"[The jewelry] serves to highlight the nipples and it looks good," he says.

Norris says the pain caused by the piercing was "minor." But Mark J. Millman '89-'94, who got his nipples piercedtwo years ago, says the pain made him sympathizewith women whose nipples hurt when theymenstruate.

The piercing, however, hurt less than slamminga finger in a car door, Millman says, and besides,the pain was worth it.

Millman decided to get his nipples piercedwhile doing fieldwork for a Folklore and mythologyclass. After interviewing a body-piercer andseveral recipients of body pierces for hisproject, he wanted to experience "the inside ofthe group."

Since most people with nipple pierces wearhoops, says Millman, nipples are pierced with alarge needle attached to a hoop. After thepiercing, the hoop is pinched and closed.

Millman says some people get body pierces tomake a statement, but that wasn't hismotivation--especially since he chose to pierceparts of his body that are normally unexposed.

Norris says he and Zubieta also purposely choseto get pierces in usually clothed parts of theirbodies.

"It's for our own personal knowledge," he says."It's not like an eyebrow or tongue [pierce.]"

According to an employee of Boston's TheJewelry Store, which does nose and ear piercing,infections can arise if body pierces are notproperly cared for an cleaned. But none of thestudents interviewed said their pierces have ledto health problem