daith piercing with stethoscope?

[drdarling16]

Hi everyone,

I know this has been covered a bit in other threads, maybe I'm not the greatest at searching this forum though. I have been very conservative throughout med school, and for some reason, as I'm about to start residency, I'm feeling like I want to get a daith piercing. I feel like it is semi-conservative for a cartilage piercing, and I've found some very pretty jewelry for it. My question is for anyone who has this piercing or knows someone with one. Would it be smart to get this right before starting residency where I'll obviously be using a stethoscope? Is this conservative enough for residency?

Thanks!

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[metopic]

seems like a dumb idea

 

[Law2Doc]

Wait until you are established in your career, and then you'll be in a better position to evaluate to what extent your self expression will hurt you. Residency is training steeped in subjective evaluation -- by faculty, patients, peers. It's not the time to express yourself in some controversial way, it's the time to fly fast and low and stay under the radar. You want to stand out as knowing your stuff, showing up on time ready to work hard, a good team player, not that guy/gal with the piercing.

 

[Goro]

The question really is how many faculty, patients, peers are OK with you looking like you used a box of fishing tackle as a pillow?

 

[Psai]

I wouldn't go above the antitragus
You think you're expressing yourself until you get cauliflower ear

 

[peridotthecat]

is one cartilage piercing really "looking like you used a box of fishing tackle as a pillow?" genuine question

 

[37Base]

This is a daith piercing for reference.

Kind of gross imo, but to each their own I guess.

 

[psych72]

I don't recommend doing it.

 

[gracie369]

Daith piercings are for closers. You aren't a closer yet. At least wait until you don't look like a fool on rounds every other day.

 

[drdarling16]

Hmmm.... so according to to this forum it's gross and a dumb idea and looks like you slept on a box of fishing tackle. noted. I guess where I'm at, I'm pretty much the only one without a cartilage/nose/lip/eyebrow piercing, so it's good to get other opinions. I was really more concerned with people who knew what kind of piercing this was and if they think it would heal enough within 2 months to use a stethoscope.

 

[drdarling16]

Also, this is the jewelry I would get. (the ring).

 

[drdarling16]

oops, here it is...

 

[Apollyon]

Hmmm.... so according to to this forum it's gross and a dumb idea and looks like you slept on a box of fishing tackle. noted. I guess where I'm at, I'm pretty much the only one without a cartilage/nose/lip/eyebrow piercing, so it's good to get other opinions. I was really more concerned with people who knew what kind of piercing this was and if they think it would heal enough within 2 months to use a stethoscope.

Really? Quite honestly, I had one residency classmate that was male that had even an earring, and he was a black guy with bilateral tats on forearms. As I think back, I've never had any colleague past med school that had anything but a lobe or an helix pierced, and no noses, eyebrows, lips, or other loose folds of skin (at least that were visible). If you are in such a progressive area, then why are you asking a bunch of random, anonymous people? Your "noted" comment makes you sound dismissive. If you are going to dismiss people that are (likely) more representative of the hierarchy into which you are going than the flesh and blood people that are right in front of you, well, you get your money's worth. (At the same time, I contradict myself, but, whatever.) Also, if you are the "only one without" any of those piercings, why don't you ask those people?

And, finally, if you strictly wanted to know if it would heal in time or interfere with your stethoscope, well, SDN is not for medical advice. See your personal physician. Or, you can see your piercer, but I have yet to meet one whose medical opinion I valued.

 

[Raryn]

Really? Quite honestly, I had one residency classmate that was male that had even an earring, and he was a black guy with bilateral tats on forearms. As I think back, I've never had any colleague past med school that had anything but a lobe or an helix pierced, and no noses, eyebrows, lips, or other loose folds of skin (at least that were visible). If you are in such a progressive area, then why are you asking a bunch of random, anonymous people? Your "noted" comment makes you sound dismissive. If you are going to dismiss people that are (likely) more representative of the hierarchy into which you are going than the flesh and blood people that are right in front of you, well, you get your money's worth. (At the same time, I contradict myself, but, whatever.) Also, if you are the "only one without" any of those piercings, why don't you ask those people?

And, finally, if you strictly wanted to know if it would heal in time or interfere with your stethoscope, well, SDN is not for medical advice. See your personal physician. Or, you can see your piercer, but I have yet to meet one whose medical opinion I valued.

