Also called: Also called: Body art, Body piercing
Piercings and tattoos are body decorations that go back to ancient times. Body piercing involves making a hole in the skin so that you can insert jewelry. This is often in the earlobe, but can be in other parts of the body. Tattoos are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink. Permanent makeup is a type of tattoo.
The health risks of piercings and tattoos include
- Allergic reactions
- Keloids, a type of scar that forms during healing
- Infections, such as hepatitis
To reduce the risks, make sure that the facility is clean, safe and has a good reputation. Proper sterilization of the equipment is important. Be sure to follow the instructions on caring for your skin.
Holes from piercing usually close up if you no longer wear the jewelry. It is possible to remove tattoos, but it's painful and can cause scarring.
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Body Piercing(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/881.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/articles/881.printerview.html
- Tattoos, Body Piercings, and Other Skin Adornments(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/cosmetic_tattoos.html
- Tattoos: Risks and Precautions to Know First(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/tattoos-and-piercings/MC00020/METHOD=print
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JAMA Patient Page: Body Piercing(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/291/8/1024.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/291/8/1024/DC1/1
- Piercings: Proper Care Can Help Prevent Complications(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/piercings/SN00049/METHOD=print
- Tattoos and Permanent Makeup(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-204.html
- Temporary Tattoos and Henna/Mehndi(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-tatt.html
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Body Art
(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/bodyart/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/niosh/topics/bbp_sp/bodyart_sp/ -
Can I Get HIV from Getting a Tattoo or through Body Piercing?(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa27.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/spanish/resources/qa/qa27.htm
- Do's and Don'ts When Considering Tattoos or Piercings(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) - http://www.asds.net/DosAndDontsConsideringTattoosPiercings.aspx
- Oral Piercing and Health(American Dental Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/jada/patient/patient_04.pdf
- Tattoo Removal Information(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) - http://www.asds.net/TattooRemovalInformation.aspx
- Tattoos and MRIs: What's the Risk?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/tattoos/AN01901/METHOD=print
- Think Before You Ink: Are Tattoos Safe?(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/features/tattoos120607.html
- Warnings for Makers of Compounded Pain Products(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2007/207_compound.html
- Before and After Photos: Tattoo Removal on the Lower Arm(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) - http://www.asds.net/_ConsumerPage.aspx?id=904
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Infective endocarditis after body art: a review of the literature... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18710675&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Laying down the knife may decrease risk of HIV transmission:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18649445&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Health and regulation issues for body piercing. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18614491&tool=MedlinePlus
- Piercing and Tattoos -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=body+piercing[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Tattoos -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=tattooing[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Dermasurgeon(American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) - http://www.asds.net/find.aspx
- Find a Plastic Surgeon(American Society of Plastic Surgeons) - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/find_a_plastic_surgeon/
- American Society for Dermatologic Surgery - http://www.asds.net/
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons - http://www.plasticsurgery.org/
- Pierced Ears(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/girlstuff/pierced_ears.html
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Body Piercing(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/body_piercing_safe.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/body_piercing_safe_esp.html
- Body Piercing and Risky Behavior: Is There a Connection?(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://family.samhsa.gov/talk/piercing.aspx
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Tattoos(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/safe_tattooing.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/safe_tattooing_esp.html
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Can I Get a Tattoo When I’m Pregnant?(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/24043_24541.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/10485_10514.asp
- FAQ on Tattoos and Breastfeeding(La Leche League International) - http://www.llli.org//FAQ/tattoos.html
- Lower Back Tattoo: Can It Prevent an Epidural for Labor Pain?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/lower-back-tattoo/AN01357/METHOD=print
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What About Belly-Button Rings and Pregnancy?(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/24043_24543.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/10485_10516.asp
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Mouth and Teeth - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthandteeth.html
- Skin, Hair and Nails - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinhairandnails.html