Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Dermatol Sinica, cilt.36, sa.3, ss.210-217, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: Body piercing confi ned to the ears, mouth, and nose has been a common practice
in almost every society around the world as far back as can be traced. As the popularity of pierc-
ing increasing, there is a soaring urgency of understanding the subsequent complications.
Objective: A survey was designed to analyze the attitudes and practices of a group of volunteers
wearing nose piercing. The questionnaire aimed to establish where and how the individuals had
their piercing and what kind of complications they had when they got pierced, if any. Also evalu-
ated are the psychosocial consequences of piercing and the reason behind the body jewelry.
Methods: A 15-question survey was offered on a voluntary and anonymous basis to individu-
als wearing nose jewels at various public places in Eskisehir and Izmir, Turkey, over a span of
4 months period. Questionnaire data were analyzed using the SPSS 15.0. Independent variables
included various health complications, location of the piercing and the instrument by which the
piercing is performed.
Results: A total of 74 female volunteers responded to the questionnaire. There were 87% had the
procedure performed in an unregulated shop while 65% had it done by non-professional person-
nel. In 85%, the procedure was executed with a sterile injection/needle or a piercing gun, assum-
ing both were sterilized instruments. Nearly 70% noted at least one symptom of local infection.
A 30% observed bleeding. No correlation was found between various complications and the lo-
cation of the piercing or the instrument by which the piercing is performed (p<0.05). Over 90%
were clearly happy with their piercing. Adornment is the number one reason (in 38%) of having
nose piercing.
Conclusion: Results showed that body piercing, which was common among adolescents, may
pose a signifi cant risk to one’s health. Studies with larger sample size and among different popu-
lations with various cultural backgrounds are needed to delineate the rate of health complications
we have observed. Exploration of psychological and sociological consequences of body piercing
through long-term follow-up would be desired. (Dermatol Sinica 27: 210-217, 2009)