Body Piercing Research Articles

Body Piercing and Self-Mutilation: A Multifaceted Relationship

Goal was to examine the connection between piercings and self-mutilation and the practice of self-piercing. Participants (n=140) completed an anonymous online survey consisting of a 54-item questionnaire and a standardized personality test. All respondents were members of internet communities specialized on piercings. The majority of participants (77.1%) were female, 22.9% were male. The mean age of the group was 24.7 years (range: 16-57 years). Participants had an average of 8.9 piercings. More than half (57.9%) of participants were between 15 and 20 years old when they acquired their first piercing. The most common piercings reported were facial (in 82.9% of participants), ear cartilage (in 67.9% of participants), nipple (in 48.6% of participants) and genital piercings (in 45.0% of participants). Participants were asked to complete the NEO-FFI personality inventory, which is a tool used to measure the personality factors Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Extraversion, Openness and Neuroticism. Although all of the NEO-FFI results were within the average norm, significant differences between the participants with/without self-injury were found regarding the T-Scores for Neuroticism and Agreeableness. Thirty-one percent of the participants reported a history of self-mutilation. Those with a history of self-mutilation did not have more piercings than their peers. Half of these individuals described a decrease in auto-aggressive behavior since having acquired piercings, twenty-five percent claim to have ceased self-injurious behavior. The incidence of self-mutilation appears to be higher among pierced individuals than among the general public. Participants who had engaged in self-injury had significantly more often self-pierced. Piercings and self-piercings may serve as substitute behavior for self-mutilation in some individuals.

An Assessment of the Level of Awareness, Attitudes, and Opinions of the Medical Students Concerning HIV and AIDS in Malaysia.

Human Immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has become one of the most serious health problems in the world. Medical students awareness, attitudes and opinions must be assessed as they are leading health care professionals who provide treatment and care to the HIV and AIDS individuals. This survey was conducted to assess the level of awareness, attitudes and opinions of third year till fifth year medical students concerning HIV and AIDS from universities around Klang Valley area, Malaysia. A total of 327 medical students of third to fifth been took part in the survey. Self prepared and self validated questionnaire was used to assess the study outcomes. Students were asked to fill the consent forms before filling the questionnaires. The results were analyzed by using SPSS version 17. A cross-sectional study among medical students was performed. Data was analyzed with non-parametric spearman's correlation test to find the difference at p-value < 0.05. A great majority knew that HIV can be spread via tattoo or body piercing (89.3%), from mother to child (97.9%), being a homosexual (93.3%) and even having circumcision for protection (71.9%). Also, they were aware that HIV cannot be transferred via sneezing and cough (95.1%), swimming pools (89.0%), and toilet seats (89.6%). However, only a few were aware of other modes of transmission, such as visiting the barbers (41.3%) , and having blood splashed on outer body surface including mouth and eyes (49.2%). Only a few negative attitudes were shown such as being unsure about keeping close vicinity to HIV patients and being unsure of whether HIV negative people should be allowed to marry HIV positive patients (median=3). An optimal plan of education with awareness campaign and preclinical experiences should be made in the future curriculum to increase the knowledge, confidence and minimize phobia among students.

Advantages of externally powered prosthesis with feedback system using pseudo-cineplasty.

Externally powered upper-limb prostheses are difficult to use because of the lack of sensory feedback. Neuroprostheses have recently been developed for people with upper-limb amputation but are complicated, expensive, and still developing. We therefore designed a simple system by combining pseudo-cineplasty with extended physiological proprioception to provide sensory feedback to the body. We penetrated the palmaris longus tendon percutaneously with a metal ring, similar to that used in body piercing, in a nondisabled subject as a pseudo-cineplasty. The tendon and ring were connected to the system, and a sensory feedback experiment was performed. We investigated the ability of the user to determine the size of an object grasped by the prosthetic hand without visual information. The subject could distinguish between large and small objects with 100% accuracy and between small, medium, and large objects with 80% accuracy. In pseudo-cineplasty, control and sensory feedback are natural because the prosthetic hand is controlled by muscle contraction. Tension transmitted from the prosthetic hand is sensed via muscle spindles and skin sensors. This technique allows only partial sensory feedback but appears to offer several advantages over other human-machine interfaces.

