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Piercing
Body piercing refers to the piercing of a part of the body with a needle for the purpose of wearing jewelry in the opening created. Ear piercing is the most common type of piercing in our culture, but piercing of other body parts is becoming more common. An individual child, or parent, may choose to have a piercing for cosmetic purposes, religious reasons or to make a personal statement. Whatever the reason for the piercing there are certain health and safety considerations to keep in mind before getting the piercing.
Cleanliness: The needle should be brand new and removed from a sterile package, and the procedure should be done in a setting as clean as a doctor's office.
Material: Jewelry should be made from surgical stainless steel, solid 14- or 18-karat gold, niobium or titanium.
Size and Shape: The setting on the jewelry needs to be large enough so that it can not be pulled through the opening; also the stud needs to be long enough so that the pierced tissue can swell during the healing process.
After care: Keep the area clean by washing with antibacterial soap two times a day, not alcohol or peroxide. The healing process can take from 4 weeks for a pierced ear up to 6-12 months for pierced naval or genitals.
Patients are encouraged to contact Dr. McAllister if they are considering a piercing, especially of any area other than the ear, to discuss health risks and ways to care for the piercing. Contact us if a piercing develops redness, warmth, tenderness or swelling that is excessive or that lasts longer than a few days or has yellow or green drainage. Dr. McAllister does provide ear piercing services at Performance Pediatrics for a fee. |
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Children's Bone Health Dr. McAllister Publishes Article
In mid- August, The Old Colony Memorial as well as its regional papers, published an article by Dr. McAllister on bone health in children. Although most of the consequences of poor bone health, such as fractures and osteoporosis, mainly occur in older people, the foundation for bone health starts in childhood.You can read the article on our website by clicking here. |
 New Insurance Plans AddedNHP and TRICARE  Dr. McAllister is now a credentialed primary care provider for Neighborhood Health Plan as well as for TriCare Prime, DVA and CHAMPVA members. We are working on becoming a participating provider with many of our community's most popular health plans. Please check www.PerformancePediatrics.com often for updates. |
