The Standards Institution of Israel isjoining the effort to protect teens and young adults from health hazards related to body piercing.
Following the Knesset’s approval of the Body-piercing Law, which states that children under 16 must receive parental authorization before undergoing a body-piercing procedure, The Standards Institution of Israel is working to issue a new standard that would prohibit the use of products that release excessive amounts of nickel in body-piecing procedures.
Body- piercing, which has steadily gained popularity among teens in recent years, may also be a health hazard, as the nickel extract from the pierced jewelry may cause allergic reactions such as rashes, infections, and, in extreme cases, damage to the nervous system.
The new standard is set to prohibit the marketing of products intended for use in direct and prolonged contact with the skin and which are capable of elevated levels of nickel release, such as piercing jewelry, bracelets, and rings.
Dalya Yarom of the Standards Institution of Israel says some 8 percent of Israelis are allergic to nickel.
“The nickel is melted from the jewelry through the gold, and then enters the body,” she says. “This may cause allergies and infections.”
Yarom says people should refrain from wearing jewelry pieces that contain a high level of nickel, such as white gold.
The Standards Institution of Israel is expected to issue the new standard by the end of the year.