So girls, have you ever had a piercing go wrong? Maybe it got infected, possibly it could have gotten a little swollen, or perhaps it even had an allergic reaction to the nickel in the earring. Over all though, you waited until your ear eventually healed and it looked ok again. No harm done, right?
I wonder if that’s what other people think when they pierce their ear, eyebrow, tongue, belly button, etc. I mean the worst that could happen to them is a Pseudomonas infection. On the Mereck Manuals online medical dictionary that infection “can cause minor skin infection or serious, life-threatening illness”. Unfortunately, when you pierce multiple parts of your body, holes to the inside of your body are then made available for any bacteria that want to live there, especially if you happen go near moist areas, such as sinks, toilets, pools, and hot tubs. I found this story when I researched the virus and it made me feel a little queasy:
Anna chose to have her upper ear pierced. "Not only did I never consider it a problem, my friend and I thought it was so cool we considered having it done ourselves," says Rose. Then, after about a week, it began to swell. Rose wasn't concerned, because Anna had been following the directions she had been given, so she told Anna to just keep cleaning it. After a few days, it looked worse and was becoming painful. Anna took her earring out, and her mom took her to the doctor where she was put on antibiotics. By the next day, the ear had swollen to twice its size, but Rose assumed the antibiotics were working. Coincidentally, she had an appointment to give blood at a blood drive that day, and she took Anna along. One of the RNs there noticed Anna's ear and urged Rose to take her to the emergency room immediately. By the time Anna arrived at the emergency room, she was running a fever. The emergency room doctor took one look at her and called in an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist who told them that Anna needed to go to Children's Hospital of St. Louis. There, the ENT drained the fluid from Anna's ear to culture the bacteria. "When they drained Anna's ear, it completely went flat, as if there was no ear there at all," says Rose. "It was really scary." The culture came back positive for pseudomonas bacteria, which had completely eaten away the cartilage in Anna's ear. She was admitted to the hospital, where she was kept for five days. Even then, she had to wear an IV line in her hand for another two to three weeks to make sure the infection didn't recur. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything they could do to make the cartilage come back. Anna still has to have reconstructive surgery to make her ear look normal, but her doctor wants to wait at least a full year after the infection is completely gone.
Although several risks for piercings do exist, people still do it. So my questions for you students are, why would people outside of BYU land pierce their body? What type of a fashion statement are they trying portray? If you could pierce your body anywhere you want, would you?
29 comments:
First of all, that's a frighteningly disturbing story. Being a guy I've never even come close to wanting to have a piercing. I don't really see why anyone would if they knew the risks. On the other hand, I do see the whole side of rebllious people wanting to look different. I think it would be really annoying, personally, to have metal hanging from the body.
This type of scenario isn't common and I would think the risks aren't much consideration when people get a piercing. They do it to look look and be like their friends. I agree that this story was terrible, but the worst thing people worry about when they get piercing is if their parents will get angry or not.
I feel like piercings were really trendy in the 90s, when girls would get like 10 holes in each ear. It was just what was in fashion. Now, it's kind of looked down upon in society. A bunch of my friends got upper ear piercings and now they don't even wear anything there, except maybe once in a while to keep it from closing up. I have a hole in each ear and I'm fine with that. I have no desire whatsoever to get a piercing anywhere else.
It's like it resulted in the whole grunge movement of the early 90's, a way to look grungy, anti-culture and punk. I think it's slowed down as well. People like that enjoy experimentation and like to accessorize their bodies. Perhaps they have lower self-esteem and like to do things to look more interesting. Thus, they are also likely to give in to peer pressure.
people do it for attention. i'd never get a piercing, because it just seems so inconvenient, it could get caught on something. plus i'm kinda au natural, i don't really like to do stuff to alter my body, i've never even dyed my hair.
I think piercing is some kind of statement screaming out individuality and coolness. Some people also like the pain piercing and tattooing bring to them. Some like it because others despise or don't have the guts to do it, either way, they do it to be different and to go against the norm.
i really like having my ears pierced. i can wear all kinds of earrings and i love how feminine it makes me feel to wear a beautiful pair of earrings. im pretty satisfied with just my ears pierced though. all the other places are usually just trendy but having your ears pierced seems to be a trend thats here to stay.
What a scary story. Tragic really. Too bad it isn't common enough to base an argument.
We put ourselves at dozens of risks everyday without thinking about it. Anyone ride in a car or bus? Anyone play sports? Anyone eat meat?
All of these things could kill you, and we don't even consider the risks. And we shouldn't, just like this poor girl's story isn't common enough to merit piercing paranoia.
i really have no answer to why people pierce the places they do other than to call attention to themselves. i'm sure it's comfortable to have the back of your neck pierced with a metal rod or anywhere else other than the ear for that matter. if i could get a piercing anywhere would i? nope.
After reading that disgusting story there is no way I would pierce myself anywhere on my body. And honestly I have never really desired to have any piercing of any sort, on guys piercings seem to either send the message that you are gay or a punk. But I think people do it just to look different or because the people they associate with are piercing themselves.
I just have one piercing in my ears, and that's good enough for me. Back in middle school I really wanted to get my upper ears pierced, and if I were to get something, that would probably be it. I think people just do it for attention, and because they think its attractive.
Piercings have risks just like a lot of other things. I think that people get pierced for the same reason they would get a tattoo, to establish their identity. Having a bunch of piercings can make you look "cool" or feel like you are a rebel.
A lot of my friends got piercings to be defiant to their parents. Their parents said it was a bad idea, but they chose to do it anyway.
Getting excessive piercings has no actual purpose other that creating an identity for someone. For myself, I would never get a piercing because that isn't the type of person that I want to be see as.
