Bloodborne HIV: Don't Get Stuck!

Additional information about piercing

Piercing of the ears, and in some cases the nose, is commonly done in early childhood in many communities. Later, according to style, many men and women arrange for additional body piercing (including especially ear and nose piercing).

Piercing may be accomplished by one of three methods. Ear and nose piercing is often done with a gold wire, which is twisted and left in the hole. Because a new gold wire is used for each client, this does not transmit disease from one client to another. However, to show the wire is sharp, some piercers prick their finger to draw blood before piercing. Don’t allow this; it is a risk to transmit HIV and other bloodborne pathogens.

Another common method is to pierce with a steel wire, after which a gold wire or stud is placed in the hole. With this method, you are at risk if the steel wire is reused without boiling or flaming. Wiping or soaking with alcohol, bleach, or other cleaner is not reliable.

Piercing is often accomplished with a gun, which shoots a stud into an ear or nose. This stud remains in the hole. Because a new stud is used for each client, this presents no risk to transmit HIV from a previous client.

Risks to get HIV from piercing

If a tool (such as a steel wire) is reused to pierce ears, noses, or other body parts without any effort to clean, or if the piercer first pricks his or her finger to show the wire is sharp, the risk to transmit HIV from an infected client or piercer to a subsequent client may be estimated at less than 1% (see Table on Estimated Risks in Blood-borne Risks section). Although piercing is a deep wound, the needle is not hollow (as in an injection), so less blood is involved.

If the wire is new, boiled, or heated in a flame, or if you get a new stud, you have no chance to get HIV from piercing.