Dangers Of Body Piercing

Holes in our body – that are decorated with rings and studs – have always been considered a mark of beauty and refinement. People in India have been getting their body parts pierced for centuries by now, with piercing of the ears being just the tip of the iceberg. People pierce the ears multiple times and wear all different kinds of embellishments, which range from good, heavy to downright unbearable. Women get their noses pierced after marriage – some pierce the left nostril, some the right one, some pierce both and yet others pierce the membrane between the two nostrils. Many piercings have physiological significance, especially according to acupuncture. However, most often, people do not pay attention to the safety measures to be followed when getting a body part pierced. They forget that there are many complications involved when it comes to getting piercings done. If you would like to take the pains to have full knowledge, here are some dangers due to piercing the body parts.

 

Body Piercing Side Effects 

Here are some side effects that occur as a result of body piercing:

 

Infection 

Most of us must have faced this issue at least once during the time we pierced any part of the body. Infection of the part of the body that has been pierced is almost inevitable and experienced piercing artists almost always caution their customers against any impending infection, be it in the form of swelling, excessive bleeding, pus collection or even blood poisoning.

 

Allergic Reactions To Metal 

Many of us do not realise that our skin is sensitive to the body part till we get ourselves pierced and begin to wear jewellery of that particular metal on a regular basis. In fact, many people are even allergic to conventional precious metals like gold and silver, instead of other metals. In such situations, the affected part experiences itchiness, rashes, bleeding and swelling. At times people may even experience difficulty in breathing and in some cases people have been hospitalised due to the issues caused by badly done piercings.

 

Damage To Nerves 

Most experienced piercing artists and jewellers know the anatomy of the various parts that they have normally been piercing, and do not often make mistakes when it comes to piercing. However, there have been cases where, because of the negligence of the artist or due to the impatience of the customer to sit still while it lasts, the piercing gets wrongly placed and ends up being pushed through a nerve. In many such cases the area affected thus, completely loses all sense of feeling and becomes permanently numb.

 

Excessive Bleeding 

Though bleeding is natural in the process of getting the body pierced, if you happen to hit a large or major blood vessel, it may become extremely difficult to stop the bleeding and some people find themselves in the emergency room getting it cauterized because of the complications caused by it.

 

Risk Of Cross Contamination  

Most people, who claim to be piercing artists, especially in a country like India, are unregistered, know nothing about the safety precautions and do not always sterilize the needles properly before and after using them on people. In many such cases, unsuspecting customers run high risks of becoming a victim to diseases that spread through blood like Hepatitis, the HIV virus and so on.

 

Inability To Donate Blood 

A very welcome trend among people these days is their willingness to donate blood on a regular basis. Or there could be someone in the family or close friend circle who is in urgent need of blood due to surgery or an accident or any other reason. In such cases, those who wish to offer blood to others are cautioned not to donate blood for at least a period of one year after having got a piercing. There are absolutely no exceptions to the rule.

Dental Risks 

Since people do not just stop at piercing ears or nostrils – and even extend up to the eyebrow or even the tongue, the issues caused due to piercings also keep innovating themselves. People have run into several problems that are caused by oral piercings, which can range from chipped teeth, worn tooth enamel to damage caused to the gums and jaw line from the pierced jewellery, and even inhaling of a loose piece of jewellery into the lungs. Infection and swelling of the tongue is another common issue, and is very painful.