HealtyDayS

Oral Piercing

Body piercing is popular today in the United States and other western societies. One common type of body piercing is tongue piercing, which involves placing a “barbell”-type stud through the tongue. But wearing a tongue stud puts people at risk for chipped teeth, recessed gums, and nerve damage, warns the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

However, most people don’t realize that getting an oral piercing also places them at risk for developing a fatal infection or, in some cases, a mini-tongue, according to a report in the January/February 2006 issue of General Dentistry, the AGD’s clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

In the report, a young woman’s pierced tongue developed a large, round lump adjacent to the piercing. The lump, which she called her “second tongue,” didn’t hurt, nor was it infected, but it was growing. This mass was determined to be a scar tissue formation. Improvement was noted after oral hygiene was increased (frequent use of mouthwash and hydrogen peroxide mouthwash) and the tongue stud was replaced with a shorter shaft.

“Keep the wound clean. Make sure the bar is short so food and bacteria won’t enter the site,” advises Ellis Neiburger, DDS, lead author of the study. “Replace the metal barbell heads with plastic ones.”

The number of adults between ages 21 and 31 who have their tongue pierced continues to increase, notes Melvin K. Pierson, DDS, FAGD, AGD spokesperson, despite his efforts to educate his patients about the dangers.

Although this article cited an extreme case, there are some very common dangers associated with tongue piercing. Unclean piercing equipment can cause other infections, such as bloodborne hepatitis. Also, if a patient is not instructed to avoid touching the piercing, they might spread infections with their own fingers.

“I see a lot of damage caused by piercing: tooth fractures, tooth chips. Patients don’t see the relation between them and piercing, which weakens the tooth. The damage is almost always in the pre-molars, the middle teeth, almost parallel to the piercing,” says Dr. Pierson. “The best way to prevent damage is to not get your tongue pierced.”

“I don’t recommend piercing,” says Dr. Pierson. “Because of the risks associated with this unregulated procedure, if someone is considering an oral piercing, he or she should discuss it with their medical or dental professional.”

Hazards of tongue piercing:

• Infection due to unsterile instruments.

• Pierced blood vessel or artery.

• Development of scar tissue.

• Tooth fractures and chips.

Getting Tattoo

In recent years, many have said that white collar professionals, college students and celebrities getting tattooed, pumping iron or riding motorcycles democratize or blur distinctions between rich and poor. However, a Penn State researcher claims just the opposite in a study including fads and fashions such as body sculpting at expensive health clubs, rich urban biking, the art of the chopper and modern primitive tattooing.

“The object is not to get chummy with the poor. These are artistic practices that reconstruct class boundaries and ultimately relegate the poor to the hardcore,” says Karen Bettez Halnon, associate professor of sociology at Penn State’s Abington Campus near Philadelphia.

Signature tattoos, custom choppers, expensive health club fitness programs and the like represent a new form of gentrification, or middle class takeover of lower class communities, Halnon notes.

Her findings are published in an article, “Muscles, Motorcycles and Tattoos: Gentrification in a New Frontier,” in the current issue of the international Journal of Consumer Culture.

Halnon’s study explains how a “compelling symbolic triplet of lower class masculinity” has been glorified with a range of class distinguishing qualities such as: discussing the practices in esoteric language; locating the practices deep in history; treating the practices as optional and autonomous indulgences; gaining the sponsorship of elite institutions; and establishing professional skills and knowledge that provide social distance from the lower classes.

The researcher examined the content of coffee table books, conference proceedings, museum exhibits, and the techniques of various artists and experts who sculpt customized bodies and machines, such as on the television shows “American Chopper” and “Miami Ink.” The Penn State professor says her findings are troubling because “gentrifying muscles, motorcycles and tattoos, like all cases of gentrification, ultimately displaces the lower classes from their communities.”

Providing an example of the harm that may be done through symbolic gentrification, Halnon cited Wooden and Blazak’s study of San Francisco gutter punks who took drastic measures to defend against “frat boys and pro athletes” who invaded their “symbolic turf” by appropriating body piercing as a style. One group of gutter-punks responded by cutting off their pinky fingers.

“The extremity of such action may be understood as measure of the extreme value of symbolic territory for the socially and economically disenfranchised,” notes Halnon.

Tattoo Removal

If you didn’t believe your mom when she said that you would regret getting your beloved’s name tattooed on your arm - you are not alone.

Tattoos are an ancient tradition. In some cultures, tattooing was done for prestige and was very sacred. Today, people get tattoos in memory of loved ones, as a sign of rebellion or just to be cool.

However, tattoos can carry a number of health risks.

“If not done properly, the most common health risks are scarring, allergic reactions, and Hepatitis C,” said Dr. Ramsey Markus, an assistant professor of dermatology and director of the dermatology laser center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Allergic reactions are particularly bothersome as they are often chronic, itchy and difficult to treat. Red inks are the most likely to cause allergic reactions.”

There’s no cure for Hepatitis C, which is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus. Infections can occur in new tattoos, especially without appropriate after care.

A tattoo is a puncture wound, made deep in your skin, that’s filled with ink. Tattoos are long-lasting because they are injected into the dermis, the second layer of skin where the cells are stable and do not shed.

Unfortunately, it’s often more expensive to remove a tattoo than it is to get one. Dermatologists at Baylor College of Medicine are using the Medlite C6 laser, one of the safest and fastest tattoo removal lasers.

“Before the latest laser technology, the only way to remove a tattoo was surgically,” Markus said. “The tattoo would be cut out, burned off or sanded away. Salabrasion, or sanding the skin and rubbing in salt, was also effective.”

The Medlite C6 laser produces a beam of laser light that passes through the skin to break up the ink. The ink particles that are small enough are removed gradually for up to three months by the immune system. The treatment takes a few minutes depending on the size and color of the tattoo.

The number of sessions depends on the color of the ink, its density and how deep the tattoo is placed. Amateur tattoos take two to four sessions, while professional tattoos require six to 10 sessions. Black, blue and red inks are the easiest to remove, and green and yellow are the most difficult.

“Before getting a tattoo people should think about whether or not it’s worth it in the long run,” Markus said. “Some people keep their tattoos for ever, but others regret that they acted on impulse and decide to get it removed.”

Ear Piercing and Infection

My daughter is 4-months-old and I would like to have her ears pierced, but I want to make sure she is not too young for that. Are there any risks associated with piercing at this age?

Women, children and even men have worn earrings dating back to Biblical times and while ear piercing used to be considered a “rite of passage” into adulthood, we now see young children and even babies with pierced ears.  Even if it is quite common to see infants with earrings, there are some health issues parents should consider before proceeding with the piercing.

The major concern is infection.  Piercing should be done by a reputable expert who follows aseptic technique (wears gloves, sterilizes equipment and uses alcohol or other antiseptic on the skin).  Earring posts should be hypo-allergenic stainless steel or gold to reduce the chances of an allergic reaction which also can lead to infection.  The initial posts should stay in place for six weeks.  The pierced area of the ear should be cleaned, front and back, with alcohol several times a day. You should try to keep the babies hands away from her newly pierced ears.

Second to infection, it is very important that the piercing not be done before infants have completed their DPT shots.

Infants should only wear stud earrings, or earrings that lie close to the skin. Loops or dangling earrings can get caught in clothing or on objects and tear the ear lobe. Children also are much more prone to play with and pull on dangling earrings. With any earring, parents should make sure the back of the earring is secure and does not become loose or fall off, creating the risk of swallowing the earring.

Parents may also be confronted by older children who not only want to pierce their ear lobes, but the cartilage on the outer ear. I strongly advise against this since cartilage is easily injured, easily infected and has such poor blood supply that it will heal very poorly. There are known instances where cartilage piercing has lead to severe infection and ultimate disfiguration of the ear itself.

Some people, regardless of age, are prone to form keloids. These growths, such as scar tissue, occur after tissue injury and become large, unsightly growths that are difficult to correct. If there is any family history of keloid formation, it is advisable not to pierce your daughter’s ears until she is much older, such as a teenager or young adult. It may make good sense not to pierce your child’s ear until she is old enough to make the personal decision herself.

