Safe ear piercing

Piercing ears and wearing jewelry is one of the oldest known methods used to enhance the attractiveness of human appearance.

Decorating ears with earrings has occurred in many cultures during the same historical periods, making it difficult to determine exactly who and when initiated this form of modifying appearance.

The oldest documented example of piercing was provided by scientists who found in an alpine glacier in 1991 the world's oldest human mummy with pierced ears. Its age was estimated to be over 5000 years.

Originally, ear piercing had a mystical character; many primitive peoples believed that evil spirits could enter the body through the ears, and earrings were meant to protect against them.

Currently, we choose to pierce our ears and nose for aesthetic reasons. However, we must also be aware that it is a medical procedure, as it involves breaking the continuity of the skin and coming into contact with blood. This, in turn, poses a risk of bacterial infection or contracting viruses, such as hepatitis or HIV.

To properly disinfect the tools after the procedure, they should first be immersed in a disinfectant solution and then sterilized in an autoclave. Of course, this solution is not feasible. Most ear-piercing devices are made of plastic, which would melt in an autoclave at a temperature of 121 degrees Celsius.

It is also not enough to wipe or spray the device with alcohol, as the hepatitis virus can survive for more than ten days after such "disinfection."

A solution that protects against the potential risk of infection is the use of an ear-piercing device that has a system of single-use, sterile cartridges. Inside the cartridge is the earring used to pierce the ear. In this system, all parts that touch the client's ear are single-use. Similar solutions are used for nose piercing.

Piercing ears, in addition to the risk of infections, also carries the risk of developing an allergy to nickel. All metals (even precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum) contain nickel, even in the form of impurities. Therefore, there are no metal earrings that are completely free of nickel. Even when wearing gold earrings, we may experience bothersome pain and itching.

Clinical studies have confirmed that ear piercing and wearing earrings are the main factors increasing the risk of developing a nickel allergy, which affects as much as 20-30% of women worldwide.

To eliminate the possibility of developing a nickel allergy, earrings for ear and nose piercing should be made from skin-friendly materials: surgical plastic with zero (0%) nickel content and pure medical titanium (Pure Medical Titanium).

Titanium binds nickel more strongly than any other metal, which means that the allergenic component is released in smaller amounts. Despite these properties, titanium can also cause allergic reactions in the body to nickel. Therefore, only pure medical titanium (Pure Medical Titanium), which contains 10,000 times less nickel than allowed by the latest European Union directive (used in implantology), eliminates the likelihood of developing a nickel allergy.

Standard earrings worn in the ears have a post diameter of 0.7 – 0.9 mm. The wound heals after ear piercing, reducing its diameter. Therefore, it is important that earrings for ear piercing have posts with a larger diameter – 1.2 mm. This allows for later putting on earrings without irritating and injuring the walls of the hole, which can lead to infection.

On average, about 5% of the population decides to undergo ear piercing each year, which means that in Poland, this is close to 2 million people. For salons specializing in ear piercing, this is a business that generates significant income and does not take too much time (about 10 minutes).

Of course, there are many salons that offer piercing services. However, not all operate in a way that ensures customer safety, as they do not recognize the dangers and do not apply standards that ensure sterility.

Market leaders will be beauty salons that opt for the latest solutions that eliminate problems such as the risk of contracting hepatitis during the procedure or even developing a nickel allergy, which is incurable.

Despite the apparent ease of performing the piercing procedure, it is worth taking training in ear and nose piercing methods. The knowledge gained during training provides comfort and confidence in performing the procedure. The ability to pierce a pair of ears simultaneously reduces stress for the client. Awareness of the dangers allows for avoiding serious health problems, and the ability to indicate the proper care methods after piercing accelerates the healing process. These are all advantages that will allow one to stand out from the competition and will certainly be appreciated by increasingly aware clients. Therefore, knowledge is so important.