Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

*Rated M for Mature

Body Piercings

"Today we're going to talk about body piercings!" exclaimed Ms. Stuart, shocking the class into silence.

"Body piercings?" Duke echoed, subconsciously grabbing onto his earring with his fingers.

"Yes," continued Mr. Wilson. "We decided to have a very different topic to discuss each day to keep things lively. But if there are issues you want us to discuss, just let us know."

"Now who can tell me what a body piercing is?" asked Ms. Stuart.

"Uh…a piercin' on the body?" Joey suggested. The question seemed too simple to answer; he thought it was a trick question.

Ms. Stuart nodded. "A body piercing is exactly that – a piercing or puncture made in your body by a needle. After that, a piece of jewelry is inserted into the puncture. The most popular pierced body parts seem to be the ears, the nostrils, and the belly button.

"If the person performing the piercing provides a safe, clean, and professional environment, this is what you should expect from getting a body part pierced:

"The area you've chosen to be pierced – except for the tongue – is cleaned with a germicidal soap – a soap that kills disease-causing bacteria and microorganisms. Your skin is then punctured with a very sharp, clean needle. The piece of jewelry, which has already been sterilized, is attached to the area.

"The person performing the piercing disposes of the needle in a special container so that there is no risk of the needle or blood touching someone else. The pierced area is cleaned. The person performing the piercing checks and adjusts the jewelry, and they give you instructions on how to make sure your new piercing heals correctly and what to do if there is a problem."

Duke sighed in relief. So there wasn't anything to make him feel guilty about his own piercing.

"Has anyone thought of getting a body piercing before?" asked Mr. Wilson. Several people raised their hands. "If you're thinking about getting pierced, do your research first. If you're under 18, which most of you probably are, some places won't allow you to get a piercing without a parent's consent. It's a good idea to find out what risks are involved and how best to protect yourself from infections and other complications.

"Certain sites on the body can cause more problems than others — infection is a common complication of mouth and nose piercings because of the millions of bacteria that live in those areas. Tongue piercings can damage teeth over time. And tongue, cheek, and lip piercings can cause gum problems."

Joey made a disgusted face. Piercing in those areas was definitely something he wouldn't do now.

"People with certain types of heart disease might have a higher risk of developing a heart infection after body piercing," continued Mr. Wilson. "If you have a medical problem such as allergies, diabetes, skin disorders, a condition that affects your immune system, or a bleeding disorder — or if you are pregnant — ask your doctor about any special concerns or precautions you should take beforehand. Also, it's not a good idea to get a body piercing if you're prone to getting keloids, which an overgrowth of scar tissue in the area of the wound."

"So if you decide to get a body piercing," said Ms. Stuart, "make sure you're up to date with your immunizations, especially hepatitis B and tetanus.

"Plan where you will get medical care if your piercing becomes infected – signs of infection include excessive redness or tenderness around the piercing site, prolonged bleeding, pus, and change in your skin color around the piercing area – or if you have other problems, such as excessive swelling or bleeding.

"Also, if you plan to get a tongue or mouth piercing, make sure your teeth and gums are healthy."

"And there's something else you should be aware of," said Mr. Wilson. "Body piercing is regulated in some places but not others. Although most piercing shops try to provide a clean and healthy environment, some might not take proper precautions against infections or other health hazards.

"If you decide to get a body piercing, do a little investigative work about a shop's procedures and find out whether it provides a clean and safe environment for its customers. Every shop should have an autoclave – a sterilizing machine – and should keep instruments in sealed packets until they are used.

"Now what kinds of questions should you make sure to ask?"

"Whether the shop is clean?" suggested Yugi.

"Good," said Ms. Stuart. "That's really important. What else?"

"Whether the person doing the piercing washes his or her hands with a germicidal soap, whether they wear fresh disposable gloves, whether they use sterilized instruments or whether the use instruments that are thrown away after use, and whether they use a piercing gun; they're not sterile," stated Kaiba.

The class turned to look at him.

"What now?" he snapped.

"Nothin'," said Joey. "Everyone just thinks you're a germaphobe now."

"Okay. That was good, Mr. Kaiba," said Ms. Stuart. "Anything else?"

"Um, whether the needle being used is new and is being used for the first time?"

"Yes. Very good," said Mr. Wilson.

"Oh! Whether the needle is disposed of in a special, sealed container after the piercing and whether they properly handle and dispose of waste, like the needles or gauze with blood on them and stuff!" shouted Tristan.

"Excellent," said Mr. Wilson. "It's also a good idea to ask about the types of jewelry the shop offers because some people have allergic reactions to certain types of metals. Before you get a piercing, make sure you know if you're allergic to any metals. Only nontoxic metals should be used for body piercings, such as surgical steel, solid 14-karat or 18-karat gold, niobium, titanium, and platinum.

"If you think the shop isn't clean enough, if all your questions aren't answered, or if you feel in any way uncomfortable, go somewhere else to get your piercing."

"And if all goes well, you should be fine after a body piercing except for some temporary symptoms, including some pain, swelling at the pierced area, and in the case of a tongue piercing, increased saliva," said Ms. Stuart. "But be aware that several things, including the following, can go wrong in some cases:

"Chronic infection, uncontrollable or prolonged bleeding, scarring, hepatitis B and C, tetanus, skin allergies to the jewelry that's used, abscesses or boils – collections of pus that can form under your skin at the site of the piercing – and inflammation or nerve damage.

"Depending on the body part, healing times can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year. If you do get a piercing, make sure you take good care of it afterward — don't pick or tug at it, keep the area clean with soap – not alcohol – and don't touch it without washing your hands first. Never use hydrogen peroxide because it can break down newly formed tissue. If you have a mouth piercing, use an alcohol-free, antibacterial mouthwash after eating."

"If you're thinking of donating blood, be aware that some organizations won't accept blood donations from anyone who has had a body piercing or tattoo within the last year. This is because both procedures can transmit blood-borne diseases you may not realize were passed on to you at the time of the piercing," said Mr. Wilson.

"And if your piercing doesn't heal correctly or you feel something might be wrong, it's important to get medical attention," continued Ms. Stuart. "Most important, don't pierce yourself or have a friend do it — make sure it's done by a professional in a safe and clean environment.

"That's all the time we have for today! Class dismissed!"

The (factual) information I got for this drabble came from KidsHealth.