In our society, ear piercing is considered a fashion statement and is popular among boys and girls, men and women. If you do consider ear piercing for your child, no matter what their age, you should discuss the pros and cons with your child and your physician, making sure you take the necessary steps to prevent infection or injury.  There is no reason to risk a serious health problem for a cosmetic effect.

Nipple Piercing and Breastfeeding

Until recently, the option to breastfeed after birth was not offered to women with nipple piercings. While there may have been assumed implications to breastfeeding when pierced, limited documentation exists.

Now, there exist organizations that promote breast-feeding for those women and teach nurses how to deal with them on an individual basis. “The challenge for perinatal nurses becomes how to intervene to maximize opportunities for breastfeeding success in women with nipple piercings,” says Dr. Armstrong. While nurses are now encouraged to offer breastfeeding as an option, there are still reservations regarding the results.

In the past, breastfeeding supporters have said it is safe for pierced women to breastfeed, but noted there could be serious risks involved in doing so. Infants can aspirate on the jewelry and the metal of the jewelry can cause trauma to an infant’s lips, palate, tongue and gums, according to an article in the June/July issue of AWHONN Lifelines presenting findings from research about women’s breastfeeding success when the nipple is pierced.

“Careful history taking and physical assessment of the breasts a {prenatal} time affords the opportunity for nurses to provide pierced women with factual information about nipple piercing and breastfeeding,” says lead author Myrna L. Armstrong.  By considering the piercing as an integral part of the breastfeeding decision process, prenatal nurses can help foster breastfeeding success.

Ear Piercing Treatment

Earlobe tears are a common problem facing cosmetic surgeons. For ages ear piercing has been used for individual expression.  While the lobe may be the canvas for your expression, piercing puts it at risk to be torn. Whether torn by accident, a sudden pull on an earring by a child, the result of wearing heavy earrings, chronic friction from the telephone, or simply due to poor piercing technique, a tear means scaring and, depending on the deformity, surgical reconstruction.

A recent study in the journal Dermatologic Surgery evaluated the treatment techniques available to fix partially torn earlobes.  Partial tears occur when the piercing canal is elongated or deformed/stretched due to trauma, but has not severed through the earlobe.  The difficulty with partially torn lobes is to repair them without causing elongation of the lobule.

Experts in the study concluded that the best cosmetic treatment is the “purse-string method” which has several advantages over other techniques.  The “purse-string” repair has the ability to restore the rounded look of the lobe, avoids linear scars, and the surgical procedure is easy to conduct.

“This procedure is performed under local anesthetic and takes about 10 minutes to complete,” says lead author Suzan Obagi, M.D. assistant professor in dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center. “The piercing canal is removed with either trephine or surgical blade.  A 5-0 Prolene® suture is used to close the defect in a “purse-string” fashion with the knot placed at the superior aspect of the incision. The sutures are kept in place for 1 week.”

After just 6 weeks you can once again don a pair of earrings, but follow these tips for preventing future tears: Don’t wearing heavy, dangly earrings, avoid wearing earrings to sleep, and have your ears re-pierced using a proper technique.

The ASDS has also prepared a list of tips to consider when obtaining a piercing.  To review the list, go to www.asds.net  Remember:  today’s trend may be tomorrow’s regret.

This study is published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery.

Suzan Obagi, M.D. is assistant professor in dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center.

Tattooing and body piercing risks

My 15-year-old daughter really wants not only a tattoo, but she also seems to think everyone in her “group” is getting a nose stud.  I have heard these things can pose a threat to your health. What information can you offer?

Answer: Tattoos and body piercing are quite popular among young people these days, both boys and girls.  In some instances, tattoos and piercing are seen as a fashion statement, while others take part to enhance their self-esteem and peer image.  Popular or not, there are definite risks and concerns.

Whether or not your daughter goes through with this, here are some things you should discuss as the two of you consider this move.

Tattooing

Teenagers who pursue a tattoo or piercing don’t always do their homework to learn which parlors are routinely inspected and licensed. If tattoos are administered by a licensed professional who follows recommended precautions, there is probably a minimal health threat. Teens who are considering a tattoo should realize the following:

• Tattoos are expensive and painful.

