This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Spanish PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in JAMA  Topic Collections  • JAMA Patient Page  • Alert me on articles by topic

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Body piercing has been recorded from ancient civilizations and can be seen in art and antiquities. Body piercing has recently become common in many countries, particularly among young persons. The February 25, 2004, issue of JAMA includes an article about serious infections related to piercing of the ear cartilage.

SITES OF BODY PIERCING

Piercing has been performed in nearly every area of the body. Cultural ideas influence the types of piercing commonly done in different parts of the world. In the United States, common piercing sites include the earlobe, ear cartilage, eyebrow, tongue, lips, nose, and umbilicus (belly button). Less visible sites include the nipples and the genitals.

INFECTION: A RISK OF BODY PIERCING
Any time the skin is penetrated, potential for infection exists. Typical signs of infection include pain, tenderness, redness, and foul-smelling drainage from the site of the piercing. Such infections can lead to serious complications such as abscess formation at the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Janet M. Torpy, MS, Writer; Cassio Lynm, MA, Illustrator; Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor

RELATED ARTICLE

Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections Caused by Commercial Piercing of Upper Ear Cartilage
William E. Keene, Amy C. Markum, and Mansour Samadpour
JAMA. 2004;291(8):981-985.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT