Are you and your teenager considering a body piercing? Is it difficult to see eye-to-eye on this subject, or are you just not sure what the real risks of body piercing are? Sometimes it's hard to separate the facts from the myths surrounding body modification. When that happens, it can make it even harder for parents and teenagers to get to an agreement on whether a body piercing is an acceptable form of self-expression.
First, you should understand that the risks of body piercing are very real. There are genuine problems that can and do arise, and these shouldn't be ignored. Conversely, by taking certain precautions and taking proper care of your piercings, you can minimize your chance of having a problem and greatly increase the chances you will be among the huge numbers of people who find yourself with a healthy, normal piercing.
Which are the health risks of body piercing?
* Infection. Without proper care, infection can cause scarring and even blood poisoning. Infections of piercings are unattractive and can be quite dangerous.
* Allergic Reaction. Some people are sensitive to certain metals and only discover this when they're pierced and have a severe reaction to the jewelry. The rash, swelling, and difficulty breathing can bring about shock and hospitalization.
* Nerve Damage. If a piercing isn't placed carefully, it could be pushed through a nerve, severing it and making the surrounding area permanently deadened to any feeling.
* Excessive Bleeding. This is what it sounds like. Driving under the influence pierced and happens to hit a large blood vessel; you can have difficulty stopping the bleeding and may result in the emergency room getting it cauterized. Not pretty.
* Risk of Cross-Contamination. You may become cross-contaminated by Hepatitis, the HIV virus, or another blood-borne pathogen is you are pierced by improperly sterilized needles.
* Colloids. These are toughened knots of scar tissue that look like cysts at the foot of a piercing that sometimes form for no reason once your there of a piercing.
* Can't donate blood. Is it important so that you can be a blood donor? Is there someone in your family who is ill and may need blood donations soon? Don't get pierced. You cannot donate blood for one year after getting pierced -- no exceptions.
* Dental Risks. There are many problems that can arise from oral piercings, including chipped teeth, worn tooth enamel, damage to the gums and jaw line from wear, and even aspiration (inhaling) of a loose piece of jewelry into the lungs. Infection and swelling of the tongue is another possibility, and is very unpleasant.
Are there other body piercing risks?
It depends on what you consider a risk. There are certainly things you should think of that one could call potential drawbacks to getting pierced. Among these are:
* Pain. How a weenie is you? Folks who want tolerate pain, you might be risking suffering more than you like for your vanity. Some piercings hardly hurt at all, others can be pretty rough for some weeks.
* Cost. Are there the money to pay not only for the piercing and jewelry, but for the aftercare products, such as Provon or Satin and H2Ocean?
* Commitment. You are putting yourself at risk if you fail to clean your piercing every day, two times a day. Period. End of discussion. And you've got to do your sea salt soaks or H2Ocean treatments without fail.
* Judgment of Others. Let's get real. May very well not want to hear this one, but face it; others may judge you based on your piercings, so really think this one through. Will it bother you if others stare as though they that terrifies them you? Would you like to need to explain yourself or remove your piercing for job interviews? Will you feel badly if your piercing upsets your grandparents or family friends?
Okay, we've looked at the risks of body piercing, and you (or your teenager) are still certain that a piercing is a "must have." How will you prevent all those scary possibilities we mentioned in our list of health risks? By looking into it! A good piercing with a low risk of infection or other complications is caused by choosing a good, professional piercer and having the piercing done in the proper environment.
What should you consider in a piercing parlor that will reduce the risks of body piercing?
First impressions count! When you walk in, scan the waiting area. Is it clean, neat and professional looking? If the front of the shop isn't clean, it's a sure thing that they can't keep the back area clean. If you first impression makes you wary, turn around and walk on their way.
Credentials
Check to make certain they are licensed by the local board of health to operate as a piercing studio, and ensure their license hasn't expired. Also look for membership in a recognized group including the Association of Professional Piercers (APP), which sets high standards for membership and requires extensive training. An APP certification will indicate that the piercers have taken classes and been through a rigorous apprenticeship program.
Helpful, Knowledgeable Staff
Ask questions, and several them. If the employees don't know the answers and are more like sales clerks pushing jewelry than anything, you ought to be wary. They may have a superior turn-over of staff i really enjoy seeing; this is a red flag. If, however, they can answer your piercing questions and give you good, clear advice, then they've been well-trained by someone with experience.
The one exception may be if the studio is very large with a few sales people who only work the front counters. If these sounds like the case and you begin asking questions, they should answer honestly likely salespeople, and be willing to refer you to a piercer or apprentice who can discuss your concerns with you. There should invariably be a piercer on location at the studio or parlor only when it's open -- always.
