Abstract
BACKGROUND
Piercings are body embellishments commonly seen in young people, however their
inherent risk of infection and scarring disorders are less divulged.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of body piercings among medical students and their
possible dermatologic consequences.
METHODS
Cross-sectional study with 58 medical students, by means of a structured
questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, technical issues related
to the piercing and characteristics of the dermatologic complications.
RESULTS
The sample was predominantly female (86.2%), with mean age 24 ± 3 years. The
placement of the first piercing occurred during adolescence (median age 15),
without medical supervision (91.4%) or knowledge of parents/guardians (74%). Most
piercings were made of metal alloy/stainless steel, in a dumbbell model (51.7%),
inserted in the umbilical area (53.5%) or ear (41.4%), with frequent cutaneous
reactions in the first six months post-piercing. Hypertrophic scarring, pain,
swelling and infection (p<0.05) had significantly higher frequencies among
those with navel piercings.
CONCLUSION
Piercing insertion occurred during adolescence. Local inflammatory and infectious
reactions were common. Scarring disorders and dermatitis appeared in the long
term. There is need for preventive and educational activities, starting with those
in the academic environment.
Collapse