BODY ART: PIERCINGS, TATTOOS, HEALTH
With body art growing in popularity, health risks associated with the practice are now growing as well.
By Mary Hudspeth
Although it may seem like a good idea at the time, individuals who are seeking to assert their independence or promote their individuality by getting a tattoo or having any number of body parts pierced may be paying a higher price in the long run if the piercing happens to get infected or if they wish to remove the tattoo.
What was once considered a practice of bikers, sailors and rebellious teenagers has now entered into general society, according to Myrna Armstrong, Ed.D., R.N., a nursing professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Individuals of all ages, races and genders now are participating in the practice of body art. With body art growing in popularity, the health risks associated with the practice are now growing as well. Armstrong's research has ranged from studying the increase of tattoos among women to the health risks of tattooing and body piercing to tattoo removal.
Armstrong says the major reason for college students to seek one or more of the different types of body art is self-identity. Among younger college students freshmen and sophomores their reasoning is more about impulsiveness, something that sounded like a good idea at the time or because they are away from their parents for the first time. Among older college students, the decision is more about emulating older adults and definite decision-making. Armstrong said the older students usually take more time to research their decision, whereas the younger ones don't care as much.
"Both types of body art piercings and tattoos provide an internal meaning to those who choose to get them. Piercings are less permanent, so if individuals change their mind, they may remove the jewelry and leave only some scar tissue behind. There are no accurate figures on how often this occurs," Armstrong said.
One major problem, according to Armstrong, is that medical practitioners are not educated about how to treat the infections and other health problems associated with body piercings in particular. Armstrong says health care providers are important resources for information for those individuals who choose to have body art. "Often health care providers do not agree with what their patients are doing so as far as body art goes, they close their eyes to it. But with more people taking part in the practice, health care providers should become more involved and informed about it so they may be as knowledgeable as possible," she said.
Armstrong discusses a study that was conducted in England of emergency room doctors that found that only four out of 30 doctors knew how to remove the jewelry from a body piercing. "In an emergency situation, if the jewelry is cut, which often happens, then the tissue may be torn," she said. Also, if a patient presents with an infection around a pierced area, often the doctor's immediate response is to take the jewelry out. "If the jewelry is taken out, the reason for the piercing hasn't been removed, and the individual will pierce again," Armstrong said. "The person needs to be informed about proper cleansing in order to avoid an infection if they pierce again."
Armstrong said of the commonly pierced body parts, naval piercings get infected most often at a 45 percent infection rate.
"The naval area is moist and warm and can be easily irritated by things rubbing against it, like a belt," she said.
Several problems are associated with tongue piercings. Among these are chipped or cracked teeth, nerve damage and aspiration, or withdrawal of the jewelry by fluids or gases from the body. Something known as 'wrecking ball syndrome' also may occur which refers to the constant motion of the ball on the tongue hitting against the teeth. In the case of tongue piercings, Armstrong said dentists should be informed about proper care and treatment of tongue and mouth piercings.
Body piercings can develop systemic infections requiring hospitalization. For example, infections from nose piercings can get into the sinus tracts and then the blood stream. This has caused at least one heart infection.
Many risks also are associated with the establishments where body piercings and tattoos are administered.
Consumers should consider four factors when searching for a tattoo parlor. The first thing the individual should check out is the artist who will be administering the tattoo or body piercing.
"Because the artist does not have to be certified and there are no educational regulations, the individual consumer should at least make sure the artist is reputable," Armstrong said.
Another consideration that should be investigated is the equipment that will be used to administer the tattoo or piercing. Armstrong says consumers should make sure the equipment is sterilized before each use.
The environment of the tattoo parlor also should be observed carefully. "The tattooing or body piercing procedure is invasive where open wounds are created so the consumer should be certain there are not dogs, fish, kids, beer, etc. in the same environment in which a tattoo or piercing is being administered," Armstrong said.
Finally, the individual consumer should observe whether the tattoo parlor has a regulatory atmosphere. The overall environment should appear clean and sterile. The person administering the tattoo or piercing should be clean as well. Armstrong says individuals should watch the artist when he or she administers the piercing or tattoo on someone else and watch the technique with which it is carried out.
Armstrong said the artist also should be wearing gloves. "The artist should be wearing sterile gloves for clinical purposes. Watch them and make sure they don't wear them and scratch their head or answer the telephone with them on. They should wear a fresh pair for every client they see," she said.
Armstrong also encourages adolescents to take their parents with them when observing a tattoo parlor. She said if the parents are not involved in the decision, the adolescent will find a way to carry out their wishes or they will do it themselves. Armstrong has heard of people getting tattoos and piercings at such places as in mobile vans, in cars and at sorority or fraternity parties.
Among possible diseases that may be contracted from either the tattoo artist or the equipment, Hepatitis B is the biggest threat, Armstrong said. "The artist is not required to be immunized against the disease, and a large segment of the population doesn't have the immunization either," she said.
"Hepatitis B is a threat because there only needs to be a minute amount of infected blood and the virus can live outside the body for two to three months. If infected blood happens to get on a counter or telephone, then the risk is there," she said.
The disease takes two to three months to surface after a person is infected. Hepatitis B is more diagnosable than Hepatitis C and is a chronic condition that in some cases can cause cancer of the liver.
Although many may worry about the chances of contracting HIV from tattoo parlors, Armstrong says that overall, the risk is pretty questionable because the HIV organism cannot live outside the body for any length of time.
Besides tattoo parlors, many people seek body piercings from kiosks and businesses at shopping malls. Armstrong said generally the piercers in these establishments are unqualified to be doing piercings. "They often do not properly inform their clients about proper care of the piercing, and then infections can develop, some of which can lead to disfigurement, the earring becoming embedded.
"In this case, the individual should shop around and observe the procedure on others and see how it is carried out. At tattoo studios, the employees are more likely to know what they are doing, but it is still important to use a reputable artist," she said.
What may have seemed like a good idea at the time for some people, many live to regret having their body permanently tattooed and then may seek out ways to have their tattoo removed. One problem with tattoo removal is the cost. "The tattoo may have originally cost $35 to $50, but it costs at least $1,000 to have it removed, and it is not covered by insurance," Armstrong said.
Besides the expense, the procedure, done by laser, is also painful and is not guaranteed to remove the tattoo entirely.
"The only color that can be 100 percent removed is black ink. If a physician guarantees the successful removal of a tattoo, then be careful," she said.
Having a tattoo removed takes between five and 10 months, and often people get discouraged, and the process is painful. "The laser feels like a rubber band snapping against your skin repeatedly. The older the tattoo, the easier the mark can be removed. The newer the tattoo is, the harder it is to break up the pigment," Armstrong said.
Incorporated into advertising, television and seen on everyone, including women and those in the corporate workforce, body art has become part of American culture.
"Body art is not just for the 13- to 25-year-old set anymore. It's everywhere. And as body piercing becomes more traditional, it becomes more creative. And tattooing is here to stay," Armstrong said. "Consumers need to be informed before they take the plunge into body art. The must be aware of the health risks, and know the ways to avoid them."
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, 806-742-2136
Photography by Artie Limmer and Joey Hernandez