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Main >> News Listing >> June 2004 >> Article ID 5714
 Body Piercing: Pleasure or pain? | Type: Internet Article |
| | Body Piercing: Pleasure or pain? | Jun 06, 2004 | by Ashwathi Venugopal
Summary:
Fashion icons like Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and Christina Aguilera have globalised this body art. |
Over the years, the concept of 'body art' has become commonplace for many people, especially teenagers. You can seldom visit a shopping mall or walk down a street without encountering victims of body piercing.
Body piercing, which has been practised in many cultures for many centuries, was often identified with royalty and portrayed strength and virility.
The body-piercing trend is at its peak today, with even the kids now succumbing to its clutches. Fashion icons like Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and Christina Aguilera have globalised this body art.
Like with anything else, body piercing too has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, with the latter considerably overruling the former.
Dr P Mohan Kumar, a dermatologist with Ahalia Hospital, Abu Dhabi, believes that other than serving as a fashion accessory, body piercing does not have any other advantage to its credit. "There are a lot of risks involved in body piercing, as it could lead to infections and further complications," he said.
"If the piercing is done under sterile conditions, then the risk factor is considerably lower. If not used in sterile conditions, piercing lead to transmission of various deadly diseases including HIV, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, and even lead to foreign body reactions."
His statement is supported by Dr Anita Menon, a general practitioner in Abu Dhabi, who finds the concept of 'beautification' through body piercing ironic. "Instead of making you feel good, improper piercing can damage your organs in the long run," she said. "Mouth and nose piercings can cause infections due to the millions of bacteria that thrive in those areas. Tongue, cheek and lip piercings can cause gum problems. Navel piercings become infected easily if you wear tight-fitting clothes that do not allow proper air circulation and allow moisture to collect around the piercing site."
Certain studies have shown that people who are prone to heart diseases might have a higher risk of developing an infection after body piercing. It is advisable to stay away from piercings, if you have a medical problem that affects your immune system. Also, it is not a good idea to get a body piercing done if you are prone to getting keloids.
However, if you are bent on getting a piercing, make sure that it is done by a professional. It's always a good idea to do a bit of investigative work about a shop's procedures and find out whether they provide a safe and reliable environment for their customers.
Every shop should have an autoclave (a sterilising machine) and should keep instruments in sealed packets. You must ensure that the person doing the piercing washes his hands with a germicidal soap wears disposable gloves and uses sterilised or disposable instruments.
Make sure that you ask about the types of jewellery the shop offers because some people have allergic reactions to some types of metals. Only non-toxic metals such as surgical steel, solid 14 carat or 18-carat gold, niobium, titanium and platinum should be used. Once the piercing is done, you may experience some temporary symptoms including pain and swelling, which are quite normal. However, if you have signs of chronic infection, uncontrollable or prolonged bleeding, scarring, Hepatitis B and C, skin allergies, abscesses or boils and inflammation or nerve damage, then contact your doctor immediately.
Moreover, if you're thinking of donating blood, keep in mind that some organisations will not accept blood donations from anyone who has had a body piercing within the last year, because it can transmit blood-borne diseases. All said and done, the body-piercing trend continues to be a style statement among people. True, body piercing does look 'cool' and can do wonders to your ego. But is it really worth the pain and the risk? |
 Source: Khaleej Times Online | |
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