Facial Piercings

I have 15 facial piercings and my surgeon is saying that I have to have them removed before surgery. They are all surgical grade titanium. I can't think of one reason that they should have to be removed other than a uneducated belief that they are dirty or that they would cause problems if I needed an emergency MRI (which they wouldn't because titanium isn't magnetic). The battle's not over yet, I'm gonna find out what reasoning they are using. Some of mine CAN'T come out, as they are implanted in the skin. The others would close up for sure in the time from when I would have to take them out to when I would be able to  put them back in.

Anyone else have to take out a piercing to get surgery? What reason did they give you?

They want your clean, unadulterated body on the operating table.  That way they don't have to keep track of any parts and pieces that could become foreign material.  No make up so you are clean.  No nail polish so there is nothing obstructing their ability to competely and totally assess your health, especially should complications arise.

 They told us in the per surgical meeting that the cauterizing machines canheaps up the metal and cause sever burns as well as the potential for contaminating the OR. *shrug*

The reasoning is they use an electro-cautery tool during surgery, and if they need to run electricity through your body for other reasons - think de-fib.. the very very very slight risk of an arc or some other type of mishap, could cause a burn. Add to that oxygen...yeah.. It is a safety concern. I had to remove my body piercings, and yes, some closed. Small price to pay. Either you can have them tapered and re-inserted or re-pierced, but this is one I would not try fighting.

Thank you for the information. That at least makes sense to me. Maybe we can compromise on some non-metallic temporary jewelry that won't cause this issue. I know there are such things for just this type of situation.

Please post what you find out!  I meant to ask my surgeon this very thing.  I have only one piercing, but I'm afraid it would close up. :(  Thinking maybe one of those plastic retainers would be OK.

 WOW 15! Cool, but they told me something in the OR can shock you and can possibly spark and you don't want to catch on fire that would be a really bad day! LOL Good Luck...

 I had to take EVERYTHING out. My gauges went bye bye, I'm back to normal size 18 earrings. To be fair, I waited like a week before I put everything back in. Everything else stayed open. Needed a little force, but that was it. You only need to take them out for the hour or so you're in the operating room. You can put them all back in once you're in your room. As far as dermal piercings... I'm not sure what you can do about those. They might make an exception since you can't really just take them out and put them in at your leisure? I don't have any so I can't speak from experience on that.

I heard the same thing other people are saying. That, and they didn't want to lose any small pieces of jewelry or anything coming loose and going who-knows-where. Maybe they would let you put plastic retainers in everything. Or plastic fishing wire. See if they'll let you do that? Good luck. I know it's a pain in the ass but it's so worth it.

My daughter has had several surgeries and each time she has had to remove all of her piercings - in various places all over her body as well as facial. Same reasons as described above. She is always able to get them all back in.

Good luck to you.

 i found out during a shoulder surgery that iv lines are guaged like piercings and so if you ask for the gauges you need they will bring you iv line. run it through the hole and tape on each side will keep them from closing. now for the ones that won't come out..idk!

also during my VSG i took my nose ring out  without putting anything in it and it didn't close at all..i've had it for 5 years.