Prevalence of piercing in a German population.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of piercing in a given German population. Questionnaires were given to 5,000 patients of a private dental practice, two private dermatology practices and the outpatient Clinic of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Regensburg. A total of 4,505 patients were evaluated. We found 389 patients with piercings other than that of earlobes (8.6%). More piercings were found in females (12.9%) than in males (4.1%). The study shows a high prevalence of piercings in a given population. For that reason, dermatologists ought to be aware of the different types of piercings available as well as their short- and long-term complications.