Dress Codes and Appearance Policies

As more and more individuals express themselves with tattoos and body piercings and push the envelope on what is deemed appropriate in the workplace, employers have an increased need for creation and enforcement of reasonable dress codes and appearance policies. As with any employment policy or practice, an appearance policy must be implemented and enforced without regard to an individual's race, color, gender, national origin, religion, disability, age, or other protected status. A policy governing dress and appearance based on the business needs of an employer that is applied fairly and consistently and does not have a disproportionate effect on any protected class will generally be upheld if challenged in court. By examining some of the more common legal challenges to dress codes and how courts have resolved the disputes, health care managers can avoid many potential problems. This article, the second part of a 3-part examination of dress codes and appearance policies, focuses on the issue of gender under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Pertinent court cases that provide guidance for employers are addressed.

Body piercing and tattooing: a trend and its complications

Body art, particularly piercings and tattoos, is becoming increasingly common in adolescents and young adults. Anne Phillips discusses potential complications of these procedures and their management for people with diabetes

Variety of complications after auricle piercing

Body piercing is a known and popular method of body ornamentation. Modern body piercing includes wearing jewelry in such body areas as the helix (ear), eyebrows, nose, lips, tongue, chin, nipples, navel, and genitals. The current piercing definition does not comprise piercing of the earlobe; however, this body area is still the most common on which jewelry is worn. The aim of this research is to present a spectrum of complications after auricle piercing and to consider including earlobe piercing in the modern definition of body piercing. Studied group consisted of 75 patients treated in the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland) for complications after auricle piercing. Age of participants ranged from 7 to 62years (mean age 23.7years). The most common complications in the examined group were post-traumatic tearing of the earlobe and keloid formation. Of all the patients with complications after auricle piercing, most had lesions located in earlobes; it seems that complications in earlobes are significantly more common than in the helix (P<0.001). The fashion of body piercing is not safe. Complications after earlobe piercing are similar to those occurring in other sites of the auricle after piercing. Moreover, due to its prevalence, complications after earlobe piercing are statistically more common, which is why it is worth considering including earlobe piercing in the modern definition of body piercing.

A study on contact dermatitis to hair dye and henna

P- Phenylenediamine is an oxidative chemical that is frequently used as a permanent hair-coloring agent. It is added to henna to increase the intensity and longevity of the tattoo and expedites its drying time. Henna itself is a greenish brown vegetable coloring made from the leaves of Lawsonia inermis and rarely causes allergic contact dermatitis. The addition of PPD causes the contact sensitization to black henna. Serious adverse skin reactions to permanent hair dyes and temporary black tattoos have been reported. As temporary tattoos have become fashionable among adolescents, the risk profile for p-phenylenediamine (PPD) sensitization of the population has changed simultaneously with an increasing use of hair dyes in this age group. With increased popularity of body art such as body piercing and tattooing, an increase in temporary henna tattoos has also occurred. Although the appeal of non-permanence exists for henna tattoos, dermatologists have begun to see numerous cases of allergic contact dermatitis linked with a certain type of henna. We selected 50 patients using hair dye and henna for our study. Patch testing was done in all the patients using Indian standard series of antigens. Regarding to the side effects to hair dye and henna and itching was the commonest symptom seen in 16% patients, erythematous scaly plaques were seen in 10% patients, vesicular reactions were seen in 6% patients, angioneurotic oedema and contact urticaria was seen in 4% patients each and anaphylaxis and keloidal reaction was seen in 2% patients each.

