Body piercing is often misunderstood — viewed as rebellion, provocation, or simply a trend. But for 17-year-old Dellvinna, it’s far more personal. Each piercing tells a story, a timeline of emotions and experiences that words often fail to capture.
“Many older people assume that individuals with piercings are troublemakers or lack education,” she said. “But they don’t know the stories behind them.”
Dellvinna speaks from experience. “I’ve met people covered in piercings who are some of the kindest individuals I know. In my hardest moments, it was often these people — the ones society frowned upon — who helped me the most. I’ve always believed you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”
She had her first piercing at 14 — a nostril piercing that sparked her journey. What began as curiosity quickly became a personal form of self-expression. “I felt it elevated my look. It gave me confidence and a sense of identity,” she said.
Now, with 15 piercings and counting, each piece of metal marks a milestone or moment. “I have six on my left ear, five on my right, one on my left nostril, two on the right, and one on my lip. It might sound like a lot, but to me, it still doesn’t feel like enough.”
Dellvinna hopes to get more, including piercings on her eyebrow, tongue, and another on her lips. “I’m even considering a Monroe piercing — the kind above the lip, inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s beauty mark.”
Among her favourites are her helix and nostril piercings. “They’re bold and expressive. They reflect my personality. And the stories behind them are just as significant.”
She recalls each moment vividly. “My nostril piercing came after a period of academic disappointment — when I felt like I wasn’t making my parents proud. The helix was during a time I felt lost. My first lobe piercing? That was a symbol of a new beginning.”
Her lip piercing, she revealed with a smile, came about in a rather unusual way. “I had an ulcer that wouldn’t heal, so I thought — why not just pierce it? The ulcer healed, and now I have a new piercing!”
As for her parents, Dellvinna said they’ve always been supportive. “They’re fine with it. My mum actually has multiple piercings too.”
Her interest in piercings eventually led her to learn how to do it herself. Initially visiting professionals, Dellvinna now pierces herself using proper tools and techniques. With guidance from YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, she’s learned to pierce safely.
“Before piercing, I clean the area with alcohol swabs and sterilise my tools in hot water. If an infection occurs, I use a warm saltwater solution — never alcohol, because it can slow healing.”
Despite the stares, assumptions, and whispers, Dellvinna wears her piercings with pride — not as defiance, but as a reflection of her journey, strength, and selfhood.
For her, piercing isn’t about aesthetics alone. It’s a way of reclaiming her narrative — one piercing at a time.
