What piercings need to be taken out for surgery?
I recently had a consultation for breast augmentation and was advised I would have to remove all of my piercings (bottom lip, younger, nostril, bridge, ears, and dermal in my chest) one month before surgery for it to be performed. Can anyone enlighten me as to why it is necessary to remove all piercings instead of just the ones around the surgical area?
All metal piercings need to be removed. They make plastic replacements that you can put in in place of your piercings that keeps the hole open. But metal can lead to burns of your skin. During surgery, we usually use a Cautery to stop bleeding. This can cause burns of your skin around any metal. The safest thing is do is remove them. That is why it is mandatory in all surgery centers prior to surgery!
During breast augmentation electrocautery is used to control bleeding. Contact with metal by the cautery can cause burns.
Removing Piercings for Surgery
Piercings need to be removed for surgery for two reasons. First, any pressure on them can result in loss of tissue around them since you are not aware of that pressure and would not automatically relieve it unless you were totally awake. Secondly, we use an electrosurgical device to cut tissue and control bleeding. The piercings can divert electrical current that can also cause loss of tissue. I can, however, see no reason for removing them earlier than the day before the surgery.