The Body Piercing Craze

Body art is controversial, and has many forms of manifestation, some more subtle, other more obvious, defying and even shocking. Tattoos are just one example of what happens when people take to their own skins to assert their personalities. Far from being a practice seen as exclusively reserved for sailors and bikers, tattooing has been taken up by many celebrities, who wear their ink markings proud and show them off whenever they have the chance.

Body piercings are a rather more extreme form of body art, and one that has more potential lasting consequences than getting a tattoo. Of course, they also make much more of a statement and they're far more visible and more difficult to hide away than tattoos. Doctors warn us that they're also very dangerous, and that one in three people who get body piercings will experience some sort of problem connected to them, particularly if they're in a sensitive area. Swelling, infections and bleeding are among the most common, which in some cases can become severe and require medical attention.

A recent study showed that women are three times more likely to get a piercing than a man. Women prefer piercings in their navel, nose, ears, tongue and brows. The types of piercings which are most likely to cause problems are those of the tongue, followed by those made in the genital regions. "If piercing remains fashionable, almost half the female population might eventually have had a body piercing at a site other than the earlobe," predict the authors of a recent study into the complications of such extreme forms of body art.

"Even if serious complications are rare, the popularity of the practice and the fact that complications can occur long after the actual piercing, might place a considerable burden on health services for many years. Health professionals need to be aware of the potential complications of body piercing and the appropriate management," experts advise. This means that if you decide to go for a piercing, make sure you get it in a specialized salon and be sure to ask about specifics on how to take care of the affected area once the piercing is done.