Hepatitis B Knowledge Among Iranian Adolescents: A National Survey

Background:Hepatitis B is the most prevalent chronic infectious liver disease worldwide with serious sequelae. Prevention of the infection can be provided by universal vaccination and improvement in knowledge and behavior about disease transmission. Provision of any educational program requires inquiry about target group baseline knowledge.Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess Iranian adolescents’ knowledge about hepatitis B (HBV) and associated factors.Patients and Methods:We conducted a questionnaire-based national survey of 18-year-old adolescents according to stratified cluster random sampling in Iran during 2007.Results:Response rate was 87%. Most adolescents (60%) knew that HBV infects the liver. Percentage of adolescents who gave correct answers to major routes of HBV transmission were as follows: spouse of an infected person 59%, multi-partners 66%, intravenous drug use 73%, body piercing 55% and personal belongings 55%. Higher levels of education, living in rural areas, marriage and (except for body piercing) female gender were associated with better knowledge. The knowledge of HBV infected individuals about major routes of HBV transmission was low (P < 0.001).Conclusions:There are important deficits in adolescents’ knowledge about HBV that requires attention of health educators to tailor educational programs for specific groups.

Dress Codes and Appearance Policies

As more and more individuals choose to express themselves and their religious beliefs with headwear, jewelry, dress, tattoos, and body piercings and push the envelope on what is deemed appropriate in the workplace, employers have an increased need for creation and enforcement of reasonable dress codes and appearance policies. As with any employment policy or practice, an appearance policy must be implemented and enforced without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, age, or any other protected status. A policy governing dress and appearance based on the business needs of an employer that is applied fairly and consistently and does not have a disproportionate effect on any protected class will generally be upheld if challenged in court. By examining some of the more common legal challenges to dress codes and how courts have resolved the disputes, health care managers can avoid many potential problems. This article addresses the issue of religious discrimination focusing on dress and appearance and some of the court cases that provide guidance for employers.

Hábitos e costumes de mulheres universitárias quanto ao uso de roupas íntimas, adornos genitais, depilação e práticas sexuais

To describe the practices and care with the genital area of female college students. A descriptive analytical study evaluated the habits and traditions of 364 students from the University of Campinas (Unicamp) regarding the use of underwear, body piercings, tattoos, hair removal and sexual practices. A questionnaire with 42 questions assessed the most current practices among female college students. All questions were self answered and the questionnaires, without any identification, were placed in sealed ballot boxes to ensure the confidentiality of information. The responses were tabulated in Microsoft® Excel 2007 to obtain univariate analysis. The mean age of the college students in the study was 21 years (SD ± 2.7), and 84% were white. The volunteers who participated in this study were from the biological science area (50%), the exact science area (29%) or the humanity area (21%). It was observed that 61.8% of the respondents wear cotton panties, but at the same time 75.4% wear tight jeans, and only 18.4% wore no panties when sleeping. Only one participant reported having had genital piercing and none of them reported tattooing. Most female college students do genital waxing, and approximately 1/3 of them do so completely. After hair removal, 2/3 apply an anti-inflammatory and/or moisturizer to the region. Only 62% use condoms and 17.6% use a lubricant during intercourse. Half of them receive oral sex, 17.9% practice anal sex and 26.6% of them report feeling pain during sexual intercourse. Vaginal discharge after intercourse was reported in 25.6% of the cases. Young female college students from Brazilian public universities have many inadequate care habits related to their genital area. They do not use genital piercing and tattoos, but report having pain during sexual intercourse and vaginal discharge after sex in a large number of cases.

Contemporary Perceptions of Body Modifications and Its Acceptability in the Asian Society: A Case of Tattoos and Body Piercings

Radical body modification in the form of tattooing and body piercings has experienced expanded expression, appropriation and visibility within the last several decades and has become a part of everyday life for large sections of the population. Most scholarly interest has documented the perceptual trajectories of these practices across a wide range of societal context across time. Nonetheless, observations show that most of these studies were conducted in the American and European context and a scarcity of perceptual insights on this phenomenon remains in the Asian context. Contemporary perceptions on individuals who obtain tattoos and body piercings are examined among a sample of individuals in a multi-racial Asian country – Malaysia. The present study is exploratory in nature and adopts a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews. Overall, evidence suggests that the society perceives tattooing and body piercing practices as a form of art, spirituality, immortalizing significant moment memories, self-expression and representation of the dark. Nonetheless, a degree of uncomfortableness exists among most individuals in the current study when being around with individuals with tattoos and body piercing. Further, employment opportunities are also perceived to be negatively affected. Implications and recommendations from the research findings are also presented.

