MRI and I can't get my helix piercings out.
October 18, 2022 10:21 AM Subscribe
I'm having an MRI today, and I can't for the life of me remove the captive bead rings in my helix piercings. They've been there for 28 years and were a gift- I assume they're titanium (the bead is hematite) but i don't know for sure. Are they going to be a problem?
I'm going for a shoulder MRI, and not only is the bead in there like glue, I can't really lift my left arm. The person who gave them to me helped put them in and struggled at the time. i don't want to cut them off for sentimental reasons. Am I SOL? They're a very small gauge, like 16 or something.
The MRI will be at Kaiser Oakland, and they haven't given me any information at all. I' not even sure what to wear/not wear or bring/not bring. Yay!
I'm going for a shoulder MRI, and not only is the bead in there like glue, I can't really lift my left arm. The person who gave them to me helped put them in and struggled at the time. i don't want to cut them off for sentimental reasons. Am I SOL? They're a very small gauge, like 16 or something.
The MRI will be at Kaiser Oakland, and they haven't given me any information at all. I' not even sure what to wear/not wear or bring/not bring. Yay!
Can you get to a piercing studio before your appointment and ask for someone who works there to help you take them out? They might charge a nominal fee but I imagine they'd be happy to help.
posted by terretu at 10:54 AM on October 18, 2022 [22 favorites]
posted by terretu at 10:54 AM on October 18, 2022 [22 favorites]
As a data point, I've had many many MRIs with my belly button piercing in, and it's been fine. The first time we were all a little worried and I had fears they'd have to bring out the bolt cutters or something because there's no way I can get it out (its been in the same place for 25 years, it's ain't moving now), but it ended up being a non-issue. I've also also had the same MRIs with metal orthodontic braces. They did affect the quality of the scan (all MRIs are of my head) but they weren't like, heating up or anything inside my mouth.
When you go to your appointment, be prepared to take everything off and wear a hospital gown. Leave as much jewelry as you can at home, including hair ties, etc - but if you can't get it out, you can't get it out. They will ask you about any metal you have - be sure to mention the piercing, but my guess is that it will be ok. I assume the piercing is far enough from your shoulder that it wont affect the scan quality, all they will be worried about is the metal heating up but given my experience unless it's really large, you will probably be ok leaving it in.
posted by cgg at 10:55 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
When you go to your appointment, be prepared to take everything off and wear a hospital gown. Leave as much jewelry as you can at home, including hair ties, etc - but if you can't get it out, you can't get it out. They will ask you about any metal you have - be sure to mention the piercing, but my guess is that it will be ok. I assume the piercing is far enough from your shoulder that it wont affect the scan quality, all they will be worried about is the metal heating up but given my experience unless it's really large, you will probably be ok leaving it in.
posted by cgg at 10:55 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nowadays when I get an MRI, they want all clothing off because some clothes have metal woven into the fabric. I don't think it is likely they will let you in with jewelry on, but I would call the facility to ask them for the rules. I'd also ask a piercing parlor for help (and offer payment of course).
posted by soelo at 10:57 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by soelo at 10:57 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Hematite itself is weakly ferromagnetic more often than not — and can even be magnetized — so I think you should get advance, explicit permission to wear it from the MRI people.
posted by jamjam at 11:06 AM on October 18, 2022 [12 favorites]
posted by jamjam at 11:06 AM on October 18, 2022 [12 favorites]
If it's critical that this MRI happen today, stop in at a piercing place first or call the office. Different MRI places or even different techs at the same place may have different levels of willingness to play fast and loose with piercings in the scanner.
posted by Stacey at 11:09 AM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Stacey at 11:09 AM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
Just had an MRI so I can say that if you wear soft clothes with no fasteners -- like yoga pants + a soft bra top with no hooks or wires -- they might let you keep them on and not have to get into a gown.
Also, like cgg said, my kid had a head MRI with braces in, so sometimes it's okay to have some sorts of metal.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:16 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also, like cgg said, my kid had a head MRI with braces in, so sometimes it's okay to have some sorts of metal.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:16 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
The trick is that you don’t want anything magnetic because a) it can distort the image and b) it can get pulled to the magnets, especially in older machines. I’ve had a ton of brain MRIs, and I always take out my earring, which is a pain, but they’ve let me leave in genitals piercings, which have never been an issue, so depending on the machine’s age and exact design, you might get away with it. I’d go to a piercing studio for help, though.
All the MRI places I’ve been to have had lockers for your stuff. Your key will be set aside, so it’s not 100% secure, but most places have a couple of locked doors between you and the public, so it’s reasonably safe for a phone, clothes, and cheap jewelry.
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:55 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
All the MRI places I’ve been to have had lockers for your stuff. Your key will be set aside, so it’s not 100% secure, but most places have a couple of locked doors between you and the public, so it’s reasonably safe for a phone, clothes, and cheap jewelry.
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:55 AM on October 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Definitely stop at a piercing place - they can also put in a plastic spacer so that it's easier to put the jewelry back in later.
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 12:07 PM on October 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by ASF Tod und Schwerkraft at 12:07 PM on October 18, 2022 [6 favorites]
I have had a lot of brain MRIs.
