Body piercing has become quite fashionable over the years and has expanded to all parts of the body. It seems that there is not anything that you cannot pierce and while it is always interesting to look at, it is important that you realize the health risks involved with piercing your body. It is also important you know how to make sure that the piercing salon is safe and clean and never be afraid to ask questions. Before you decide to get a piercing on your body there are many things that you should consider and think about. Choosing the place to get your body pierced is like choosing a doctor; you want to make sure that it is a comfortable, clean and credible place. So before you decide on the perfect piercing salon, check out if they have the following:
This organization is the gold standard for piercers. They set the standards for piercing salons and abide by all federal regulations and cleanliness guidelines. If the salon has an APP license then you know that they are clean and up to standard. However, it is important to note that the APP license expires but you should also look to see if the salon has a permit from the public health department. The Los Angeles Public Health Department has a variety of permits that the body art studio must have in order to operate and be deemed safe for piercing but many other states do not have regulations or permits for body art salons. 1,2
This sounds odd and one would not assume that there should be a “proper set-up” to a piercing salon but according the APP, a studio should have five rooms . There should be a main room, which includes a counter and a merchandising area, a waiting room for the piercees and a room where the piercing takes place. There should also be a bathroom and a separate room for sterilizing. If anything looks dirty to you in any of those rooms, find another piercing salon. The salon should be willing to show you all of these rooms and should prepare for your piercing in front of you. That includes washing his or her hands, obtaining sealed packages of needles and opening them in front of you. If the piercer touches anything in the room other than you or the equipment while gloved, he or she should change their gloves before proceeding. Does the studio have clean walls and a clean bathroom? Does the staff smell like they haven't showered or the counter area looks like it has two years of dust on it? If so, walk out. There are plenty of clean salons out there and you shouldn't risk your health just to say that you got pierced at Dirty Harry's Piercing Parlor. 2
Before you let any piercer touch you with any needle, know this: all needles should be in individual, sealed packages and opened in front of you . After usage they should be deposited into containers labeled “sharps”. These containers are special trashcans for needles. The piercer should never use a needle that has been soaking in a liquid for the liquid can contain harmful bacteria. You should also inquire about or check for a sterilizer/autoclave in the salon. This piece of equipment may the most important because it can indicate how clean the studio is. After every piercing, the piercer should either throw away the needle or sterilize it, along with any other equipment used. If the piercer tells you that they use “dry heat” to sterilize their instruments, walk away. Dry heat is not a sufficient form of sterilization and if you want to find out if their sterilizer works properly, ask them for a recent copy of their spore test results. Spore testing is required if using a sterilizer. If they don't have any, then maybe they don't use it. 2
Although there aren't many regulations on body piercing salons, one exception is about ear piercing guns. Many states are deeming them illegal because they cannot be sterilized and therefore do not meet the criteria for APP piercer's use of sterile disposable equipment 2.
The American Dental Association opposes tongue, lip and/or cheek piercings and deems them public health hazards. The American Academy of Dermatology is against all body piercings with the exception of the ear piercing because there is enough fatty tissue in the ear lobe and it has a good blood supply 2 .
It is important to also consider what kind of jewelry you want to put on your body. Everyone wants something fashionable and eye catching but be careful that you don't get something that your body cannot handle. If it is too thick or too wide your body might reject it. To be aware of what fits your body and what does not, look at the width (diameter) or gauge of the ring, and look at the length of the bar. A good piercer will know what is appropriate. The other factor to take into consideration is the thickness of the jewelry. For any piercings below the neck the gauge should be no thinner than 14. It is also important to make sure that you are not allergic to a certain metal. Some people are allergic to certain types of silver so find out exactly what the jewelry is made of to avoid any allergic reaction 2 .
Finally, once you have pierced yourself, the salon should provide you with an aftercare sheet that is thorough and detailed. It should tell you how to take care of your piercing and what to clean it with. If it tells you to clean it with ointment or hydrogen peroxide, run! The APP recommends using either mild liquid antimicrobial medicated soap or salt water soaks to clean body piercings. The salon should be able to answer any questions that you might have and should be able to provide follow up advice. During the healing process for oral piercings you should replace your toothbrush with a new one and keep it extra clean to avoid a bacterial infection. Also, don't share plates, eating utensils or cups, keep anything dirty away from your face and if you have an oral piercing avoid excessive talking and all oral sexual contact for the duration of the healing process. Applying ice to the piercing can help the swelling to go down and taking Ibuprofen is okay as long as taken as prescribed 2 .
Be wise about getting a piercing and make sure that you check out the entire facility before you make the decision. Some states are starting to ban all minors from getting any piercing or tattoo and other states are beginning to have stricter guidelines about parental consent for minors receiving piercings.
Consider all of the health risks that are involved with getting a piercing. The most common infection from a piercing is a cyst or a boil developing on or under the skin but there are many more possibly side effects and problems that can be acquired. If pierced you may develop:
It is suggested that you seek a second opinion from a doctor before getting anything pierced if you have one of the following conditions:
*If you want to pierce surgically altered or irregular anatomy it may be wise to consult a health professional before piercing your body.
Think again, the United States and the Canadian Red Cross will not accept blood donations from anyone who has had a body piercing within a year because the procedures can transmit dangerous bloodborne diseases 3 .