Self-assessment of attractiveness of persons with body decoration

Tattoos and body piercing are forms of body decoration that have been known for ages. The use of such ornamentation is becoming more and more common. Researchers attempt to explain the meaning of this phenomenon within the discipline of behavioural ecology, attributing a sexual selection aspect to body decoration, and thus interpreting it in an evolutionary sense. The hypothesis that superior biological quality of individuals is indicated by body modification is becoming more and more popular. In the present study, this hypothesis is tested on the basis of physical attractiveness as an indicator of genotype quality. The total of 64 males and 52 females with tattoos and body piercings were subjected to tests consisting of the self-assessment of the attractiveness of their bodies. The control group comprised 86 subjects (38 males and 48 females) without body decoration. The results confirm that both women and men with body decoration assess the attractiveness of different parts of their bodies higher (regardless whether the decoration is located there or not) than people without tattoos and body piercing. Thus, the hypothesis has been confirmed that body decoration is a signal of superior biological quality of individuals.

Visual Diagnosis: 13-Year-Old Girl With Pink Papules

1. Meghan M. Dickman, MD 2. Ilona J. Frieden, MD 1. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA. A 13-year-old girl presents to the clinic with pink papules on her abdomen, legs, arms, and the lateral aspects of her cheeks. The lesions have been present for 4 years, always appearing in the same area, with satellite lesions surrounding the primary site. The rash blanches on palpation. The papules are primarily located on her abdomen and become more prominent and pruritic with sun exposure. The rash is most noticeable in the periumbilical region, where the patient’s metal pants button comes in contact with her skin. The papules are accompanied by pruritus for which she gets mild relief by taking oral antihistamines and applying topical corticosteroids. However, she has been unable to completely get rid of the rash with this regimen. The patient has an unremarkable medical history and is developing appropriately. There are no similar skin lesions on any close contacts. On physical examination, the patient has multiple pink papules on the bilateral aspects of her cheeks, upper arms, elbows, knees, and lower legs (Fig 1). All vital signs are within normal limits. There are papules that have coalesced into plaques surrounding her umbilicus (Fig 2), with lichenification. There is evidence of excoriation, without any ulcerations or bleeding. The remainder of the physical examination findings are unremarkable. Figure 1. Multiple papules were noted on the arms (left) and legs (right) of the patient. Figure 2. The initial location …

Connaissance de l'hépatite virale B par les élèves des écoles secondaires en Côte d'Ivoire

The purpose of this study was to assess hepatitis B knowledge among secondary school students' in Côte d'Ivoire in order to promote the inclusion of hepatitis B education in school curricula. a single cross-sectional survey involving six schools (7,376 students) was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. All students present on the day of the survey agreed to participate in the study (100%, n = 3,352). The mean age of the participants was 17.9 years (10-26 years), with a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.68. Among them, 2,552 (76.6%) had heard of the HVB. School was the main source of information (12%), after the mass media (62%). The causative agent of the disease was known by 74.1% of students (n = 2,484), sexual transmission by 39.3% (n = 1316), and blood-borne transmission by 57.2% (n = 1919). Respectively 29%, 40% and 41% of the students were aware that acupuncture, body piercing and tattooing are high-risk practices. Only 35.7% of the students knew that there was an effective vaccine. The factors associated with hepatitis B knowledge were: being aged 16 to 20 years (OR = 1.73 [95% CI 1.198 to 2.49]), living in a permanent house or apartment (OR = 1.58 [95% CI 1.234 to 2.02]) or in a house or apartment with no more than 2 persons per room (OR = 1.41 [95% CI 1.15 to 1.74]), being in terminale (final year of high school) (OR = 2.54 [2.01 to 3, 20IC95%]), and having two working parents (OR =1.54 [95% CI 1.25 to 1.88]). The students' knowledge of the hepatitis B virus was found to be inadequate and superficial. Early awareness programs provided as part of the official curriculum and measures to improve the social conditions of students should help to improve knowledge in this area.