Printed information
Ask to see the aftercare information they provide to individuals getting pierced. If you hear, "Oh, your piercer will explain all that to you," insist on seeing the printed version before getting pierced. If they don't have printed, step-by-step instructions walk away. It is too easy to forget be sure that do, forget the product you have to be using, etc. without having printed instructions. If they aren't willing to spend the money to print the instructions for their clients, who knows where else they may be cutting corners!
Read through the aftercare instructions and see when they are current with the prevailing standards. A sensible way to evaluate this is by checking them against a specific item on sites such as BME, Tribalectic and APP. If the piercing literature still recommends using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, for instance, to clean you're piercing, and then the studio is not checking up on the current research in body piercing care and may cause you unnecessary suffering and longer healing times.
The rules are there for a reason
If you're a teenager and they don't ask for I.D. or tell you an extra shot with a parent or guardian, do not thank your lucky stars. Leave! The law says your parent must be present, and any studio that bends or breaks the rules on one issue will do the same on others.
Put simply, should they be willing to "ignore" one rule to grab your money, they will ignore others to turn a higher profit. They may decide that the expense of an autoclave is unnecessary, or that reusing piercing needles is a terrific way to reduce your cost. You're a minor and have little if any protection without your parents present and they know this -- that's why they do it -- to make the most of you, pure and simple. If you are planning to get pierced, take a parent or guardian with you on your own safety. If they've been cool enough to get this far with you, they'll survive traversing to a piercing parlor, trust me.
The remainder of the place
We've made it past the waiting room and decided that the piercing parlor seems okay so far; they have current credentials and health certificates, their aftercare instructions look good, and they had Dad sign a consent form. Are we all set to go? Not yet. You still need to check a few more things. Don't be afraid to interrogate them about the piercing room and the sterilization process itself. These are two very sound points to consider.
Ask these questions before ever getting pierced:
* Do you sterilize your tools in an autoclave? May I see your most recent spore test results? If they don't do spore testing one or more times a month, don't get pierced there. Spore testing is the only method to know if an autoclave is effectively sterilizing the equipment, and autoclave sterilization is the only method authorized by the Association of Professional Piercers.
* How long will you be piercing, and how did you learn? Body piercing is complex, and any piercer who is a professional will gladly explain where he learned and from whom. It takes a while to learn what forms of jewelry and needles are best for each piercing and to be able to place the piercings optimally. If a piercer seems defensive or less than forthcoming, be hesitant to let him touch you with a needle.
* May I see the room where you'll be doing the piercing, and can I watch you set up? Investigate area where the piercings are done. Do they wipe down the area before every piercing? Do they maintain a clean, dust free environment constantly? When setting up, make certain that the sterilized instruments are put on a tray and not touched except with washed, gloved hands. Make sure the piercer uses gloves for the whole piercing and changes them frequently.
* What type of piercing needles do you use? There is simply one correct answer: Single-use, pre-sterilized, disposable needles. These shouldn't be opened except in your presence before the piercing. If they use a piercing gun for any piercing, leave immediately. No body piercing should ever be done with a piercing gun, which causes bruising, trauma and excessive tearing and bleeding.
"I've chosen the parlor and piercer and I got a really cool body piercing. Now what?"
AFTERCARE!!! Nothing is as crucial to addressing the risks of body piercing as properly following the guidelines for piercing aftercare. Since you've chosen a reliable, professional piercer, you'll find a set of aftercare instructions that will advise you what direction to go to properly care for your piercings.
Do not skip a day because you are too tired, too busy, or because you "forget." Aftercare is literally preventative care -- you are looking after your piercing so that you can prevent an infection and to enable the wound to heal properly. While following your aftercare instructions, watch for signs of trouble to be able to address them early on before they turn into real problems.
Signs of a potential problem that you can bring to the attention of your parents (if you're a minor) or your piercer are:
* Discharge that is green or yellow from the piercing
* Splitting, oozing or cracking and bleeding of a piercing greater week old
* Swelling and redness after the initial few days
* Pain and redness or red streaks radiating out from the piercing
* Migration (movement of the piercing) up through the layers of skin
* Difficulty breathing and swelling of the tongue within hours of a piercing, especially an oral piercing
* A rash or hives soon after a piercing
* A lump or bump forming at the bottom of the piercing
In some instances, you need to see a doctor; in others your piercer are able to advise you on the proper steps to alleviate the situation. The # 1 consideration is to catch any small problems before they turn into big ones. If you follow your aftercare instructions and monitor you're piercing carefully, you can minimize the risks of body piercing to enable you to enjoy your new body piercing completely!
