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Retaining New Piercings For Surgery

Very often metal jewelry must be removed prior to surgery.

Nylon ear studs available from most department and accesory stores can be worn to retain ear, nose and lip piercings during surgery. These studs have a flat disc at one end and are secure with a barrel-style clasp. Unfortunately these studs are only available in thicknesses equivalant to 20 or 18 gauge.

Monfilament nylon cord, such as fishing line and weed trimmer line, can be matched fairly well to various gauges. Both are sold in small spools at most hardware stores. The packages state the metric thickness of the cord which can be compared to the thickness of the jewelry. The ends should be rounded and smoothed using a file and disinfected prior to wearing. Securing monofilament is often difficult. The ends may be flattened into a disc shape using a hot knife or the ends can be wrapped with tape. Monofilament can be autoclaved safely.