Risks
Almost anything on the body can be pierced or tattooed. However, both procedures come with risks. Although you can significantly reduce those risks going to a hygienic professional business, complications still can occur. Never pierce or tattoo anyone yourself, or allow an amateur to do the piercing or tattooing.
Dermatologists say children shouldn’t get anything other than their earlobes pierced because of the greater risk of infection – and even earlobe piercing has its risks. Besides the safety concerns, delaying the decision to get a piercing or tattoo until adulthood makes sense for a number of reasons:
- Both are considered permanent and though removal is possible, it’s not easy or perfect.
- Tattoos stretch as a child grows.
- Perhaps most importantly, a tattoo or unusual piercing may seem hip when you’re young, but don’t seem quite as cool when you’re applying for a job or bouncing your grandchild on your knee.
The risks of piercing and tattooing are:
Keloids – Keloids are essentially lumps or bumpy scars that can show up after piercing or tattooing. They’re more common in African Americans and the tendency to get them often is inherited. No one’s sure why keloids form, although some think it’s the body’s overreaction to an injury. Treatment includes surgery, and injections of medicine such as steroids or interferon. Doctors also can freeze keloids (with liquid nitrogen) or treat them with creams. However, they are difficult to completely remove and part of the keloid may remain.- Infections – All kinds of infections can occur after piercing. They range from common infections easily treated with antibiotics to more serious infections that can cause toxic shock syndrome or a severe blood disease called sepsis. Cartilage (around the edge of the ear) is particularly vulnerable to infections when pierced, which is why dermatologists recommend against piercing that area, especially in children. Bacterial infection, abscesses (which form pus) and inflammation are more likely to occur in cartilage. In rare cases, an infection may destroy the cartilage. Navel, tongue, eyebrow and lip piercings are vulnerable to abscesses because these areas are in contact with foreign materials. The genitals and nose also are vulnerable because of moisture in the area. Possible infections resulting from tattooing include impetigo, staph, cellulitis (a deeper, more serious skin infection) and tuberculosis. Antimicrobial medications treat most infections.
Allergic reaction – Nickel, white gold and cobalt used in some jewelry can cause an allergic reaction, making the skin red and itchy. Dermatologists recommend using “hypoallergenic” jewelry. Look for surgical-grade stainless steel, titanium, 14- or 18-karat yellow gold, or a metal called niobium. Tattoo dyes include metal, and can trigger allergic reactions, including redness and granulomas, or lumps. Tattoo dyes can cause allergic reactions even years later. Granuloma treatment includes steroids or removal of the tattoo. Even temporary henna tattoos can cause mild eczema, blistering and scarring if they contain a black dye made with achemical called para-phenylenediamine, or PPD.
Torn earlobes – Earrings can catch in clothing or hair and be ripped out. This tears the lobe, and requires surgical repair. - Hepatitis – Piercing and tattooing increase the risk of acquiring hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis is a serious disease that increases the risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis, a liver disease. It isn’t curable, but can be treated. One study found people with tattoos were six times more likely to have hepatitis C than those who didn’t have tattoos. That doesn’t mean they all got hepatitis C from being tattooed, but it is possible to contract the disease that way.
- Vascular growths – These are bumps fed by the vascular system, meaning they are filled with blood. These growths can bleed and should be surgically removed.
- Embedding or rejection of jewelry – Skin can grow over the piercing jewelry. The body sometimes even rejects jewelry, actually pushing it out.
- Interference with medical tests – The metal-based pigments in some tattoos can interfere with some medical tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During an MRI, skin adorned with a tattoo can burn or swell. Tattoos also can interfere with the image quality of an MRI.
- Injuries – The jewelry used in piercings can cause problems. It can catch in clothing or during activities – such as sports – and be ripped out. This tears the skin and can leave a scar. Tongue piercing jewelry can chip and fracture teeth and cause receding gums.
Note: Although it is possible to acquire HIV from piercing or tattooing, there have been no documented cases of this happening at a professional business. There are cases of HIV transmission as a result of amateur tattooing.
If any problems develop after piercing or tattooing, see a dermatologist right away.
Next: How They're Done
Photo references:
Keloid and Allegic reaction: Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.
Torn earlobe: This photo was previously published in the Journal of the American
Academy of Dermatology, 1998 June,38(6):990-991. Surgical Pearl: Repair of split or deformed ear lobe with a tongue depressor blade for stabilization during surgery.” Copyright Elsevier (1998).
