To many, they are the epitome of coolness, an edgy fashion statement that is considered as much an art form as a proclamation of youth. One adult in ten in the UK now has a stud or ring adorning body parts other than the earlobe, taking piercings to a new level of popularity - and of risk. Doctors reporting in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal claim that one 16 to 24-year-old in three who has been punctured in the name of style experienced medical problems afterwards, with one in 100 being admitted to hospital. A worrying number of those who experienced complications carried out the procedure themselves, or had failed to visit a specialist shop.

In a joint investigation by public health specialists from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, it was revealed that women were more likely to have piercings than men and that the navel and nose were the popular sites with tongue, nipples and eyebrows also increasingly favoured as places to adorn.

“Almost half the female population might eventually have a piercing somewhere other than their earlobe,” says Dr Fortune Ncube, of the HPA. “If this goes on, it is vital to continue raising awareness among piercers, their clients and health professionals about the importance of good hygiene and public safety.”

At specialist parlours, body piercing is generally done without anaesthetic - the area is numbed and a practitioner pushing a hollow needle through the skin before inserting jewellery into the hole that is left. In theory, it is safe if conducted in scrupulously clean surroundings where gloves are worn, sterilising equipment and single-use disposable needles are used and if the body part is kept permanently free of grime and bacteria afterwards. However, says Dr Sarah Jarvis, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), in reality the risks of problems remains high. “We are talking about a highly invasive procedure that requires after-care and healing time just like surgery,” she says. “A pierced navel or nose can take several months to heal and then it needs constant care and attention.”

Lucy Moss, 26, a PR executive from Stanmore, northwest London, had two body piercings during her teens, both of which were performed in, she thought, reputable salons. “At 16 I had my nose pierced with a gun, which is rarely used now as it is thought to increase the risk of infection,” she says. “It became infected over and over again. It was difficult to keep clean. I had to allow the piercing to heal up and then have it re-done as it was causing so many problems. Once I started work in my twenties, I took it out and haven't replaced it since. It is one I probably should never have had done.”

She also had her belly-button pierced when she was 18 and still wears the jewellery, but admits that it too has caused infections. “Three months after I had the piercing it became swollen, red and very painful,” she says. “I was fastidious about taking it out and cleaning it, but it didn't seem to make any difference. There was pus seeping out of the wound and it took weeks of cleansing it with antiseptic for it to clear up. I now monitor it and am very thorough about cleaning it. But I am thinking about taking it out.”

No pierced body part, it seems, is immune from risk. According to dental authorities, such as the British Dental Association, oral piercing - on the lip or tongue - is particularly prone to infection as food debris gathers around the studs or rings, causing bacterial infection.

A study in the Journal of Periodontology found that the popular barbell-tongue jewellery can cause gum recession and tooth chipping. Meanwhile, researchers at the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, found that body piercings can heighten the risk of potentially deadly infections in people with congenital heart disease. Several cases have prompted warnings about more extreme dangers linked to piercing. Last year, a student from Cardiff almost died when her belly-button stud tore through her stomach after a car accident. Jessica Collins needed a three-hour operation to treat her injuries. Two years earlier, a coroner issued a warning after a 17-year-old died from blood poisoning two months after having his bottom lip pierced in Sheffield. Jarvis says that the RCGP has noted a rise in blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B and C and HIV, have also been linked to the growing popularity of body-art procedures.

Ncube stressed that a good piercer “should tell you how to look after the piercing afterwards and that this is important to reduce a likelihood of infections”.

Experts also recommend avoiding cheap nickel and brass jewellery, which can trigger allergic reactions in some people. If pain and inflammation do occur, says Jarvis, antibiotics may be needed, although she cautions that they are not effective for all body parts. “In sites where there is more cartilage and less flesh, such as the upper ear, there is a limited blood supply, which means the medication is unable to reach the infected area,” she says. “My advice is to think carefully about whether you really want a piercing. A lot of people do it without thinking, only to regret it later.”

Explore Health

• Expert Advice

• Health Features

• Mental Health

• Alternative Medicine

• Child Health

• Health Club