Body piercing - Risks of body piercing

Bacterial infection is the main risk associated with body piercings.

An abscess (build-up of pus) may form around the piercing site. If left untreated, this has the potential to cause a scar and may need to be surgically drained. In some cases, it may develop into blood poisoning (sepsis) or toxic shock syndrome, which can be very serious. Blood poisoning can also occur without an abscess.

Tongue piercings carry a small risk of bacterial infection, despite the high number of bacteria present inside the mouth. Nevertheless, it would be wise to brush your teeth or cleanse your mouth before asking for a tongue piercing. Bleeding from the vein under the front of the tongue can also occur if the piercing is too close to it.

Earlobe piercings are generally safe, but care must still be taken to keep the piercing clean and dry.

You can reduce your risk of developing an infection by keeping the piercing dry. Before touching the piercing, make sure you wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a disposable towel first. However, you should try to avoid touching it if possible – there is no need to turn it. 

See body piercing self-care for more information.

Viruses causing hepatitis or AIDS used to be the main risk from piercings, but now all registered premises use disposable sterile needles and other equipment, so the risk of passing on these infections should now be almost non-existent.

Other general risks

Other possible problems that come with body piercing are:

• bleeding and blood loss, especially in areas of the body with a lot of blood vessels, such as the tongue
• swelling of the skin around the piercing
• scarring and the formation of keloid (a type of oversized scar) – tell your body piercer if you know that your skin has a tendency to form keloid scars

Specific risks

Any piercing that interferes with the normal functioning of the body carries a higher risk of causing problems. Specific piercings each present their own risks, for example:

• Oral (tongue) piercings can cause speech impediments and chipped teeth if the jewellery wears away tooth enamel. There's also a higher risk of bleeding and the risk that your airways will become blocked.
• Genital piercings can interfere with the functions of the genitals, sometimes making sex and urination difficult and painful. This is particularly common with piercings on and around the penis.
• Ear cartilage piercings (at the top of the ear) are riskier than earlobe piercings. If the site becomes infected, you may develop a painful abscess. This is because the skin is close to the underlying cartilage and pus can become trapped. Antibiotics do not successfully treat this problem. Surgery is usually required to remove the affected cartilage. This can lead to a deformed ear.
• Nose piercings are riskier than earlobe piercings as the inner surface of the nose (which can't be disinfected) holds bacteria that can cause infection.