First, you should understand that the risks of body piercing are very real. There are genuine problems that can and do arise, and these shouldn't be ignored. Conversely, by taking certain precautions and taking proper care of your piercings, you can minimize your chance of having a problem and greatly increase the chances you will be among the huge numbers of people who find yourself with a healthy, normal piercing.
Which are the health risks of body piercing?
* Infection. Without proper care, infection can cause scarring and even blood poisoning. Infections of piercings are unattractive and can be quite dangerous.
* Allergic Reaction. Some people are sensitive to certain metals and only discover this when they're pierced and have a severe reaction to the jewelry. The rash, swelling, and difficulty breathing can bring about shock and hospitalization.
* Nerve Damage. If a piercing isn't placed carefully, it could be pushed through a nerve, severing it and making the surrounding area permanently deadened to any feeling.
* Excessive Bleeding. This is what it sounds like. Driving under the influence pierced and happens to hit a large blood vessel; you can have difficulty stopping the bleeding and may result in the emergency room getting it cauterized. Not pretty.
* Risk of Cross-Contamination. You may become cross-contaminated by Hepatitis, the HIV virus, or another blood-borne pathogen is you are pierced by improperly sterilized needles.
* Colloids. These are toughened knots of scar tissue that look like cysts at the foot of a piercing that sometimes form for no reason once your there of a piercing.
* Can't donate blood. Is it important so that you can be a blood donor? Is there someone in your family who is ill and may need blood donations soon? Don't get pierced. You cannot donate blood for one year after getting pierced -- no exceptions.
* Dental Risks. There are many problems that can arise from oral piercings, including chipped teeth, worn tooth enamel, damage to the gums and jaw line from wear, and even aspiration (inhaling) of a loose piece of jewelry into the lungs. Infection and swelling of the tongue is another possibility, and is very unpleasant.
Are there other body piercing risks?
It depends on what you consider a risk. There are certainly things you should think of that one could call potential drawbacks to getting pierced. Among these are:
* Pain. How a weenie is you? Folks who want tolerate pain, you might be risking suffering more than you like for your vanity. Some piercings hardly hurt at all, others can be pretty rough for some weeks.
* Cost. Are there the money to pay not only for the piercing and jewelry, but for the aftercare products, such as Provon or Satin and H2Ocean?
* Commitment. You are putting yourself at risk if you fail to clean your piercing every day, two times a day. Period. End of discussion. And you've got to do your sea salt soaks or H2Ocean treatments without fail.
* Judgment of Others. Let's get real. May very well not want to hear this one, but face it; others may judge you based on your piercings, so really think this one through. Will it bother you if others stare as though they that terrifies them you? Would you like to need to explain yourself or remove your piercing for job interviews? Will you feel badly if your piercing upsets your grandparents or family friends?
Okay, we've looked at the risks of body piercing, and you (or your teenager) are still certain that a piercing is a "must have." How will you prevent all those scary possibilities we mentioned in our list of health risks? By looking into it! A good piercing with a low risk of infection or other complications is caused by choosing a good, professional piercer and having the piercing done in the proper environment.
What should you consider in a piercing parlor that will reduce the risks of body piercing?
First impressions count! When you walk in, scan the waiting area. Is it clean, neat and professional looking? If the front of the shop isn't clean, it's a sure thing that they can't keep the back area clean. If you first impression makes you wary, turn around and walk on their way.
Credentials
Check to make certain they are licensed by the local board of health to operate as a piercing studio, and ensure their license hasn't expired. Also look for membership in a recognized group including the Association of Professional Piercers (APP), which sets high standards for membership and requires extensive training. An APP certification will indicate that the piercers have taken classes and been through a rigorous apprenticeship program.
Helpful, Knowledgeable Staff
Ask questions, and several them. If the employees don't know the answers and are more like sales clerks pushing jewelry than anything, you ought to be wary. They may have a superior turn-over of staff i really enjoy seeing; this is a red flag. If, however, they can answer your piercing questions and give you good, clear advice, then they've been well-trained by someone with experience.
The one exception may be if the studio is very large with a few sales people who only work the front counters. If these sounds like the case and you begin asking questions, they should answer honestly likely salespeople, and be willing to refer you to a piercer or apprentice who can discuss your concerns with you. There should invariably be a piercer on location at the studio or parlor only when it's open -- always.
