Many
teens today have anywhere from one to multiple piercings. It’s pretty, it’s
cool, and it’s sometimes a way to make a statement. Though the actual piercing
itself might hurt a little, it is usually a quick process. It’s after the
piercing, the healing process, that usually gives people trouble. No matter how
people perceive it, having a piercing is having a piece of metal through the
skin, a foreign object that is not really meant to be there. So of course,
after a piercing, swelling is likely to occur. Some people might also have
allergic reactions, or skin infections, or other complications not uncommon
when it comes to piercings.
A little
redness and swelling is normal for new piercings, though some piercing sites
swell more than others. Tongue piercings and piercings on thicker parts of the
cartilage around the ear cause a bit more swelling. I remember that when I got
my conch pierced, my right ear was so red and swelled close to twice the size of my left
ear for nearly three days, that I actually considered removing the piercing. It
eventually got better and I am now in love with it. Redness can also be a sign of
irritation or an allergic reaction. This is usually due to the jewelry,
particularly those with nickel, so be sure to ask the piercer questions about
the jewelry before getting a piercing.
Skin
infections can also occur with piercings. There might be some redness, a little
pain, and a pus-like discharge. A friend of mine got her navel pierced and
ended up removing it after a few weeks because it got infected, so be sure to
clean new piercings really well. Other skin problems, like scars and keloids- “raised
areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue” (Mayo Clinic staff) can also
result from piercings. I have another friend, this time with his industrial pierced, who ended up removing the piercing due to a keloid forming on the back
of his ear.
Other problems include oral
and dental complications that can result from lip and tongue piercings. Both can cause
a chipped tooth and gum bleeding is not entirely uncommon for someone with a
lip piercing. Trauma is another complication associated with piercings, where
the piercing might get caught somewhere causing the skin to tear a little. This
can happen to ear, navel, nipple, and genital piercings and sometimes surgery
may be required to fix some injuries.
So the
bottom line is, piercings may be cool and attractive but getting it done is
only half the battle. It is not worry free, it is something that has to be
taken care of and cleaned regularly. Honestly, it is much more of a commitment
than many people realize. So before getting one, be sure that it’s really what
you want and know the risks that come with it.
Ross, Stephen C., M.D. "UCLA Department of Medicine - Wfsection-Complications of Body Piercing." UCLA Department of Medicine - Wfsection-Complications of Body Piercing. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2013. http://www.med.ucla.edu/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=158.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Piercings: How to Prevent Complications." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 06 Mar. 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/piercings/SN00049.
"Materials Used to Make Body Jewelry." About.com Tattoos / Body Piercings. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2013. http://tattoo.about.com/od/piercingsgeneralinfo/a/bjmaterials.htm.
This is one of my favorite posts of yours. You do a great job with hyperlinks, writing and pacing, and detailing. However, make sure each post in your works cited matches an actual call-out in one of your paragraphs. There must be both for that traditional academic documentation to be fully accurate.
ReplyDeleteThis post reminded me of my own experience getting my navel pierced during my wilder days in my 20s. I think some advice for those who interested in getting tattoos and piercings is that they need to do some research before they just walk in any old place. I got mine done in Key West after a night out and I had trouble for months with nerve damage until my cousin, a nurse, removed the ring for me.
Also, one quibble on your first sentence. Many teens have from 0 to many piercings, right? is that first sentence detailed enough to be even necessary? Make sure topic sentences jump out with details and specifics. Use the language of the field...