Hi, all!

My surgery date is on the 25th (Monday) and I know I have to take all my piercings out because you can't have any metal on you that day, which is fine, but the only one I'm a little worried about is my nose piercing. They can be a little finnicky when you take them out even years after they've healed.

Well, do you think it'd be ok to put a retainer in it during the surgery? It's plastic and practically invisible. Does anyone have some insight on this?

I think this is something that is particular to each individual surgeon and anestheseologist (or however you spell it) so really no one can answer this but them. Good luck!

Good question cos I lost an upper ear piercing because I had to take it out and couldn't get it back in. They made me take it out but when I said I couldn't remove my rings because they were too tight, they just wrapped them in tape and left them on my finger!

I have a nose piercing that is 4 years old, and I took it out just for the surgery and didn't have any problems putting it back in afterwards. Also have an ear cartilage piercing that is 3 years old and I didn't have any problems putting that back in either.

I think this is something that is particular to each individual surgeon and anestheseologist (or however you spell it) so really no one can answer this but them. Good luck!

Yeah that's what I figured. I have my pre-op at the hospital tomorrow so I'll just see what they have to say about it then.

Good question cos I lost an upper ear piercing because I had to take it out and couldn't get it back in. They made me take it out but when I said I couldn't remove my rings because they were too tight, they just wrapped them in tape and left them on my finger!

Oh, thats unfortunate! I've heard several reasons as to why we're not allowed to have metal on us but I'm not sure what the real reason is. It seems odd that they wouldn't require you to take off your rings, though.

I have a nose piercing that is 4 years old, and I took it out just for the surgery and didn't have any problems putting it back in afterwards. Also have an ear cartilage piercing that is 3 years old and I didn't have any problems putting that back in either.

I've had it for about 2 1/2 years and sometimes if I take it out it can't be tricky getting back in when I take it out. I'm not sure why. I guess it depends how long the surgery will take, which of course is impossible to tell. I'm just going to leave it and see if they say anything, I guess.

Thanks for replying!

I think you have to take the metal off because if they need to put you through an MRI machine it'll burn your skin where the metal is. or something like that. years of watching ER and House have done me no good

I bet a plastic retainer is fine though. I had to take my tiny captive bead hoop in my rook out, and I lost the bead. The last 3 months I've gone beadless, just hoping the hoop doesn't fall out.

My mom was once an OR nurse, and if I remember correctly it has to do with interfering with equipment and the surgery itself. Also if something goes wrong and they need to get to a part of your body it can't be covered by anything. They also need to see every vein and mark in case they need to get an IV in for some reason. They basically want nothing foreign on your body, even if you think it's not on an area that would interfere. They do all sorts of stuff to you once you're put under that my mom said you don't even want to know. The nose I'd imagine they'll make you take everything out alltogether, as you'll have a mask on and a breathing tube. They don't want any chance of it accidentally slipping into your windpipe. A pain in the butt I know (it took me forever to get my ear cartilage earring back in after surgery), but better to be safe than sorry!

My mom was once an OR nurse, and if I remember correctly it has to do with interfering with equipment and the surgery itself. Also if something goes wrong and they need to get to a part of your body it can't be covered by anything. They also need to see every vein and mark in case they need to get an IV in for some reason. They basically want nothing foreign on your body, even if you think it's not on an area that would interfere. They do all sorts of stuff to you once you're put under that my mom said you don't even want to know. The nose I'd imagine they'll make you take everything out alltogether, as you'll have a mask on and a breathing tube. They don't want any chance of it accidentally slipping into your windpipe. A pain in the butt I know (it took me forever to get my ear cartilage earring back in after surgery), but better to be safe than sorry!

That is very true. I guess it's one thing that I'll have to play by ear.

Thanks everyone for replying.

I think you have to take the metal off because if they need to put you through an MRI machine it'll burn your skin where the metal is. or something like that. years of watching ER and House have done me no good

I bet a plastic retainer is fine though. I had to take my tiny captive bead hoop in my rook out, and I lost the bead. The

last 3 months I've gone beadless, just hoping the hoop doesn't fall out.

Ah an ER fan! I LOVE ER!! An MRI would just attract the metal and alter the image and be a magnet to it so your ring would stuck to it while it's still on your finger. It might have to do with electrocautery. If they have to use it the cautery could burn you where the metal is, in theory. They do use cautery pads which attract the cautery to it. But I don't know if they use cautery laporascopically. I would think only if they did a open procedure.

I have a rook and tragus piercing and nothing was ever said about taking them out.

I have a tiny nose ring, tongue ring, a few upper ear cartilage piercings and they were all required to be taken out. If anything goes wrong, you do NOT want these foreign objects in your body. You can have burns from the metal piercings, if you use a retainer and they have to put tubes in your nose, they will likely take it out. Rings, bracelets, etc, they do not want people to wear due to swelling that can occur during surgery. These items can also harbor bacteria (which you don't want in a sterile environment).

There are reasons behind them telling you to remove all jewelry and wanting to know if you have any metal in your body. It is best for you and you can always be re pierced if you need to. I lost a nose piercing to a surgery several years ago and just had it redone a few months later. (I only had it for about 2-4 months before the surgery) Then I had surgery again after the 2nd time having it pierced and was able to put it back in that night without a problem.