OSE_1212_part3_Layout 1 12/5/12 9:34 AM Page 151
SAFETY
LATEST TRENDS
What You're Likely to See
M
ore and more individuals are presenting with dermal anchors, which are placed in the
uppermost part of the dermis, not the hypodermis, meaning they're not deep piercings.
Dermal anchors aren't implants, which live totally under the dermis with no outside
exposure. They can be taken out, regardless of what a patient might tell you. Never use a scalpel (I've
seen that done by a doctor who obviously didn't care for the piercing). A disc exposed to the air is
attached to a piece of U-shaped metal that sits inside the skin. Some scar tissue can form in that
open center, making removal difficult. Don gloves, palpate the skin around the piercing, unscrew the
disc, lock a hemostat onto the jewelry's stem and apply pressure to gently work it out. Once removed,
apply direct pressure to the opening to stop the bleeding; there's no reason to suture the hole.
What about other piercings? The jewelry is the same, no matter where it's placed in the body: some
form of barbell — straight, circular, curved or ringed. Nose piercings are usually done with a nostril
screw, which is a straight piece of jewelry bent inside of the nose. Navel piercings are comprised of
curved barbells and rings of various forms. Eyebrow piercings are often done with a curved barbell or
ring.
When removing barbell pieces, unscrew 1 or both balls. If the barbell's shaft has threads on its outside surface, lubricate it before pulling it through the wound. If you don't use lubrication, the threading
will tear the scar tissue that has formed the fistula that holds the jewelry.
Captive jewelry — many lip or navel piercings, for example — is held in
place by pressure. To remove these piercings, insert a hemostat inside
the ring and slowly open it. That will open the ring, take the pressure
off the ball holding it in place and let you slide the piercing out.
— David Vidra, CLPN, WCC, MA
D E C E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
1 5 1
