Steph Simpson
Whilst the concept behind body piercings, and indeed body modification of any kind for that matter, is nothing new, when you consider some of the pretty extreme examples that are currently available, all of a sudden you realize just what an impact these modifications can have on our bodies, and indeed our personal lives and health for that matter. Some people may think a piercing is something as simple as making a hole in the body, fitting a stud or earring, and then being on your merry way, but in reality, there are many risks and complications associated with body piercings that you must be aware of before you make the decision to have any part of your anatomy pierced. Of course, 90% of the time, the piercings are performed by experts, using specialist materials and equipment, and they are also very well cared for and very well maintained in the process. Sometimes however, people are negligent or just take shortcuts, which is just not a viable option for when it comes to piercings. To help make you aware of the impacts and dangers associated with body piercings, here’s a look at a few of the main risks and dangers associated with body piercings.
Scarring – First and foremost, one of the main things to consider when it comes to body piercings is the fact that these piercings can leave scars that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Even though you may absolutely adore your piercing when you first have it done, several years down the line you may find yourself changing your mind, which could then result in you removing the piercing, and being left with a pretty noticeable scar in the process. Eyebrow piercings for example, leave very noticeable scars, and even if you adore the piercing and don’t decide to remove it, it may migrate or be rejected by the body, which will still leave you with a scar.
Tissue damage – Another risk associated with body piercings is the risk of damage to your soft tissue on your body. This damage to the tissue can result in nerve damage, inflammation, swelling, tenderness, loss of feeling, and much more besides. Again, if you have an eyebrow piercing, if that caused complications, these complications could then possibly result in damage to the tissue surrounding the eyes, which is obviously not very pleasant at all.
Pain – We all have different pain thresholds and tolerances, yet the one thing that we can all agree on, is the fact that, no matter what your pain threshold and tolerance may be, you obviously will not enjoy experiencing any type of pain or discomfort in the slightest. Another risk associated with body piercings is the fact that they could potentially cause you a great deal of pain and discomfort, and not just when you initially have the piercing done either. Often, the actual piercing itself isn’t that bad as you may have numbing creams and agents to help reduce the amount of pain you experience. As time goes by however, if the piercing was to become infected or irritated, it could become incredibly painful, which would severely impact your way of life, in a decidedly negative manner. Sleeping could be painful, getting dressed could be painful, bathing could be painful, even walking or turning your head could be painful. This is why correct aftercare procedures are so important, yet even so, a healthy aftercare routine isn’t guaranteed to protect you entirely.
Infection – When you have your body pierced, you are literally making a hole in your body, which will then basically be an open wound. As the open wound will be exposed, it will be vulnerable to a whole range of various bacteria and other contaminants that could potentially cause a pretty nasty infection. All it takes is one dirty hand or finger to graze the piercing, and the bacteria could then invade your skin cells, taking them over and resulting in a very painful, very dangerous infection. It may sound extreme, but there are plenty of people who have died as a result of infection complications regarding new body piercings, so as far as they go, don’t take any chances and be as clean and as hygienic as you possibly can.
Personal problems – Let’s face it, although it isn’t really fair to judge a book by its cover, if a candidate walked in for a job interview at a bank, with several piercings in their face, there is a very strong possibility that they would not be hired, and if they were hired, they would not be allowed to wear their piercings. Some piercings can make it tougher to land jobs and job interviews, plus they may have negative personal impacts in other ways as they could make it tough to engage in sports or physical activities.