I'd say in addition to lobe/helix, it's not particularly uncommon to see women with a single stud in a nostril.

Otherwise, I have no clue if that type of piercing interferes with stethoscope use, though it looks like it would. Regardless, as this thread easily shows, you will be judged by coworkers (a little), supervisors (likely a moderate amount), and almost certainly patients (the older ones? a lot). I personally wouldn't give any thoughts if my intern had a piercing like that, except the thought that in my opinion it looks fairly ugly, but there's plenty of people who would.

 

[smq123]

Out of curiosity, wouldn't it make your stethoscope hard to use? I just had a mental picture of the earpiece getting stuck in the loop and then a pediatric patient deciding to yank on your stethoscope at just that moment.....<shudder>.

What field are you going into, OP?

 

[Crayola227]

I think the placement is going to make it a total biatch with a stethy, you're really gonna have to make sure not so much of the loop is free that the earpiece and catch on it

2 months heal time with all the MRSA around the hospital... still sounds iffy to me

get something else

or if you're going into a field that rarely uses their stethy wait until you start that part of your training to get one

I don't think it looks unprofessional or anything, if you can wear your hair down a lot in your field people would hardly notice I bet

you know where you matched, so I might at least consider the conservative-ness of where you're going

I'd say go for it aside from practical concerns like how f*ing annoying I bet it is with a steth and the general grossness of a fairly fresh hole being exposed to hospital equipment

 

[Crayola227]

also, yes, you will be surrounded by dicks in medicine as you can clearly see hanging around SDN, but again, I don't think this piercing is an issue from a "you look too pierced/tatted up" POV at all

also, on another note, if your current avatar pic is REALLY of you, I would suggest you change it
SDN, and medicine, is a very small community
protect your internet anonymity!!!!!!

 

[Law2Doc]

Hmmm.... so according to to this forum it's gross and a dumb idea and looks like you slept on a box of fishing tackle. noted. I guess where I'm at, I'm pretty much the only one without a cartilage/nose/lip/eyebrow piercing, so it's good to get other opinions. I was really more concerned with people who knew what kind of piercing this was and if they think it would heal enough within 2 months to use a stethoscope.

The people you surround yourself with now will be the ones you won't have time to see down the road, so fitting in with them is irrelevant. Your goal going forward will be to not stand out in a negative way to older conservative people who aren't into the whole piercing and tattoo scene, as these people will evaluate you and you'll generally want to stay under their radar. So basically you need to decide, what's more important -- doing well in your chosen career, or expressing yourself with an atypical piercing. If it's the latter you may be launching yourself down the wrong road because this is just the tip of the iceberg of frustrations you might encounter.

 

[drdarling16]

I said "more concerned" not strictly concerned, but I don't really feel like arguing. I was not intending to be dismissive. My friends don't use a stethoscope, so therefore wouldn't be able to answer my question. Thanks everyone for the advice, I've found my answer I'm going into psych, so I'll table the decision making until I start more of those rotations.

Also, I changed my profile pic late last night after a swing shift, so my brain wasn't on duty. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[fantasty]

This is probably a stupid concern realistically, but I immediately thought of infection risk. I know that's paranoid (at least, I assume so for a matured piercing - it's not my thing so I don't know how long it takes to "heal" or whatever). But, I had a perforated eardrum briefly during residency, and I was paranoid that I was going to get MRSA colonizing my middle ear or something. I wiped down my stethoscope every time I touched it.

 

[Psai]

also, yes, you will be surrounded by dicks in medicine as you can clearly see hanging around SDN, but again, I don't think this piercing is an issue from a "you look too pierced/tatted up" POV at all

also, on another note, if your current avatar pic is REALLY of you, I would suggest you change it
SDN, and medicine, is a very small community
protect your internet anonymity!!!!!!

Don't be so hard on yourself

 

[ThoracicGuy]

This is probably a stupid concern realistically, but I immediately thought of infection risk. I know that's paranoid (at least, I assume so for a matured piercing - it's not my thing so I don't know how long it takes to "heal" or whatever). But, I had a perforated eardrum briefly during residency, and I was paranoid that I was going to get MRSA colonizing my middle ear or something. I wiped down my stethoscope every time I touched it.

But don't you know you have MRSA already?

 

[fantasty]

But don't you know you have MRSA already?