Printed information
Ask to see the aftercare information they provide to individuals getting pierced. If you hear, "Oh, your piercer will explain all that to you," insist on seeing the printed version before getting pierced. If they don't have printed, step-by-step instructions walk away. It is too easy to forget be sure that do, forget the product you have to be using, etc. without having printed instructions. If they aren't willing to spend the money to print the instructions for their clients, who knows where else they may be cutting corners!
Read through the aftercare instructions and see when they are current with the prevailing standards. A sensible way to evaluate this is by checking them against a specific item on sites such as BME, Tribalectic and APP. If the piercing literature still recommends using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, for instance, to clean you're piercing, and then the studio is not checking up on the current research in body piercing care and may cause you unnecessary suffering and longer healing times.
The rules are there for a reason
If you're a teenager and they don't ask for I.D. or tell you an extra shot with a parent or guardian, do not thank your lucky stars. Leave! The law says your parent must be present, and any studio that bends or breaks the rules on one issue will do the same on others.
Put simply, should they be willing to "ignore" one rule to grab your money, they will ignore others to turn a higher profit. They may decide that the expense of an autoclave is unnecessary, or that reusing piercing needles is a terrific way to reduce your cost. You're a minor and have little if any protection without your parents present and they know this -- that's why they do it -- to make the most of you, pure and simple. If you are planning to get pierced, take a parent or guardian with you on your own safety. If they've been cool enough to get this far with you, they'll survive traversing to a piercing parlor, trust me.
The remainder of the place
We've made it past the waiting room and decided that the piercing parlor seems okay so far; they have current credentials and health certificates, their aftercare instructions look good, and they had Dad sign a consent form. Are we all set to go? Not yet. You still need to check a few more things. Don't be afraid to interrogate them about the piercing room and the sterilization process itself. These are two very sound points to consider.
Ask these questions before ever getting pierced:
* Do you sterilize your tools in an autoclave? May I see your most recent spore test results? If they don't do spore testing one or more times a month, don't get pierced there. Spore testing is the only method to know if an autoclave is effectively sterilizing the equipment, and autoclave sterilization is the only method authorized by the Association of Professional Piercers.
* How long will you be piercing, and how did you learn? Body piercing is complex, and any piercer who is a professional will gladly explain where he learned and from whom. It takes a while to learn what forms of jewelry and needles are best for each piercing and to be able to place the piercings optimally. If a piercer seems defensive or less than forthcoming, be hesitant to let him touch you with a needle.
* May I see the room where you'll be doing the piercing, and can I watch you set up? Investigate area where the piercings are done. Do they wipe down the area before every piercing? Do they maintain a clean, dust free environment constantly? When setting up, make certain that the sterilized instruments are put on a tray and not touched except with washed, gloved hands. Make sure the piercer uses gloves for the whole piercing and changes them frequently.
* What type of piercing needles do you use? There is simply one correct answer: Single-use, pre-sterilized, disposable needles. These shouldn't be opened except in your presence before the piercing. If they use a piercing gun for any piercing, leave immediately. No body piercing should ever be done with a piercing gun, which causes bruising, trauma and excessive tearing and bleeding.
"I've chosen the parlor and piercer and I got a really cool body piercing. Now what?"
AFTERCARE!!! Nothing is as crucial to addressing the risks of body piercing as properly following the guidelines for piercing aftercare. Since you've chosen a reliable, professional piercer, you'll find a set of aftercare instructions that will advise you what direction to go to properly care for your piercings.
Do not skip a day because you are too tired, too busy, or because you "forget." Aftercare is literally preventative care -- you are looking after your piercing so that you can prevent an infection and to enable the wound to heal properly. While following your aftercare instructions, watch for signs of trouble to be able to address them early on before they turn into real problems.
Signs of a potential problem that you can bring to the attention of your parents (if you're a minor) or your piercer are:
* Discharge that is green or yellow from the piercing
* Splitting, oozing or cracking and bleeding of a piercing greater week old
* Swelling and redness after the initial few days
* Pain and redness or red streaks radiating out from the piercing
* Migration (movement of the piercing) up through the layers of skin
* Difficulty breathing and swelling of the tongue within hours of a piercing, especially an oral piercing
* A rash or hives soon after a piercing
* A lump or bump forming at the bottom of the piercing
In some instances, you need to see a doctor; in others your piercer are able to advise you on the proper steps to alleviate the situation. The # 1 consideration is to catch any small problems before they turn into big ones. If you follow your aftercare instructions and monitor you're piercing carefully, you can minimize the risks of body piercing to enable you to enjoy your new body piercing completely!
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