• Removal is not impossible but it is expensive, painful and very time consuming. It is certain that the skin will never be the same. Be wary of skin creams advertised as a sure method for removal; they are not proven.

• What is considered “in” during the teenage years, may turn out to be an embarrassing regret as an adult.

• Disease can be transmitted through unclean needles.

• Infection of the skin under the tattoo can be severe and sometimes disfiguring.

Body Piercing

Body piercing is not safe. Dermatologists object to all forms of body piercing, with the exception of the ear lobes, and dentists oppose oral piercing to the point of calling it a public health hazard.

Health complications associated with body piercing include prolonged bleeding, scarring, tetanus, abscesses, boils and chronic infections such as halitosis (bad breath) from tongue rings. Infection of Hepatitis B and C also are a threat, with no effective cure. Any time permanent holes are made in the lips, nose and eyebrows they are not easy to repair. Ear piercing of the cartilage of the upper ear is frequently associated with prolonged infection and occasionally permanent disfigurement.  Studs and rings can catch in clothes, and can cause large tears in the skin, lip, tongue, etc.

When you discuss the dangers of tattoos and body piercing, be sure your child knows you are concerned about their safety, rather than trying to tell them what to do. Children, especially teenagers, often rebel against their parents’ wishes.  Ask your daughter why she wants a tattoo or piercing, and it may help you in finding an alternative solution.  She may also talk to a dermatologist and you can conduct other research for photos of tattoos that have gone awry or are disproportionate after a person gets older, gains weight, or decides to have them removed.  The unappealing sight of the effect years can have on a tattoo may change your daughter’s mind very quickly.

Teenagers must be encouraged to think long-term when considering tattoos or body piercing.  Regardless of what practices their peers are taking part in, teens must realize that what’s considered “trendy” today may not fit what they want for themselves later on in life.  Encourage your teen to make a mature decision and then support her and teach her how to respond when she faces that dreaded peer pressure.

Tattoos and Makeups

New studies on tattoos and permanent makeups by U.S. researchers show that “permanent makeup” which is just another form of tattoo in place of cosmetics such as eyeliner or lipstick, and which is used by more than eight million women in the nation, may cause serious problems, particularly for people, who had a history of allergy.

Masja Straetemans of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and her colleagues stated that more than nine out of 10 tattoo users had side-effects such as tenderness, swelling, itching and more than four out of five experienced bumps.

Patients who used tattoo makeup ink to enhance eyebrows, eyelids and lips could have allergic reaction. And occasionally people developed an allergic reaction to tattoos they had for years, the researchers added.

“Our findings show that application of permanent makeup can result in serious, long-term disfiguring reactions,” Straetemans said.

“Of the 92 women [included in the study], 89 had used ink shades from the specific company in at least one procedure after June 1, 2003, before the development of health problems,” the study’s lead author, Masja Straetemans, a senior epidemiologist at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, Germany.

Like a regular tattoo, the permanent makeup procedure injects pigment into a deep layer of skin called the dermis, according to the American Academy of Micropigmentation (AAM). The epidermis is the layer of skin which is visible, and the one that constantly sheds and renews itself.

According to the AAM, there are different reasons why people want to have cosmetic tattoos, including wanting to save time, having difficulty applying makeup, and thinning eyebrows or eyelashes, etc.

“The body sees the pigment as a foreign body and reacts to it, causing a chronic inflammatory reaction,” said Dr. Ellen Marmur, chief of dermatological surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “The area gets swollen, bumpy and red. It looks like a bad, bumpy scar. It’s very unattractive.”

Marmur said it’s impossible to know ahead of time who will have a reaction on the tattoo and who won’t, although most of the people interviewed for the study — 74 percent — had a history of allergies. Additionally, the study found that people with allergies took twice as long to heal, on average, Straetemans said.

However there is also good news: according to Straetemans, 89 of the 92 study participants had been injected with ink from a single product line. That line of inks was recalled by its manufacturer, Premier Products in Arlington, Texas, in September 2004, according to the FDA.