Yeah, but I don't want it in my earhole.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Yeah, but I don't want it in my earhole.

 

[fantasty]

I just noticed that the thread is tagged for "daith". I guess I seriously underuse the tagging function. Particularly if one does want to find all "daith " - related threads, daith has already been said quite a few times, so I'm pretty sure this thread will show up in the search results.

 

[Crayola227]

sure, being colonized with MRSA is one thing.... having an acute infection/abscess in your piercing... and infections in cartilage is the worst... at least with lobes that's more skin / less cartilage

yuck, get your tats and holes punched before you have to spend all your days in the hospital..

 

[metopic]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were doing psychiatry. I don't think anything really matters for psych.

Most of my psych attendings looked like crazy people out of a sci fi or fantasy novel. Nobody used a stethoscope, they had me listen for the admissions. One dude looked professional and was super slick, but he only did academics part time and made $$$$$$$$$$ at super fancy places for celebrities and rich people most of the week. He trained at harvard longdick or w/e. So unless you are chasing the cash patients I don't think it matters, may not matter then either idk.

Since you asked about stethoscopes I thought you were doing medicine or surgery.

 

[drdarling16]

Yeah, intern year will be a good amount of IM/family/neuro...etc. So I would imagine lots of stethoscope action.

 

[RangerBob]

All the psychiatrists I ever rotated with were actually quite conservative in how they dressed--they're still professionals. Aside from the lack of wearing ties, they dressed just like any other IM physician. Many patients have a hard enough time talking to and trusting psychiatrists, and like any other physician they'll judge you in the first couple seconds they meed you. Appearance definitely matters.

Whether or not a daith piercing interferes with that I really don't know--I don't think I've actually ever seen one an another resident, and I don't feel many of my college-aged patients had one either. I would personally recommend staying conservative with piercings, but it's your body and there are certainly much worse piercings you could get.

 

[j4pac]

Unless you are moving to San Francisco, not only no....but HEEEELLLLLLLLL NOOOOOO! Completely unprofessional, I don't care how "pretty" it looks. Appearance is important...and you will have a large part of the population who will not see you because of it. Guaranteed.

 

[Crayola227]

geography matters but where I went, people had full tattoo sleeves and the whole stretched ears bit with wood/bone shoved in there
at LOYOLA of all places (so, Chicago, very proudly Catholic institution, definitely a more conservative vibe I got there) the chief resident had manic panic bright pink hair

I think all of that is too much, but to act like a little hoop in your ear not quite in the usual spot is a bit too much.... is ridiculous

they've already matched this resident, you seriously think there's a PSYCH program out there that is going to like what, wash them them out over this itty bitty thing?

all the psychs I've seen were yes, dressed as nicely as their IM counterparts, but in my experience they also seem to have a little more "style" than most in medicine
the psych patient pop in general I would describe as a bit more colorful and tolerant
if any of the older gen is going to get uppity with this doc it's gonna be more for being a "shrink" and woman than for a tiny hoop in their EAR, a generally normal place to have a an earring anyway

OP, I would not worry about this piercing at all except I think it's in a terrible spot for someone sticking a stethoscope in and out of their ears 30 times a day
wait until after intern year, psychs use the stethy waaaaaay less after 1st year

 

[drdarling16]

Thanks everyone,

Yes, I agree Crayons. I'll be waiting at least a year before deciding yay or nay on the one. Btw, love your avatar! Just finished binge watching BSG yesterday.

Thanks all!!

 

[Crayola227]

Thanks everyone,

Yes, I agree Crayons. I'll be waiting at least a year before deciding yay or nay on the one. Btw, love your avatar! Just finished binge watching BSG yesterday.

Thanks all!!

nice!
ironically, my more conservative counterpart, @j4pac 's avatar is also an awesome character from BSG! I loved that doc

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks everyone,

Yes, I agree Crayons. I'll be waiting at least a year before deciding yay or nay on the one...

Wait at least five years IMHO-- you'll have a better lay of the land at that point.

When you are in private practice working for yourself, do whatever you think won't cost you too much business. If you are working for someone else, you can usually gauge what's appropriate by whatever everyone else is doing.

