Erica Virtue, Staff ReporterMultiple body piercing is causing concern among health sector officials in Jamaica, who say there is a high risk of damaging blood vessels and contracting deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B.
They are also concerned about the techniques and instruments used in the process.
HIV/AIDS, in addition to sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes and syphilis, are among those linked to infected blood.
Risks aside, it is not uncommon to see individuals with jewellery in their body parts, such as the nipples, eyebrows, lips, tongue, nose, navel. There are also reports of piercing in the genitalia. It is also not uncommon to see both males and females and young children with ear and nose pierced.
But, the effort being made to "look good" is making health officials nervous.
Senior Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Karen Lewis-Bell, said that in addition to the high risk of contracting diseases, infections resulting from body piercing have been known to have caused misdiagnoses.
In an interview last week, Dr. Lewis-Bell said that she was told of a case of misdiagnosis involving a woman who was being prepared for surgery to remove her appendix. She had been complaining of severe abdominal cramps. It was later discovered that she had a badly infected "pierced navel".
"There are some places of the body which when you pierce them, it is not easy to turn and clean the item of jewellery or thread as the case may be. Firstly, if a dirty needle was used, there is the risk of disease from contaminated blood. And if the wound gets infected, that is another problem," she pointed out.
The "technique used, and the use and re-use of instruments," are also causing concern, in addition to the risk of puncturing nerves and blood vessels. Dermatologist, Dr. Neil Persadsingh, said the risk of bacterial infection from non-sterile needles are high, and antibiotics should be taken afterwards.
In an article entitled "Dangers of body piercing", he questioned the frame of mind of persons who would endure so much pain to pierce the lips of the vagina, eyebrow, or nose. While highlighting the dangers of contracting deadly diseases, he is also concerned about the risk of developing keloids.
"The risk of developing keloids at the eyebrow or navel must be considered, especially in people of African descent," he wrote.
Asked if he knew any professional who does body piercing, he said, "I understand from some of my patients that a gentleman comes down from Miami on a regular basis and does it. But I don't know him or any professional who does it," he said.
In his article, he said he was visited by an individual who had a tear in her navel as the ring became entangled. He expressed concern too about proper brushing of teeth, and nose blowing.
But, Mitsy Hendricks, 25, a Jamaican, visiting from overseas, believes it is sexy to pierce some places. "There is something sexy about having your navel and tongue pierced. You have to do it to believe it. And everybody is doing it anyway," she said.
Asked if she had any health concerns, she said she read of a case where a young woman suffered internal bleeding from having her tongue pierced, but she was willing to take her chances.
She wears a diamond stud in her tongue.
Meanwhile, visits to two inner-city communities last week saw two groups of men and women involved in "community" body piercing. Two children were also seen with their noses pierced.
It appeared that efforts were made to pierce body parts under hygienic conditions although the "piercers" were not protected from blood which was squirting from the wounds. Before getting his nose pierced, Kevin Smith, unemployed of Olympic Gardens, had the needle in a solution of alcohol, which was heated by the roadside fire made for the occasion. In the other instance, new needles were used for the lip and navel piercing.
Multiple body piercing is a trademark among some overseas entertainers and basketballer Dennis Rodman was notorious for multiple rings in his ears, a ring in his eye brow, and studs in his nose and bottom lip.
