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Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from the radiology department performing your imaging. Every imaging facility has its own protocols, and specific imaging types (e.g. mammography, dental imaging, specialised CT) may have specific requirements not covered here. X-rays and CT are not MRI A common confusion: because MRI has strict metal removal requirements, people often assume X-rays and CT scans have the same requirements. They do not. MRI uses magnetic fields, which react strongly with any magnetic metal. X-rays and CT scans use radiation, which does not react with metal in a dangerous way. The...

Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from your specific dental team. Every dental practice has its own protocols and preferences. Follow their instructions above the general guidance in this article. When your dentist and this guide conflict, follow the dentist. Dental appointments and piercings Oral piercings (tongue, lip, cheek) come up frequently at dental appointments. Some dental work requires removal, some does not, and dentists themselves have varying levels of familiarity with modern piercing practices. This guide covers the common dental scenarios and what to actually do with your oral piercings for each. The general...

Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from your maternity team. Every hospital and every birth situation has specific protocols. Follow your midwife, obstetrician, and hospital instructions above the general guidance in this article. If your birth becomes complicated or requires intervention, the medical team may need to remove jewellery quickly, allow them to do what they need to do. Pregnancy versus labour, different questions Piercings during pregnancy generally, whether to keep them, adjust them for changing anatomy, or remove them entirely, is covered in the pregnancy-focused guide. This cluster covers something more specific: the 48...

Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from your surgical team. Every hospital and every procedure has its own protocol for jewellery. Follow their specific instructions above the general guidance in this article. When your surgical instructions and this guide conflict, follow the surgical instructions. Surgery and piercings, the specific question If you have surgery scheduled, the piercing question tends to come up close to the appointment. The hospital sends pre-operative instructions. Somewhere in there is a line about jewellery, often with less detail than you would like. Sometimes it says remove all jewellery. Sometimes it...