Only don't pretend that (a) you won't be evaluated unreasonably for superficial things like this and (b) that people's evaluations won't impact your career. Too many people in here insist that they are doing "fine" despite their piercings/tattoos and that their self expression didn't hurt them. Meanwhile those who actually hear the discussions that go on behind the scenes have a better sense of the opportunities these pierce-lings may miss out on and will never know about.

So make sure it's worth it. Still probably smarter to keep all your self expression on the 60% of your body that never sees daylight in a professional setting.

 

[Psai]

Thanks everyone,

Yes, I agree Crayons. I'll be waiting at least a year before deciding yay or nay on the one. Btw, love your avatar! Just finished binge watching BSG yesterday.

Thanks all!!

It's yea or nay not yay or nay
Jesus Christ

 

[fantasty]

It's yea or nay not yay or nay
Jesus Christ

I'm horrified. I made this same mistake today in a different thread. I'm ashamed... But I did cross-check with 3 references before accepting your constructive criticism. The closest to being sympathetic to those of us who have used "yay" was:

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/817/is-yay-or-nay-an-acceptable-alternative-to-yea-or-nay

 

[drdarling16]

Wow. Intense.

 

[j4pac]

Thanks everyone,

Yes, I agree Crayons. I'll be waiting at least a year before deciding yay or nay on the one. Btw, love your avatar! Just finished binge watching BSG yesterday.

Thanks all!!

Yeah...BSG is great. My favorite SciFi ever. And Dr. Cottle...he's on another level. Best TV doc ever.

If you like SciFi, you should try "The Expanse". Not quite on the level of BSG, but it's good. Probably my favorite SciFi since BSG. It's between season 1 and 2 on the SciFi channel.

@Crayola227

 

[37Base]

Yeah...BSG is great. My favorite SciFi ever. And Dr. Cottle...he's on another level. Best TV doc ever.

If you like SciFi, you should try "The Expanse". Not quite on the level of BSG, but it's good. Probably my favorite SciFi since BSG. It's between season 1 and 2 on the SciFi channel.

@Crayola227

The expanse rocked. Really looking forward to season 2

 

[dggopal]

Yeah...BSG is great. My favorite SciFi ever. And Dr. Cottle...he's on another level. Best TV doc ever.

If you like SciFi, you should try "The Expanse". Not quite on the level of BSG, but it's good. Probably my favorite SciFi since BSG. It's between season 1 and 2 on the SciFi channel.

@Crayola227

OMMGGGGG... THE EXPANSSSEE IS AWESOME!

It reminds me of Firefly a lot....

 

[Psai]

OMMGGGGG... THE EXPANSSSEE IS AWESOME!

It reminds me of Firefly a lot....

Rip...

 

[dggopal]

Rip...

they are bringing it back man! Don't lose hope....

 

[j4pac]

they are bringing it back man! Don't lose hope....

That has been speculation for years. The cast has said that they would return if they re-aired it. For the life of me, I don't see how the show WOULDN'T succeed if it was brought back for a 2nd season. It has a cult following right now. I'm not a huge fan (which is apparently pretty rare), but I would probably watch. As of right now, it is not in production and there are no immediate plans.

BTW...this thread is way off track. SDN...where SciFi nerds come to unite!

 

[drdarling16]

I love firefly!!!

 

[Psai]

they are bringing it back man! Don't lose hope....

Don't do this to me bro

Whoever said it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all was obviously not a firefly fan

 

[dggopal]

 

[j4pac]

That's it....I opened a SciFi discussion thread in the lounge. I can't believe that there isn't a strong one going there.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/scifi.1195087/

@Crayola227 @37Base @dggopal @drdarling16 @Psai @ThoracicGuy

 

[Mad Jack]

It's not going to heal well, and you're setting yourself up for a MRSA infection come residency, in addition to the pain and such. I had a few piercings when I was young and stupid and I'll tell ya- the cartilage is a pain in the ass to keep from getting infected, and the constant cleaning in the first six weeks or so is unpleasant, to say the least. It most likely will not be fully healed and will get pulled on by your stethoscope every time you take the damn thing off, causing you pain and aggravation, until the day all that irritation and re-opening of the wound finally results in a full-blown infection and you end up pulling it out and pondering your poor life decisions.

 

[drdarling16]

hey @j4pac, the link did not work for me. How do I find the lounge?

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Does it really matter? If she wants to do it, let her effing do it.
Had a fellow who is now an attending have that. She had that all along her medical training. She obviously ended up doing fine.