Piercings have been around for at least 4,000 years, according to the BBC, although eyebrow piercings are a more contemporary take on the practice. The origins of eyebrow piercing are a bit hazy, but the potential side effects are well known and should be considered before you opt for this type of piercing.
Prevention
Wearing the correct type of bar for your eyebrow piercing can help to prevent extra damage to your skin. The balls on either end of the bar or ring can press against the piercing wound and stretch the opening out. Dr. Charles Stewart, an adjunct associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Rochester, New York, recommends using a curved bar to lessen the stress on your skin. A curved bar is also preferable because it is less likely to be ripped out accidentally.
Aftercare
Proper aftercare is essential for preventing and lessening scarring. Never touch a piercing with unclean hands -- fresh piercings are susceptible to infection, which can leave scars if not treated effectively. Trauma is a common cause of scarring so protect your piercing from your bangs where possible. Avoid contact sports during the healing process and cover your piercing with a bandage when getting your hair cut to prevent the piercing being yanked by scissors. MayoClinic.com advises using an antibacterial soup on any new piercing and resisting the urge to play with the bar or ring. Do not use an alcohol-based cleaner on the piercing. This can dry out the new wound and prevent healing.
Side Effects
Some people will find it impossible to avoid scarring. Doctors Laura M. Koenig and Mary Carnes identify several ways that scarring can occur with piercings in the study "Body Piercing," published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in 1999. Normal levels of scarring, larger scarring known as hypertrophic scarring, and keloids are all common side effects. Keloids are lumps of excess scar tissue that occur commonly in Asian and black people, although they can affect people of any race. Embedded bars or rings are also a risk of eyebrow piercing. Using a curved bar can help to prevent this, as can getting your eyebrow pierced with a needle and not a piercing gun.
Treatment
If your piercing does not get infected or ripped in any way, treatment should not be necessary when you remove the piercing. However, an eyebrow piercing will usually leave a scar as the piercing heals. Unlike some other piercings, this means that the piercing will not behave like a wound after the healing period, but as a fully scarred opening. Severe scarring could potentially require corrective surgery and keloids and embedded jewelry will require steroids, pressure and surgical removal.
Warning
Always use a piercer who is certified by a health or government authority. Ask for hypoallergenic jewelry because that minimizes your risk of allergy, which can lead to swelling and stress on the piercing site. Ensure that the piercer uses fresh gloves and a clean needle before he approaches your skin. A clean needle is one that has been removed from a surgical seal in your presence. Your risk of scarring will be increased if you use an unhygienic or inexperienced piercer, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- BBC -- Suffolk: Body Art -- Are You Up for It?
- The University of Hawaii System: Body Piercing -- Seductions and Medical Complications of a Risky Practice
- MayoClinic.com: Piercings -- How to Prevent Complications
- "Journal of General Internal Medicine"; Body Piercing -- Medical Concerns with Cutting-Edge Fashion; Laura M Koenig, MD and Molly Carnes, MD; 1999
- UCLA Department of Medicine: Complications of Body Piercing
- The University of Hawaii System: Body Art, Body Jewelry and Aquatics
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