Body Art Education

Using the major format identified for successful prevention and intervention work, five "W" questions: what, why, whom, where, and who, plus one: how, this article first summarizes the current body art literature. Then, educational strategies specifically regarding the topic of tattoos and body piercing are presented for school nurses. These strategies can be used to create applicable, realistic information for young students before they are faced with decisions related to body art. The school nurse might be the first and only credible source of information the students receive related to body art in an education/health environment. Curriculum emphasis is on the decision making leading up to the action, and the major purposes, rather than on the markings or jewelry associated with procurement. Reducing decisional conflict while promoting positive development in the areas of empowerment, self-esteem, and maturing can help achieve stronger informed decision making.

Piercing and tatooing in high school students of Veneto region: prevalence and perception of infectious releated risk.

Body piercing (P) and tattoo (T) is a growing social phenomenon over recent years. Nowadays in Italy little is known about the prevalence, the attitude, the medical and social consequences of these activities. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence distribution and the attitude towards P and T and the perception of the risk for infections, in a sample of high school students living in the four Provinces of the Veneto Region (Italy). An anonymous, self administrate multiple-choice questionnaire about piercing and tattoo practices was distributed during the 2009-2010 academic year to a sample of randomly extracted grades to obtain information about sociodemographic characteristics, family educational level, personal attitude, prevalence and perception of the importance of the sanitary, technical and artistic competence of the operator. The correctly compiled questionnaires were 2712 (95.4%). Males and females were respectively 46.2% and 53.8% (mean age 17 +/- 1.7 years). The 20.2% and the 6.4% of all the students had already experienced respectively P and T and resulted "very interested" the 46.7% to P and the 57.4% to T. Esthetical motivations are the main ones referred to use body art. The most part of interviewed subjects (81.6%) think that it is possible to have an infection, but only about 50% of students reported to know specific information about transmission of HIV, Viral Hepatitis and skin infections. The parents' educational levels do not influence the perception of the risk of infection. The majority of interviewed subjects (88.0%) prefers to undergo body art practices in a qualified center. Only the 30% of students recur to a medical help to solve problem of infection. The piercing and tattoo prevalence rate in our study (P: 20.2% and T:6.4%) resulted similar to other Italian ones (range reported: P: 20.3-35.1%, T: 4.8-8.6%), showing an increasing trend with age. Since a high rate of interviewed students referred a substantial ignorance about the risk of transmission of body art related infectious diseases, it is suitable to promote as soon as possible among the youth educational interventions and counseling.

Hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence among 12 393 rural women of childbearing age in Hainan Province, China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic in China and it threats human health seriously. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence among women of childbearing age plays an important role in mother to child transmission of HBV, as 30% ~50% of chronic carriers can be attributed to maternal-infantile transmission. However, there are few studies which have reported on the prevalence of HBsAg among women of childbearing age in China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its associated risk factors among rural women of childbearing age in Hainan, which is the highest hepatitis B virus endemic province in China.MethodsA cross-sectional, population-based study, which included 12393 rural women aged 15 ~ 49 years, enrolled by a multistage stratified cluster sampling, was carried out in Hainan province, China, from November 2007 to December 2008. Blood samples were obtained from each study participant, and screened for HBsAg.ResultsThe overall HBsAg prevalence of childbearing age women was 9.51%. Risk factors for HBsAg positivity among rural women were: lower education level (OR=1.206), lower family monthly income (OR=1.233), having an HBsAg-positive family member (OR=1.300), without an immunization history (OR=1.243), tattooing (OR=1.190), body piercing (OR=1.293), vaginoscopy history (OR=1.103) and history of induced abortion (OR=1.142).ConclusionsThere is a high HBsAg seroprevalence rate among rural women of childbearing age in Hainan province. Hence, it is necessary to take preventive measures to reduce the seroprevalence of HBsAg and to control its associated risk factors.

