In recent years, body piercing has increased in popularity and social acceptance. Piercing of various body parts with jewelry is no longer limited to teenagers, as evidenced by the growing number of adults with multiple ear pierc-ings. Family physicians should be familiar with body piercing practices and associated health risks (Table 11-14). No reliable esti-mates are available for the number of persons who have experienced complications related to body piercing. Persons with increased vulnerability to infection (e.g., patients with diabetes, patients taking corticosteroids) and those who have an increased likelihood of hemorrhage (e.g., persons taking antico- agulant medication) may be at greater risk of complications from body piercing.
Body Piercing Jewelry
Most body piercing jewelry consists of rings,hoops, studs, or barbell-shaped ornaments.The size and shape of jewelry is determined by the body site pierced and personal prefer-ences. Jewelry is not always interchangeable between piercing sites. In particular, jewelry designed for ear piercing may not be suitable for another part of the body because of the length of the post or the pressure exerted by the clasp. Most body piercing jewelry is made of metal, usually stainless steel, gold, niobium, titanium, or alloys. Surgical stainless steel rarely causes allergic skin reactions; how-ever, not all stainless steel products are nickel-free. 15 Gold often is combined with nickel or other metals to make alloys that have improved hardness and durability. Nickel in gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry is associated with a high prevalence of reac-tivity in persons who are nickel sensitive. Consumers must pay careful attention to the stud or clasp on earrings; jewelry with a high karat rating commonly is paired with less expensive gold-plated studs or earring backs. Niobium and titanium are light-weight elemental metals that rarely produce an allergic response. Other features to con-sider in body piercing jewelry include ease of removal (in case of trauma or radiographs),surface smoothness, and its capacity to with-stand autoclaving and cleaning.
Complications of Body Piercing (Part 1)
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