well.. in this one zine.. i found this interesting thing on piercings and tattoos.. here ill type it all..
Tattoos and body pirecings have been so commonplace that they barely attract notice. But health officials say that they are increasingly worried about the potential risks, including disfigurement and infections. Of primary concern are blood-borne viruses like HIV and hepatitis B and C. And doctors say that tongue and body piercings provide channels for bacteria and viruses to enter the bloodstram long after the piercing procedure. Tattoo needles are also a concern, "Anything that pierces the skin and has blood on it can potentially spread an infection," says Miriam Alter, an associate director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. About 10 percent of piercings become infected, and tongue piercings carry an additional risk. Jay Gohel, a dentist in New York, has repaired several teeth damaged by repeated contact with metal. "Every time you move the tongue, it's banging on the teeth," he says.

So.. there is the article..

They know next to nothing about piercing....they are not bodymod professionals, the trend from the medical community has always been worst case scenario scare tatics...when one of them actually has a piercing and speaks from experience instead of prejudice then I might lend them an ear...until then they are know nothing fucksticks who are only voicing an ignorant opinion....

I agree Montana. I think the problem is that they forget (or don't want to admit) that the majority of artists out there are properly trained in how to deal with the hazards of their jobs. Yes, anything with blood on it can transmit disease, that's why it's disposed of properly. Doctors don't have a monopoly on this knowledge.

Besides, you would be shocked to know how many doctors and nurses I've seen touch a patients open wound with their bare hands. I commented on it to one nurse I was working with, and she told me "she (the patient) is old, it's not like they have a disease or anything" Apearently once you hit 50 you're immune to hep c, HIV, etc.  it was news to me! *L* (just feel the need to point out the scarcasm in the last sentence)

It's (very) slowly getting better. I've been asked about my tats and piercings by a few doctors who genuinely want to know more about it. Later this summer my crew is supposed to be doing a suspension demo for a bunch of doctors (and a few lawyers) because they're confused by it and want to learn more. We may even suspend one or two of them (they have expressed an intrest in suspending) It should be interesting.