Marmur said she believes people do not know about all the risks connected with these types of procedures, especially the most common one: dissatisfaction with the way the tattoo looks. “People need to know the cost of reversing a tattoo is often more than getting it,” she said.

Another risk, Marmur said, is such serious infections as hepatitis may be acquired during the procedure of getting tattoo, “You don’t know if the needles are safe, and if they’re not sterilized, they can introduce bacteria and viruses under your skin. Even your own bacteria that live on your skin can be a problem if the skin isn’t cleaned properly.”

Marmur suggests to reduce the risks and to ask for a list of ingredients in the inks to see if there’s anything likely to cause a reaction. Also, the patient should know beforehand whether that particular ink can be removed at a later date. Some red inks, which could be used in a lipstick tattoo, turn black and become permanent if they’re exposed to the lasers commonly used to remove tattoos, she said.

Marmur said: “You should know the common and rare side effects before doing anything, and you should know if it’s something that can be reversed if you’re not happy with the results. Also, ask if there’s any way to allergy test in advance.

 Many people experiencing premature hair loss simply resign themselves to a process that is as inevitable as growing old. This is a positive and healthy reaction to what is a natural process for many. But for others the onset of premature balding or excessive hair loss represents a traumatic development that causes untold worry and suffering. This too is a legitimate reaction regardless of whether the hair loss is caused by hereditary factors or some other more complex cause.

Should these sufferers just grin and bear it? No, they should not because there are a number of potentially effective treatments they could utilize, depending on the nature of their hair loss. In this article I will outline some of the most popular hair loss treatments currently available in order to reinforce the fact that hair loss can be treated. The next article in the series will look closely at the treatment regimes best suited to specific ailments such as alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.

At present only two medications have been approved as hair loss treatments by the FDA. These are minoxidil, better known as Rogaine, and finasteride, better known as Propecia. Several other drugs have proven to be effective in combating hair loss, dutasteride for example, but have not yet been approved for this particular use.

Finasteride was originally developed to treat enlarged prostate conditions but a low dose version was subsequently approved for the treatment of hair loss in men. It tackles the causes of male pattern baldness by preventing the conversion of 5-alpha-reductase into DHT. Given that DHT is the main male hormone linked to hair loss, reducing its production by two thirds has a major impact on controlling this type of baldness.

Research has shown that 83% of men studied were able to maintain their hair count and 64% experienced regrowth by the end of a two year period. It should be noted that finasteride is approved for use by men only as the drug can have serious effects on unborn male fetuses. Women should therefore only consider using this drug under the strict supervision of a physician.

Dutasteride (Avodart) is a new medication for use in treating prostate conditions and, although not yet approved for the treatment of hair loss, it does offer exciting possibilities. It works in a similar way to finasteride but reputedly reduces overall DHT production by over 93%. As is the case with finasteride, women should consult their physician before using dutasteride.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is the other hair loss treatment approved by the FDA and it is the only anti-baldness drug approved for women. Applied topically, its main benefit is its ability to stimulate regrowth thus reversing the effects of pattern baldness. Many users combine the application of minoxidil with other hair loss treatments like Propecia to achieve maximal results, but others experience satisfactory outcomes using minoxidil on its own.

Several studies have shown that certain non-drug products promote hair regrowth but none have yet been approved by the FDA. This is partly due to the prohibitive costs involved in conducting trials to prove that the products are effective for the purpose of marketing them as hair loss treatments. Many individuals and dermatologists nonetheless recommend use of certain non-drug treatments as an alternative or complement to drug therapy.

In many instances the treatments are based on natural ingredients that stimulate similar responses to those of the prescribed drugs but without the side effects. The information provided here presents a sample of products that have been subjected to testing or at least have had their effectiveness supported by independent feedback.

One such product is Arcon Tisane which has become Europe’s top selling natural supplement for hair loss. It comes as a capsule and sub-lingual spray containing saw palmetto and fenugreek stimulating a response similar to that of finasteride by inhibiting the production of DHT. Arcon Tisane has been clinically tested and has received widespread media coverage of its success in combating hair loss.