Penile Implants among Prisoners—A Cause for Concern?

BackgroundWe report the prevalence of penile implants among prisoners and determine the independent predictors for having penile implants. Questions on penile implants were included in the Sexual Health and Attitudes of Australian Prisoners (SHAAP) survey following concerns raised by prison health staff that increasing numbers of prisoners reported having penile implants while in prison.MethodsComputer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) of a random sample of prisoners was carried out in 41 prisons in New South Wales and Queensland (Australia). Men were asked, “Have you ever inserted or implanted an object under the skin of your penis?” If they responded Yes: “Have you ever done so while you were in prison?” Univariate logistic regression and logistic regression were used to determine the factors associated with penile implants.ResultsA total of 2,018 male prisoners were surveyed, aged between 18 and 65 years, and 118 (5.8%) reported that they had inserted or implanted an object under the skin of their penis. Of these men, 87 (73%) had this done while they were in prison. In the multivariate analysis, a younger age, birth in an Asian country, and prior incarceration were all significantly associated with penile implants (p<0.001). Men with penile implants were also more likely to report being paid for sex (p<0.001), to have had body piercings (p<0.001) or tattoos in prison (p<0.001), and to have taken non-prescription drugs while in prison (p<0.05).ConclusionsPenile implants appear to be fairly common among prisoners and are associated with risky sexual and drug use practices. As most of these penile implants are inserted in prison, these men are at risk of blood borne viruses and wound infection. Harm reduction and infection control strategies need to be developed to address this potential risk.

El tatuaje y la perforación en la construcción de la corporeidad

Tattooing and body piercing are a reflection of the human need to decorate their body. Young people create significant senses that create other identities. The target of this research is to reveal the meaning of the tattooed skin to understand this social phenomenon. We understand these practices as a network of meanings, expressed in attitudes and feelings, which is crossed by the gender, the experience of pleasure VS pain and resistance to the dominant aesthetic. We have selected a sample of six men and six women of all clients served in 2009 on a tattoo and piercing Clinic to conduct in-depth interviews. There is a difference between feminine and masculine, both in design and corporal areas such as the decision leading to tattooing or piercing, and attributed meaning. Women choose these body practices with an aim of playing and seduction, they feel under the gaze of society, like men, but men do not feel as strongly beauty standards than women. Customers feel discrimination in the family and work, and they explain that tattoos and piercings are not valued as an artistic element in society.

Keloid: A case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars

Keloids extend beyond the borders of the original wound invading normal skin. Usually appear as firm nodules, often pruritic and painful, and generally do not regress spontaneously. Most often occur on the chest, shoulders, upper back, back of the neck, and earlobes. The aim of the paper is to discuss a case of keloid, review the pathophysiology and also to highlight the differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars. A 26-year-old female complains of swelling on ear lobe since 3 years. Swelling was firm, non-tender, dumbell-shaped with central wooden stick still present, measuring 3 cm in diameter medial to the inferior part of the helix. A clinical diagnosis of keloid was given. Histopathological sections showed hyperorthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with deep dermal sclerosis showing large dense bundle of glassy collagen diagnostic of Keloid. Special stain like Van Gieson's was used to identify collagen bundles. The sections were also subjected to immunohistochemical markers such as α-SMA (alpha Smooth muscle actin), Desmin, and S-100. Despite decades of research, the pathophysiology of keloids remains incompletely understood. Recent studies indicate that TGF-β (Transforming growth factor beta) and PDGF (Platelet-derived growth factor) play an integral role in the formation of keloids. In future, development of selective inhibitors of TGF-β might produce new therapeutic tools with enhanced efficacy and specificity for the treatment of keloids. Patients with a previous history of keloid or other risk-factors should avoid body piercing and elective cosmetic procedures. Keloid scars should be sent for histopathology in order to avoid missing potentially malignant conditions particularly those showing unusual features.