Honest and open conversations between parents and teens—discussing the pros, cons, and underlying intentions—are essential. Avoiding Infection After Ear Piercing. How to Communicate with and Listen to Your Teen.
You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Turn on more accessible mode. Turn off more accessible mode. Skip Ribbon Commands. Skip to main content. Turn off Animations. Turn on Animations. Our Sponsors Log in Register. Log in Register. Ages and Stages. Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Page Content. Complications from Body Piercing: Infection at the pierced site.
Pointed earring posts may cause pressure sores or skin irritation when worn during sleep. Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Body Piercing: Can a teen under the age of 18 a minor by the law unaccompanied by his or her parent, walk right into a piercing studio and get a piercing?
I've heard that pediatricians can pierce ears, etc. Is that true? What questions should I ask about a piercing studio's process before my teen decides to get it? I think my daughter's piercing is infected. What are the signs? What should I do? A small amount of blood or fluid may drain from the site. If a sterile technique is not used, there is a chance of spreading diseases, such as hepatitis B , hepatitis C , or HIV human immunodeficiency virus.
Blood infections sepsis can occur if a sterile technique is not used. You can reverse a body piercing fairly easily by removing the jewelry, which allows the hole to close.
If you have not yet made a decision about piercing, it may be helpful to learn about making the choice to have a piercing and how to prevent problems.
If you have a problem with a body piercing site, check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor. Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need.
These include:. You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home. You may need a tetanus shot depending on how dirty the wound is and how long it has been since your last shot. Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness.
Some examples in adults are:. A severe reaction can be life-threatening. If you have had a bad allergic reaction to a substance before and are exposed to it again, treat any symptoms as an emergency.
Even if the symptoms are mild at first, they may quickly become very severe. If proper technique and clean instruments are not used, there is a chance of getting an infectious disease when you get a tattoo or body piercing.
Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care. Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.
Sometimes people don't want to call They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call for medical transport to the hospital. Most body piercing wounds can be cared for at home.
If you received written instructions from the person who did the body piercing, follow those instructions carefully. This will help prevent problems and promote healing. How fast the wound heals depends on the piercing site.
The wound may take 4 to 6 weeks or longer to heal. Some sites may take up to a year to heal fully. Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:. Do what you can to help prevent problems. Think about the following guidelines and information before making your decision to pierce a part of your body. To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment. You can help your health professional diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:.
Blahd Jr. Gabica MD - Family Medicine. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Body Piercing Problems. Topic Overview Body piercings Body piercing is very popular with both men and women. Common problems that develop from body piercing include: Infection of the site.
Infection of the mouth or lips may cause speech, chewing, or swallowing problems or swelling that can block the throat. Infection of a nipple can scar the breast tissue and limit the ability to breastfeed later. The infection may be potentially serious or life-threatening and involve the entire body systemic. Splitting or tearing of the skin, which may cause the formation of scar tissue.
Problems with the type of jewelry used, including allergies to a metal. Make sure you use the type of jewelry designed for your piercing site.
Only use nonallergenic jewelry. Surgical stainless steel, gold, platinum, niobium, and titanium are the only types of jewelry you should use in a new piercing. Other problems caused by the jewelry. Jewelry in the mouth or lips can cause chipping or cracking of the teeth, gum problems, and difficulty chewing or swallowing. Jewelry can also become loose and be swallowed. Jewelry in the navel can get caught on clothing and linens.
This constant irritation can delay healing. Navel piercings can take up to a year to heal completely. Jewelry in the genital area may cause injury to you or your sex partner. It also can cause condom breakage, increasing the risk of pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted infections. Piercings in the penis can decrease a man's ability to get or maintain an erection.
Damage to underlying blood vessels or nerves. Scarring of the piercing site. Check Your Symptoms Do you have a concern about a body piercing? How old are you? Less than 12 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.
If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
Ornaments in the second earlobe orifice or the use of earlobe stretching plugs were not considered as piercings. The emphasis on tobacco was due to its important role in skin healing, with those having smoked a minimum of five packs or cigarettes during their lifetimes defined as smokers, and those who meet the definition of a smoker, but were not current users, as former smokers.
Physical activity was defined according to World Health Organization WHO criteria as the completion of at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most days of the week. Sample selection was non-probabilistic, by convenience and occurred through detailed explanations about the research. Those who answered affirmatively were asked to participate in an assessment and screening session for the study.
Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, pre-tested by three professors of medicine and applied as a pilot in five students. This data collection instrument was comprised of closed questions to check the students' sociodemographic features such as gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, and behavioral and health aspects, including immunization coverage; and technical issues regarding piercings type, location, quantity, hygiene procedures.
To verify the complications and medical treatments secondary to the piercing procedure, we used clinical and cutaneous data recall, medical history and physical examination.
After data collection and assessment, students were informed about preventive measures regarding infections and dermatoses. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, according to the nature of the evaluated variables. Quantitative variables were expressed as means and standard deviations, and categorical variables using absolute and relative frequencies. The absolute frequencies of skin lesions' categorical variables in the different anatomical locations ear, navel and others were compared between piercing wearers through the Chi-Square Test for k proportions, followed by multiple comparisons between analyzed category frequencies by the Marascuilo procedure.
These categorical variables were expressed in cross tables and, when necessary, by column charts. All statistical analyzes were performed using the statistical program XLStat The sample consisted of 58 students of a private medical institution, who had worn piercings regularly for more than six months. There was a predominance of Caucasians Regarding health features, eight students Forty-eight students As for lifestyle characteristics, six students were smokers Among the subjects analyzed, 27 The minimum age for piercing insertion was 12 years old, maximum of 23 years and median of 15 years.
Thirteen students The amount of body piercings was one to two In assessing the characteristics of insertion procedures, data showed that body piercing was performed in specialized studios Among the participants in the sample, 27 completed a registration form on the use of piercing Upon insertion of the piercing, the professional wore gloves Regarding hygiene habits, 33 students cleansed the adornment daily Fifty-three students had worn the piercing for more than five years None of the 58 students in the sample had clinically apparent record of systemic complications.
However, when evaluating the therapeutic approach, we observed a spectrum ranging from no intervention at all Unwanted scars were located mainly in ears and navel. Comparisons between lesions arising in different insertion sites demonstrated homogeneity in all categories among piercing wearing groups Table 3. In this research, piercings were directly associated with adolescence, since all insertions occurred prior to university admission.
Adolescence is a stage of human development, which includes biological, psychological and social changes.
Embellishments and body alterations are present throughout the history of mankind and there are several reasons for their practice in the contemporary world.
The need for experimentation, as well as social factors encouraging embellishment and consumption may favor the decision to wear piercings, further fueled by the industry and trade of body products. The largest proportion of piercings among females, although consistent with the literature 1 , can be related in our research to the growing presence of women in medical courses and the social expectation on the maintenance of aesthetics and beauty standards The quantity of one to two perforations and the preference for metal adornments was similar to findings by other authors.
The most widely used anatomical site for piercing insertion in the studies with Portuguese and Venezuelan medical students was the pinna, whereas in the present study, the navel region predominated. Another reason is the opportunity to show or conceal the existing embellishment in the abdomen. The choice of the navel as a location can still suggest the appraisal for a wellformed and sensuous female figure.
Studies consider piercings as possible indicators of situations involving smoking, alcohol and drug abuse. Educational actions on protection and resilience were suggested to prevent these young people to maintain or initiate the smoking habit during university.
A research conducted on the detection of drug abuse among Brazilian medical students indicated the need to take preventive measures. On the one hand, the rational use of medications during the medical training years can assist in the proper management of patients afterwards, when these students are practicing their profession. However, environmental contamination with medication waste and abuse of psychoactive drugs, are considered problems of great magnitude nowadays.
The priorities, in programs of integral attention to youth and adolescents, are health promotion and disease prevention to minimize future consequences. The lack of straightforward and specific instructions on the risks of piercing wear exposes individuals to the vulnerability of procedures performed by unqualified personnel, which is a global concern.
Such situations are likely to be influenced by the foreign body presence; length of wound re-epithelialization and friction caused by clothing. Piercing materials containing nickel or chromium may cause dermatitis by irritation or sensitization. The individual, who insists on keeping the adornment even with dermatitis, cannot however foresee the development of hypersensitivity. Unsightly scars, caused by the piercing procedure with the purpose of making openings or holes to insert jewelry in that space, can cause physical, social and psychological discomfort.
Since the use of piercing has become increasingly frequent, physicians need to have correct information and guidelines so they can warn and instruct patients and treat conditions and consequences imposed by bodily adornments. It is essential to have the proper training to correct unsightly scars when the patient wants to remove unwanted marks, as well as dexterity to remove piercings, particularly intra-and perioral, in case of complications and emergencies such as traumas.
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