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Related Experiment Videos

Comparison between cartilage and soft tissue ear piercing complications

T C Simplot1, H T Hoffman

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.

American Journal of Otolaryngology
|October 3, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Ear piercing complications are common, with 30% experiencing minor issues like infection or allergic reactions. Major complications from cosmetic ear piercing remain rare, even with cartilage piercings.

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Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Medical Complications
  • Cosmetic Procedures

Background:

  • Cosmetic piercing is increasingly popular.
  • There is a lack of detailed data on medical complications associated with cosmetic piercing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the medical complications associated with cosmetic ear, nose, and body part piercings.
  • To compare complication rates between cartilage and soft tissue piercings.

Main Methods:

  • An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 1,000 nurses at a Midwestern teaching hospital.
  • Responses were collected from 552 nurses regarding their piercing experiences and any complications.

Main Results:

  • 35% of nurses who had ear piercings reported complications.

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  • 30% of all pierced sites experienced complications, including minor infection (77%) and allergic reactions (43%).
  • Complication rates for cartilage (32%) and soft tissue (29%) piercings were similar, though infection was more common in cartilage and allergic reactions in soft tissue.

    • Conclusions:

    • Ear piercing has a low prevalence of major complications (<1%) but a high prevalence of minor complications (30%).
    • Piercing through cartilage does not appear to increase the risk of complications or morbidity compared to soft tissue.