If you like it, then you should’ve put a…. piercing on it: Wedding finger piercings, all the rage or just plain risky?

Guest Written by Kelsey McGillis

With every season, a new set of bride-to-be’s begin planning their dream weddings, each with their own unique preferences. However, every year a few trends emerge that stand out among the rest. From long sleeve dresses to air plant bouquets, Instagram is the place where wedding trends are born. And perhaps no wedding trend dominated Instagram feeds this year quite like piercing wedding rings. Is this just a fun idea or a health risk for all brides to be? Check out what a couple experts had to say.

For starters, what exactly is a dermal piercing? Unlike conventional piercings, which go into one part of the skin and come out another, dermal piercings are pierced into an anchor under the skin, giving the appearance of a single stud on the skins surface. Many brides have been opting for dermal piercings on their ring fingers in lieu of wedding bands.

What does Toronto Dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett have to say about all this piercing madness? Turns out a simple little diamond can prove a lot more complicated than you may think. Dr Kellett explains, “There are digital nerves and arteries that supply the finger, and if you were to pierce through them it would be a big problem, you could get a hematoma and lose blood supply to the finger. Also, if you hit a nerve, it could cause numbness and problems with movement.”

Additionally, day to day life creates its own set of concerns surrounding dermal piercings.

“If you catch your finger on something, it could cause tearing or scarring, and scarring, in particular, can cause significant problems in range of motion and function of the finger. Unlike other parts of the body, the finger doesn’t have a lot of tissue and it’s hard to graft over that area,” says DLK on avenue’s Dr. Lisa Kellett.

It’s not just skincare experts that see the potential dangers of these piercings, but the piercers themselves. Whitny Lapointe, a piercing specialist at The Village Ink in Toronto won’t even perform finger piercings, and warns against any studios that will do so.

For starters, she agrees with Dr. Kellett’s claims of how infectious these piercings are. Additionally, the piercings don’t last very long, plain and simple. ”If you’re lucky and careful, it’ll stay in for a few months, but it’s rare that it’ll stay in place that long just based on how active we are with our hands” says Lapointe.

So what’s the verdict on these dermal finger piercings? Lapointe perhaps sums it up best, stating “It’s trendy and I guess somewhat unique, but in the long run, you’re better off getting an actual ring.”