If You Have This Piercing, Take It Out Right Now, Officials Warn

THIS POPULAR PIERCING JEWELRY COULD BE PUTTING YOUR HEALTH IN JEOPARDY, EXPERTS SAY.

All piercings come with inherent risks, from minor infections to outright rejection. However, it's not just the skill of the piercer you go to that determines how well that piercing will fare—the jewelry you're using can significantly affect the outcome, too. On Feb. 17, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall on four different pieces of piercing jewelry from a popular retailer over safety concerns. Read on to discover if an item in your jewelry box could be putting you at risk. And for more safety hazards to steer clear of, If You're Using This to Relax, the FDA Says Stop Immediately.

The recall includes nose rings from Primark.
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The recall affects nose studs sold at Primark stores located in both Chicago, Illinois and northeastern Florida between Aug. 2020 and Dec. 2020. The nose studs being recalled come in a five-pack in either white gold-toned metal or yellow gold-toned metal and retail for approximately $3.50. The packaging for the white gold metal studs bears Kimball number 4102701 and Kimball number 4102702 for the yellow gold-toned version. And for the latest recall news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Primark belly button barbells are also being pulled from shelves.
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The Primark recall includes two different pieces of body jewelry in addition to the affected nose studs. Primark is also recalling white gold- and yellow gold-toned body bars—typically used in belly button piercings—that have a diamond-inspired center stone. The packaging for the body bars, which retail for approximately $2.50 apiece, is printed with Kimball number 2064701 for the white gold bars and 2064702 for the yellow gold ones.

The affected jewelry could cause dermatological issues.
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According to the CPSC announcement, the jewelry is being recalled over concerns about the high amounts of nickel it contains. While there have been no reports of adverse reactions associated with the use of either type of recalled jewelry, the CPSC warns that the nickel in either the body bar or nose ring could pose a "risk of skin irritation."

According to a 2015 study conducted by researchers at the Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte Dermatology Clinic in Brazil, among child and adolescent patients studied, 36.8 percent demonstrated a nickel sensitivity, while nine percent of adult women in a study published in the Archives of Dermatology also had a reaction to nickel.

Severe nickel reactions may require medical treatment.
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While the Mayo Clinic reports that most nickel reactions result in contact dermatitis—an uncomfortable and itchy, but generally minor rash—some people may have a more severe reaction.

In addition to a rash, those with a nickel allergy may develop blisters, changes in skin color, or patches of skin that appear burned. Anyone with a new or severe reaction to nickel is advised to see a doctor, especially if their skin is painful, unusually warm or red, or has developed pus at the reaction site.

If you have the recalled jewelry at home, you should stop using it immediately.
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The CPSC recommends that anyone with the affected Primark jewelry "immediately stop using the recalled piercing products." If you have the five-packs of nose rings or the individual body bars at home, you can return them to the Primark store from which they were purchased for a full refund. And for more dermatological issues you can't afford to ignore, If You Have This on Your Skin, You Could Have Severe COVID, Study Shows.