For the first time last year, I failed the 'prescreen' metal detector test, because of the crowns in my mouth. I had to get an X-ray to verify what was causing the scan to fail, and nearly had to get a CT scan instead of an MRI because of it. I've had crowns for over a decade, and this was the first time I failed. My theory is that they are screening for ever smaller amounts of metals, to make the MRI go as smooth as possible.
Even if you think it may not be an issue, your doctor and/or MRI tech might think it is - and that can prevent the MRI from going forward. Rescheduling an MRI is annoying at the best of times.
If I were you, I'd go to a jeweler's place, get the piercing removed, and have a plastic spacer put in before the MRI appointment.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:18 PM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
For the first time last year, I failed the 'prescreen' metal detector test, because of the crowns in my mouth. I had to get an X-ray to verify what was causing the scan to fail, and nearly had to get a CT scan instead of an MRI because of it. I've had crowns for over a decade, and this was the first time I failed. My theory is that they are screening for ever smaller amounts of metals, to make the MRI go as smooth as possible.
Even if you think it may not be an issue, your doctor and/or MRI tech might think it is - and that can prevent the MRI from going forward. Rescheduling an MRI is annoying at the best of times.
If I were you, I'd go to a jeweler's place, get the piercing removed, and have a plastic spacer put in before the MRI appointment.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:18 PM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
For starters, hold a magnet to it and see if it sticks. If it does you need to get it out -- if it doesn't, you need to call the place doing the MRI and ask them if it needs to come out.
At the clinic they usually will run a scanner over you before putting you in the machine, but it's a bit late at that point.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:21 PM on October 18, 2022
At the clinic they usually will run a scanner over you before putting you in the machine, but it's a bit late at that point.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:21 PM on October 18, 2022
the last MRI i had (2016) they let me keep my titanium nose rings in. had i not been hospitalized i would have gone to the piercer to get plastic placeholders in, but it was a non issue. you can see by the answers it varies a lot by practice and machine, but to be safe i'd get it taken out by a professional. if you can't do that, i'd just go and be sure to let them know about it and see what they say. someone there may be kind and help you get it out.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:45 PM on October 18, 2022
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:45 PM on October 18, 2022
Response by poster: Thanks for all the replies! There were such a wide range I decided to not risk having to return because jewelry.
I know titanium and surgical steel are not ferrous, but the hematite made me unsure.
I placed some neodymium magnets on the jewelry and didn't get any movement, but it felt like there may have been some attraction to the hematite. My husband came home to take me to the appointment, and using some needle nose pliers he was able to gently take some pressure off the beads and pop them out. The jewelry is in exactly the same shape and I may not be able to get the bead back in myself, but I didn't have to worry if they were going to be annoyed about it.
FWIW My clothes had no metal at all, but I had to change into robes and put on a different mask without a wire nose shaper thingie, so they were being fairly strict.
I didn't have time to visit a jeweler, and kaiser put me on hold forever when I called.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:13 PM on October 18, 2022 [11 favorites]
I know titanium and surgical steel are not ferrous, but the hematite made me unsure.
I placed some neodymium magnets on the jewelry and didn't get any movement, but it felt like there may have been some attraction to the hematite. My husband came home to take me to the appointment, and using some needle nose pliers he was able to gently take some pressure off the beads and pop them out. The jewelry is in exactly the same shape and I may not be able to get the bead back in myself, but I didn't have to worry if they were going to be annoyed about it.
FWIW My clothes had no metal at all, but I had to change into robes and put on a different mask without a wire nose shaper thingie, so they were being fairly strict.
I didn't have time to visit a jeweler, and kaiser put me on hold forever when I called.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:13 PM on October 18, 2022 [11 favorites]
I’m glad you got the procedure! I hope it helps with your shoulder!
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:19 PM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:19 PM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
The jewelry is in exactly the same shape and I may not be able to get the bead back in myself, but I didn't have to worry if they were going to be annoyed about it.
If you want to DIY the replacement of the jewelry, ideally you would have "captive bead ring pliers" (link goes to a random Amazon search result), but with some poking around you can probably find something that works at a local hardware store; it's not ideal but I've made cheap snap ring pliers work before.
Or, just make an appointment at any piercing studio for a reinsertion, which is typically cheap and easy to get scheduled since any apprentice can do it handily.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:41 PM on October 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
If you want to DIY the replacement of the jewelry, ideally you would have "captive bead ring pliers" (link goes to a random Amazon search result), but with some poking around you can probably find something that works at a local hardware store; it's not ideal but I've made cheap snap ring pliers work before.
Or, just make an appointment at any piercing studio for a reinsertion, which is typically cheap and easy to get scheduled since any apprentice can do it handily.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:41 PM on October 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
I needed an MRI of my hand a couple years ago and realized as I was getting changed that I couldn't get my nipple piercings out. After an extremely awkward interaction with the receptionist, they went ahead with the scan. I was warned specifically that some non-magnetic metal gets really hot during the MRI process, but mine was fine.
I think it depends on the location of the piercing and the anatomical location being imaged.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 4:51 AM on October 19, 2022
I think it depends on the location of the piercing and the anatomical location being imaged.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 4:51 AM on October 19, 2022
Response by poster: Thank you, GenjiandProust :)
Dip Flash, we managed to put them back together but that set looks really useful.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:13 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
Dip Flash, we managed to put them back together but that set looks really useful.
posted by oneirodynia at 12:13 PM on October 20, 2022 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by aniola at 10:42 AM on October 18, 2022 [3 favorites]