIS to provide Emergency Response Managers with the speed and flexibility to meet even the most challenging notification scenarios. It is developed using XML technology which provides an open standard that the Emergency Response community has been seeking. The easy-to-use application can be assessed by multiple agents from any location though a simple internet browser. With a set of personalized passwords, responders can customize a set of standard response forms, choose the targeted area for the notification using a simple GIS interface, and initiate the call. Recipients can hear the message spoken. The system can conduct dialog, map and collect critical response information, and trigger alerts and other dispatch. Easy-to-read reports, help one to rate and understand the notification, performance, identify which calls were answered, which ones never reached their intended recipients, and which recipients need help. It combines technologies to enable informed decision-making and communication when crucial situation exists. Its major components includes interactive mapping, speech and text-to-speech recognition, voice recognition, real time critical responses from clients, real time GIS mapping and multi-modal response, system interoperability and to communicate by using the advantage of XML.

Conclusion

Thus for nuclear, chemical and natural disaster webGIS based tools such as NuclearPlannerTM and ChemicalResponderTM will be very useful for emergency preparedness and disaster management practice. The paper also reveals that the web enabled GIS technology has got its unique potential for emergency preparedness management. These web enabled tools currently serve as a national and international application tools for emergency preparedness and disaster management. These tools were further upgraded by processing insitu data to increase the efficiency of disaster mitigation and management. The recent scientific tool, Disaster Warning System developed in webGIS environment is also in upgradation for proposing an effective disaster management plan in near future. Any now this tool is being upgraded in ArcGIS Server environment.

Treating Respiratory Infections In Rats

Unfortunately our ratty friends are rather prone to respiratory diseases and Mycoplasma Pulmonis (MP) is the most prevalent one.

Symptoms of MP

Laboured breathing, chattering, weight loss, sneezing, sniffling, squinting, rough hair, Porphyrin staining (red staining) around nose and eyes.

In more severe cases your rat may have pneumonia, infertility, miscarriage and death.

MP can also cause an inner ear infection, so watch out for head tilting in your rat.

Prevention of MP

Your rat will be more susceptible to MP if he is stressed. Try to keep his life as stress free as possible by keeping him stimulated (see toys and games page) and keeping his home clean.

Pollutants and exposure to ammonia and faecal material (pooh) will also make your rat more susceptible to MP. Keep you rat in a clean, uncrowded and well-ventilated cage with clean and safe bedding. Do not use shavings, as these will aggravate MP and may cause other diseases too.

If you get a new rat keep them in a separate cage, in a separate room from your other rats for two weeks. This is a quarantine period. As MP can spread to other rats easily.

What is Mycoplasma Pulmonis?

Are you ready for the science bit?

Mycoplasma is a PPLO (pleuropneumonia-like organism). It is different from other forms of bacteria, as it doesn't have a cell wall (this is important to remember when treating it). There are 95 types of Mycoplasma, but rats get the kind called Mycoplasma pulmonis (MP). Mycoplasma is the organism genus and pulmonis is the organism species.

MP is carried in the upper respiratory system. It causes a blistering effect on the surface of the lungs and can cause secondary infection. However genital mycoplasmosis is common in female rats and although they do not always have an infection they will have reduced fertility.

MP is very fragile outside of the host (your rat) and it is very susceptible to heat, detergents and disinfectants. This means that washing your hands with hot water will kill MP.

People can't catch MP, but we can carry it on our clothes and skin for short periods of time. Mycoplasmas live in respiratory passages and lungs, so if we sneeze we could transmit it to our rats. MP can infect an entire rat colony as they transmit it by sneezing, grooming and sexual contact.

Although MP is very delicate and has a slow rate of growth, once it takes root in a rats system it can be difficult to get rid of. MP mimics your rats antigens fooling your rat's system into ignoring the invading organism.

Rats can be more susceptible to other respiratory diseases once they have MP, as it compromises the integrity of the lung wall.

Treating MP

Not all antibiotics work on MP. This is because some antibiotics attack the invading organisms cell wall and remember MP does not have a cell wall, so these antibiotics will be useless.

You must use the correct antibiotics as soon as possible. Remember there are other pathogens that effect rats, so make sure it is MP before you begin treatment.

Good antibiotics to use are:

Doxycycline combined with Baytril. This should be given in an oral form using a syringe, or dropped in your rat's favourite liquid food (Ginger loves soy milk). Give your rat 2.5mg/pound (make sure you get an accurate weight of your rat using electronic scales). Give this twice a day for 14-30 days.

Aminophylline can be used if your rat has pneumonia to help it breathe more easily. Give 2.5-5mg/pound two times a day.

Prednisone can reduce inflammation, and can be used with other antibiotics. In the advanced stages of MP this will allow your rat to live more comfortably. Give 0.25-1mg/pound once a day. Only ever use this for a few days at a time, unless your rat is dying, in which case keep it up until he passes.

