Body piercing
pierce; piercing; ear; mouth; lip; tongue; body; pierced; earring;
Contents
Piercing of the ear lobe has wide community acceptance, even for very young children - but other piercings are becoming more common, and there are more concerns about them.
Getting a piercing can be a statement by a young person about who they are. It is a form of body art that is less permanent than tattooing, yet still daring. Ears, necks, lips, nose, eyebrows, cheeks, tongues, nipples, in between fingers and toes, navels and genitals are amongst the areas of the body that people have had pierced.
More information
Department of Health (South Australia) Public Health Fact Sheet 'Safe practices for tattooing and body piercing'
http://www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/PDF-files/ph-factsheet-tattoo-piercing.pdf
The law in South Australia
- Unlike tattooing, there is no minimum age for body piercing and no legal requirement for parental consent for children under 18 years in South Australia.
- Individual businesses which provide body piercing may have their own practice guidelines about getting parental consent for children under 18 or 16 years, but they do not have to do this.
- It is very unlikely that a reputable piercer will agree to pierce the ears of a young child unless a parent is present, the parent gives consent and learns how to care for the piercing.
- While many businesses provide some training for staff who will do piercings, this is again not a legal requirement.
Recently there has been a Parliamentary Select Committee on tattooing and body piercing which has made recommendations about many issues, including age for consent, but this has not been discussed in Parliament or enacted in law.
One reason cited for not having a minimum age for consent is that if a young person cannot get the piercing done by a trained person because of age limits, they may be at risk having it done by an untrained person.
History
Body piercing is not a new practice.
- Ear lobes have been pierced for many years in many countries.
- In some cultures people adorn their face with nostril piercing.
- Septum piercing (through the nose) takes place in some traditional African and New Guinean societies.
- Lip and cheek piercing have been common in many tribal societies.
What can go wrong - risks?
- If sterile equipment and careful infection control practices are not used, there are risks of passing on infections like hepatitis B and C, HIV, and tetanus.
- There is a risk of infection at the site of the piercing. Infections can become severe and may need antibiotics and removal of the piercing. This happens often with piercings of the tongue or lip.
- There can be bleeding at the site of the piercing. Tongue piercings often bleed a lot.
- There can be an allergic reaction to the metal, especially if there is nickle in the metal.
- There will be a permanent scar.
- There is a risk of keloid scar formation - a large scar from a small wound.
- Genital piercing increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy because the jewellery can cause a condom to break and because the piercing can be a point for an infection to enter the body.
- Some women have reported that it is more difficult to breastfeed after getting nipples pierced, possibly due to the milk ducts being blocked by jewellery and by scar tissue. A breastfeeding woman would have to take the jewellery out until after the baby is weaned.
- Mouth jewellery may damage teeth and gums, especially when tongue or lip jewellery taps on the teeth.
If there is any infection, it is important to consult a doctor quickly.
Things to consider before piercing
If a young person is considering piercing, it's good to have a lot of knowledge first. Here are some questions to ask to help them make their decision.
- Ask why they want to get pierced. Is it a rebellion, a way to stand out, or is it more of a personal statement, something they feel strongly about?
- Ask them to talk to people that they know have had a piercing. What was it like for them? Would they do it again?
- Where on their body will they have the piercing? Remember that some people can be quite judgemental about piercing and about a person's appearance, and this can lessen their chances of getting a job (especially a conservative job).
- Do they understand that if at a later date they decide to take the jewellery out, there will be some scarring – and that this will be more obvious on the more exposed parts of the body such as the face? What rules does their place of work or their school have about piercing?
- If they play sport, can they keep the jewellery in while playing, or is there a danger it can get caught and tear?
What do you feel about it? Is this going to cause conflict at home?
Choosing a reputable piercer
If they decide to go ahead and get a piercing, there are some important things to find out first so that they can try and avoid the piercing pitfalls.
- It's important to go to a reputable piercer. There are many things that have to be carefully considered by the piercer including the right size jewellery, the right type of metal for different body parts, sterilisation of equipment and correct positioning of the piercing using some knowledge of the human anatomy.
- Ask around for names of reputable piercers. There are no legal regulations for the training of body piercers. This means that some piercers may not be well trained. They will have varying degrees of formal training, experience, knowledge and skill.
- Don't get just anyone to do it. Although piercers do not have 'formal' training, a reputable piercer still has lots more knowledge than a young person's friends doing the piercing at home.
Ask the piercer the following questions:
- Is all the equipment sterile? Equipment should be in new sterile packaging and then thrown out immediately after use or properly sterilised in an autoclave (an autoclave kills germs with high temperatures).
- Is a brand new sterile needle used for each customer? It should then be disposed of in a locked sharps container.
- Are new, clean disposable gloves used for each customer?
- Does the piercer have knowledge about the human anatomy and the location of various nerves and other structures that lie beneath the skin and must be avoided?
- Does the piercer give every customer information about proper aftercare of their piercing?
- Is the piercer available for any questions they may have after the piercing?
- What is the piercer's knowledge about correct jewellery to be used? The jewellery must be the right gauge or thickness for the particular piercing, as well as the right type of metal.
Have a look for yourself and make sure the place is clean.
- The piercer should be clean, helpful, and knowledgeable, and give all the information needed to guide the young person through the experience.
- Remember - it is important to choose a reputable piercer and to be given a quality service. If you are not happy with the attitude of the piercer, or the appearance of the business, don't be afraid to walk out. There are better places to choose from.
Aftercare
Aftercare instructions vary depending on the type of piercing. The piercer should give detailed instructions to follow to take care of the piercing. It can be a good idea to ask about the instructions before the piercing, as it can be hard to concentrate afterwards, especially if the person feels a little dizzy or light-headed. Ask the piercer to write down the aftercare instructions.
Some general rules
- Ear piercing can take several months to heal completely. For the first 6 to 8 weeks it is best not to take the stud out. Turn it often. Piercings in other parts of the body can take even longer to heal.
- Never touch a piercing with dirty hands.
- Follow the piercer's instructions carefully.
- Use products suggested by the piercer, as different products might be used for different areas of the body.
- If they have an oral piercing (a piercing in the mouth), avoid smoking or drinking alcohol, at least until it has fully healed.
- Use condoms or dental dams for sex, including oral sex, if they have a genital or oral piercing.
- See a health professional quickly if they have pain or an infection.
Healing time
Healing times vary from weeks to a year. It depends on:
- the part of the body being pierced, eg. ear lobes heal quicker than the cartilage at the top of the ear.
- the body's reaction to the piercing, eg. some people can be sensitive to the metal used.
- how well they care for the piercing.
Ask the piercer about expected healing times for various body parts.
References
South Australian House of Assembly. 'Report of the Select Committee on the tattooing and body piercing industries'. published 19th October 2005: Report
Department of Health South Australia. 'Safe practices for tattooing and body piercing':
http://www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/PDF-files/ph-factsheet-tattoo-piercing.pdf
Gunter, T & McDowell, B. 'Body piercing: issues in adolescent health'. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing. Philadelphia: Apr-Jun 2004; 9(2): 67-70
Muldoon, K (1997). 'Body Piercing in Adolescents'. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, pp 298-301, November/December, 1997.
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.