Calosol is a relatively new product aimed at helping alopecia areata sufferers. It consists of a shampoo and an accelerator applied daily in order to stimulate hair roots, reduce hair loss and promote healthy hair. Early indications suggest that Calosol can contribute significantly to easing this distressing and difficult to treat condition.

Fabao 101 is a treatment that comes in varying formats, each designed to tackle a particular form of hair loss. The common factor to each product is their derivation from natural plant sources. It was developed by a dermatologist and has received many international awards.

Folligen copper peptide products are designed to help create an environment that improves scalp health, reduces hair loss and stimulates hair regrowth. It can be used by both men and women. Studies at over 30 leading universities and medical research institutes have established the effectiveness of the technology utilized in Folligen products.

Tricomin is another treatment that targets the delivery of copper to the base of the hair follicle and it too has been clinically proven as an effective treatment for stopping hair loss and stimulating regrowth. It can be used safely with other hair loss treatments and can be especially useful in complementing the effects of finasteride and minoxidil.

Revivogen is an all-natural hair loss treatment that reduces DHT production, blocks the androgen receptors and stimulates hair growth. It is used topically and has no known side effects.

Shen Min is another natural hair loss treatment designed to restore and regrow all types and stages of hair loss. It is safe for both men and women. Shen Min contains a blend of Chinese herbs and comes in various forms to suit most people.

ThymuSkin was developed by German scientists to fight hair loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Due to the high success rates the product was developed for use by the general public to combat all types of hair loss. Clinical studies conducted in Europe show that ThymuSkin hair loss treatments could help to stop baldness and regrow hair for 67% of men and 95% of women.

Hopefully this article has demonstrated that many treatment options are available to hair loss sufferers. The next article in this series will develop the theme further by examining the treatment regimes that have proven effective in tackling specific forms of hair loss such as androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.

 The hair loss industry is not one that inspires great confidence in most people. I have to admit this is perfectly understandable given the damage caused by the many rogues and charlatans who have abused the trust of far too many vulnerable people - people who have received worthless and even dangerous products or advice in exchange for their hard earned cash. The end result is the prevalance of a stigma that the industry is hard pressed to shake off.

But is this perception really justified nowadays? Are there no genuine treatments that sufferers can turn to in a bid to treat the ravages of premature hair loss? The simple answer is YES, there are several safe, affordable, accessible and effective hair loss treatments currently available. Some have even been approved by FDA for the treatment of hair loss conditions while others draw on natural remedies as the basis for commercially available products. Whether or not any of them are suitable for a given individual depends on a number of important factors.

First and foremost, every individual must determine the exact cause or causes of his or her hair loss. This may appear to be an over-simplistic statement but the truth is, most people undergoing a course of treatment for hair loss have proceeded on the basis of self-diagnosis. Given the fact that premature or excessive hair loss is often associated with underlying medical conditions, this is perhaps not the most sensible course of action.

My advice in all cases is to seek the guidance of a qualified medical practitioner because the consequences of not doing so may be serious in a small number of cases. Even where all the evidence points to the onset of hereditary male pattern baldness it would probably be best to seek advice, if only to rule out other factors.

Once the cause of hair loss has been properly diagnosed you will be in a position to choose a suitable form of treatment. This may range from the prescription of drugs aimed at balancing disrupted hormone levels to the topical application of minoxidil to reduce the symptoms of male pattern baldness.

Hair loss may be caused by many factors including changing hormone levels, illness, stress, overuse of strong chemicals, excessive traction, poor grooming practices, side effects of medical treatment, poor nutrition, weak immune system and the effects of aging. The good news is, all of these can be tackled with reasonable hope of success but only if you choose the right treatment.

The next article in this series will look closely at the various causes of excessive hair loss and outline suggested treatments that are both affordable and accessible. If you take only two things from this article, please take these suggestions on board:

1. Always seek the advice of your physician before undergoing a hair loss treatment regime.

2. Don’t despair, there’s often a simple explanation for excessive hair loss and even hereditary loss or male pattern-type baldness can be treated successfully for most people nowadays.