Make sure your rat is getting enough fluids. You may wish to use a syringe, or eyedropper to give water to your rat by hand. If your rat is not eating properly use a vitamin and calorie supplement, such as Nutrigel. This tastes nice, so your rat should take it easily.

http://www.RatsRatsRats.com
Catherine Smith 2007
Check out my website for everything you've ever wanted to know about pet rats. From training to toys, housing to health. You can even go shopping for your ratty friend.

How Body Piercing Works -- The Ins and Outs of this Cutting Edge Process

Body piercing (defined as any piercing beyond the standard earlobe piercing) has become such a popular form of body modification that between five and ten percent of the population of the United States has indulged in at least one form of it at some time in their lives. In most cases, once a person gets a body piercing, they follow the first one with more. There are lots of considerations; however, for making sure that your body piercing is done safely so that you dont end up with either an infection or a poorly done piercing that could leave an unsightly scar.

It aint ear piercing, honey

The procedure for a good body piercing isnt the same is for getting your earlobes pierced. Most earlobe piercings that you see done in a mall or jewelry store involve using a piercing gun that quickly shoots the actual earring post through the earlobe. This may be fine for an area of the body that has soft tissue and is easily pierced, but it isnt a good idea for other parts of the body for a few reasons.

First, it isnt as accurate as a needle, so lining it up wont always work. Just as with any gun, there is a recoil that will make the aim inaccurate. Second, the force of the gun will cause bruising and damage to the skin that isnt necessary and will slow the healing process. Third, a piercing gun cant be sterilized completely, so there is a higher risk of infection. The message is clear - never get a body piercing done with a piercing gun. Always go to a professional who follows procedures approved by the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

Once you get to the piercing parlor, there are several steps to the body piercing process that will take place to ensure both the success of the piercing and your health and safety. Each of these steps should be followed and nothing skipped.

Getting the preliminaries out of the way

You must be comfortable in the environment and comfortable with your piercer before moving ahead with anything. If he or she attempts to rush you through the procedure without answering your questions or putting you at ease, do not continue. This is a long-term commitment you are making, so its up to you if you want to go through with it.

There is paperwork to be filled out, and dont let a piercing parlor tell you otherwise. A good piercing studio always keeps accurate records to ensure the health and safety of their clients. If there would ever be a question of contamination or some other health hazard, they must be able to contact you. If you are a minor, they must have the signature of your parent or guardian, who must be present at the time of the piercing.

Sterilization - the only route to safe body piercing

Sterilization is all-important in body piercing - the piercing area must be sterile, the piercers hands must be sterile, the tools used must be sterile, and the piercing needle must be sterile.

A separate area for sterilization should be available in the piercing parlor where a steam heat autoclave is operational. The autoclave is the only approved sterilization device that can sufficiently heat tools such as forceps to a high enough temperature to kill all bacteria. Before beginning any piercing, all tools will be sterilized in an autoclave and laid out carefully on a clean tray. After this, they will not be touched until your piercing begins, and then only by your piercer when he has safely cleaned and gloved his hands, just as a surgeon would.

You cant be too clean

The piercing chair or table will also be cleaned, usually by being wiped down thoroughly with an antibacterial spray and disposable cloths or paper towels to prevent recontamination. You will not be allowed to enter and prepare for your piercing until the area has been prepped and sterilized.

The needles used for body piercing are sterile and individually packaged, and no reputable piercer will ever use a needle that has already been used once. When you are pierced, the sterile needles package should be opened in your presence just before your piercing. The same is true of your starter jewelry - it should be sealed in sterile packaging and only opened in your presence.

The piercer will wash his hands and wrists with an antibacterial liquid soap and dry them before donning disposable gloves. At this point, he will be ready to begin your piercing.

Prep work means straight piercings and fewer complications

With properly gloved hands, your piercer will first check the area you want pierced to determine if you are really a candidate for the type of body piercing youre seeking. In some cases, he may tell you that the conditions arent appropriate.

For instance, if there is damage to the cartilage or heavy scarring in the area you want pierced. He will also tell you if you have a current cut or skin condition that means you should postpone piercing. If this is the case, in order to protect your health and prevent possible problems down the line, he will not go any farther with the procedure. If everything looks fine, hell tell you so and youll move on to the next step.

• Hell change to a fresh pair of gloves after having handled your skin to examine the area.
• He will clean the area to be pierced with an antibacterial solution.
• He will mark the area to be pierced with a sterile, disposable marker.
• Youll have the opportunity to check the marking (in a mirror if necessary) before he proceeds to the piercing stage.
• He will ask you if you are ready for the piercing procedure and allow you a moment to get comfortable.
• He will arrange his tools at hand and open the sterile package with the piercing needle.

And now, youre ready for the real deal - the piercing itself!

But first, a word about those piercing needles...