Yeah Crazy story and just cause I am a journalist- and therefore a skeptic... I don't believe a word of the story and I would like to have the source and a contact address for the journalist. It is true what they say: "Don't believe everything you read!"
Anyway I would get a piercing somewhere unique... In my high school it was quite the craze to get a piercing through the piece of skin in the hand between the thumb and the forefinger! Haha! Pretty irritating to have a ring there. (I would imagine!)
I wonder how common this is happening. It reminded me of the Full House episode where one of the girls gets an infection. I think that it's DJ. Anyway back to the main point, I don't think that I'll ever get an earring, but if I did I think about getting one I'd have to put it in my ears. I could never get one in my nose or lips. I think people get earrings to be different, if they get it in different places other than the ears. If they get the earring then they are doing it just to be the same, since all girls have earrings.
Outside of BYU? Every girl at BYU has peirced their ear. This story could have happened in byu too. I think that peircing are conveying different messages depending on where they are, who is wearing them, and how many they have. If a guy has one, he is either tough or gay. If a girl has one, its to convey feminine beauty. If she has more than one, it could be for a million different reasons. The belly button WAS supposed to be sexy, but I don't think it is so much. I agree with Tara, it was cooler in the 90's.
Pride. That's why people do it. I'm not talking about the 1 pair of modest earrings that GBH said were cool.
Most people want attention. Unfortunately, some people who feel like they can't get positive attention for actual achievements turn to shiny pieces of metal.
I've never had any desire to pierce any part of me. I've never even thought about the possible health complications; I just think piercings look ridiculous and embarrassing on men.
-Michael Williams
No, I wouldn't get any other piercings. I don't think I would at this point, anyway. I've heard of such stories (like people getting keloids from piercings), and it's scary. I guess people continue to do it cos it doesn't happen to everyone. It happens to the minority.
I have one piercing in each ear. I can only imagine how bad it would hurt to have another part of your body pierced like your tongue or lip. I think it looks super trashy when a person has a tongue ring or belly button ring etc. If I had to have another part of my body pierced I would have my upper ear pierced.
This is a very personal opinion, and I hope it's valid, but I think that it is a matter of communication to those outside of you. I think that things like tatoos and piercings are simply a way to "mark" who you are and a way to communicate to those around you. Some like to communicate more drastically then others, some use body image and marks, others use clothes, others use their voice. I think that for some, there is something they always want communicated, and that mark becomes a way for them to do it without saying a word. In my mind, even piercings and tatoos that aren't always visible are meant to communicate something when they are exposed.
I wouldn't like to have any type of piercing, I don't think I've met a body piercing that I like yet. Even with that I don't find pierced ears all that necessary, but I think people are looking for a way to distinguish themselves when they get a body part pierced.
I was planning on piercing my ears this weekend but after that story I think I’ve changed my mind. Well I think that story is a little out there, but it is true and that is the scary side of piercings. The other day I saw a girl who had piercings all over her face. I was in awe; I have no idea why someone would do that to themselves. Well, maybe just for attention.
Piercings, like tatoos, are used in self expression often times or maybe to get additional attention. Those stories, though they are the rare cases, really freak me out. I have pieced ears and I wouldn't get any other piercing. Often times its inconvenient for me. I rarely ever remember to put in earings. I think multiple piercings are distracting.
That is a really gross and scary story. Maybe something that needs to be shared with people more especially youth. I think that in general most people don't think of real serious infections they can contract like the one in the story you shared. I think though peircing are a way for people in general to say they are rebelling in some way. We talked about this in class how tatoos are more accepted. I don't think it is a secret though that peircings are more of an acceptance fashion statement for certain subcultures like punks but in general I still think people get peircings to rebel against something.
Well that is a horrible story, but i also think that is pretty rare, after all, even if you do get an infection from piercing chances are it won't ruin the body part that is pierced. I have pierced ears and that's it, i didn't even get them pierced until I was in my 2nd year of college. The decision was finally made because it would allow me to wear cute earrings! This was just another was to accessorize! I think piercing the body can represent an image in some ways also. The belly button is supposedly "sexy and hot", the nose is "hard core"... etc. I think a lot of people pierce certain parts of their body to get a message across.
I think people pierce their bodies because they want to be different and unique. They probably also want to draw attention to themselves and by piercing their bodies in weird places, they easily do that.
I wouldn't ever pierce my body in a weird place.. I don't even have my ears pierced. It is just too painful to be worth it I think.
That's a pretty scary story. However, that is the exception, not the rule. It's kind of similar to rare side effects of prescription medicines. People aren't going to not take them because of the minuscule chance that they might get sick, die, etc. However, piercing is purely fashion so in a way it is not similar to taking medicine at all. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with piercings (if you're not a member of the LDS church that is). I have a friend that has a nose ring and I think it's adorable on her. And I know that I'm not supposed to get piercings other than my ears and I'm fine with that. BUT if that weren't a rule I would probably be completely open to the idea of a piercing of some sort or another.
And by the way it was Stephanie's ears that got infected on Full House, not D.J.
It seems to me like people get piercings in order to look different and rebel, but i think that the hipster article was interesting toward this point because once this rebellious phase became so popular that it was no longer rebellious, we don't see this trend nearly as much.
That story is awful. I remember getting my ears pierced when I was 6 years old. It hurt so bad. I would never want to relive that. All of my high school friend got their belly buttons pierced sophomore year. They all went together and did not understand why I was not going to participate. They thought this was the cutest thing. Over half of them had infections by the end of the week. People probably pierce their bodies more than they get tattoos since it is something that can be removed easily and without harm. People who have multiple piercings mostly do it because they need to call attention to themselves. I would not get a piercing anywhere else besides one hole in each ear because it is just not classy. Plus, it hurts.
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