Piercing needles are not your average sewing needle or push-pin. Piercing needles are highly specialized and were designed specifically to pierce the flesh while causing the least amount of pain possible. They also help encourage faster and cleaner healing than a regular needle.

These needles also come in a variety of gauges suited for specific types of piercings. For instance, if you are getting a nipple pierced, the piercer will probably not want to use anything smaller than a 12 gauge (the smaller the gauge, the larger the needle), while a lip or nostril could be pierced with a 14 or 16 gauge. Thicker gauges prevent migration in areas prone to this movement of the jewelry, and prevent tear-out of piercings in more delicate flesh.

Piercing needles are made from surgical steel - the same material that hospital scalpels and lancets are made from. This ensures that they are biocompatible with all skin types and wont cause an allergic reaction. They are also extremely sharp because they are laser cut with precision edges so that they slice cleanly through the skin without tearing or pulling. The piercing needles are hollow rather than solid so that they actually cut a tiny hole through the skin being pierced rather than punching through the skin.

These hollow needles leave a clean-edged, precise hole in the flesh that will heal relatively quickly, while a regular needle (which is much duller by comparison) actually pushes its way through the skin, tearing and bruising the skin along the way.

This is why a professional piercing needle provides a much less painful piercing with minimal bruising, and is much safer and easier for your body.

The main event - the body piercing

The basic procedure is the same for most piercings, but all piercers have their own way of handling the process. Some piercers will clamp the area with forceps to stabilize the area before putting the needle through, while others prefer to use a steady hand and their own eyes to guide the needle. If the person being pierced seems like they may flinch, it is more likely the forceps or surgical pliers of some type will be used to steady the area and hold the skin in place. This doesnt hurt, and is simply to make sure you dont get a crooked placement.

When the needle is lined up with the marking, the piercer will ask one last time if you are ready, and then quickly push the needle through. Some piercers use a cork as a backing, others dont. This usually only takes a moment and feels like someone is pinching the skin hard. In most cases, the build-up to the moment is far worse than the actual piercing. Areas that are more sensitive include the genital area and the bridge of the nose.

Starter jewelry needs to be high quality

After the needle is removed, the starter jewelry is immediately put into place. One of the most important things to know about starter jewelry is that it is being put into an open wound, which is what a fresh piercing really is. Obviously, you dont want your starter jewelry to be something that can cause an allergic reaction or infection.

There are three materials recognized by professional piercers as acceptable for starter jewelry for their high quality, purity and their low incidence of allergic reactions:

• Surgical Steel
• Titanium
• 14K or 18K gold

Other materials are more likely to cause either an allergic reaction, rejection of the piercing by your body, or migration of the piercing.

Starter jewelry is generally a captive bead ring or barbell. The piercer will choose an appropriate size for the area that is slightly larger than what you would normally wear to allow for some swelling, which is normal for the first several days after a new piercing. He will screw the ends onto the new jewelry and make sure it is securely in place.

At this point, the piercer will remove this set of gloves and put on another fresh set, clean the area around the new piercing and examine it one last time. He will let you take a look at your new body jewelry while he explains the aftercare and any potential problems you should watch for. He will also give you a sheet of detailed aftercare instructions to take home with you.

Before you leave, take a few moments to relax either in the piercing room or the waiting room, as sometimes the adrenalin rush and its aftermath can leave you feeling a bit light-headed. Once you feel steady and sure of yourself, it is a good idea to get something like fruit juice to drink or a light snack. Your piercing is done!

What if I want to try body piercing myself?

If you love body modification, you may be considering piercing yourself. Its really not a good idea for a number of reasons. If you want to try piercing, do it the right way -- become a fully trained, licensed professional. Without the proper training and an understanding of proper sterilization techniques you risk scarring, infection, and permanent damage to the area.

Using makeshift piercing tools like sewing needles is also a great risk because they simply cannot be sterilized properly. Even heating over an open flame (such as a lighter) will not kill all bacteria. The only guaranteed way to kill all germs is with an autoclave or by using packaged, sterile surgical needles. Even then, the entire area and all tools must be sterilized properly.

If you are truly interested in piercing, consider it not as a hobby or a momentary activity but as a career. Becoming an apprentice at a piercing parlor means learning proper technique and learning a trade at the same time, combining your interests with a way to make a living.

An apprentice usually trains for at least a year under a licensed, professional piercer learning all aspects of sterilization, piercing and customer service. In many states they are also required to take courses in first aid, blood borne pathogens, anatomy and other Health and Safety standards and practices. You will observe piercings and work with the sterilization process for several months before actually doing any piercings, but when you do pierce you will be doing it properly and professionally. A good place to find out more information is through the Association of Professional Piercers website at www.safepiercing.org.

This article on the "How Body Piercing Works" reprinted with permission.
Copyright 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

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About the Author:
Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her work because it gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now, she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about body jewelry, nipple jewelry and temporary tattoos. She has two dogs who are spoiled and one teenager who is not.

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