Tongue Piercing Lightning Rod

Teen Health Fact or Fiction?

This story is partly fact and partly fiction.

A 17 year old near Denver was really recently struck by lightning, leaving him feeling like he has a 'bad case of sunburn'.

And his tongue ring was blown out of his mouth, leaving a dark black spot where the piercing was.

But the tongue ring didn't act as a lightning rod. Instead, he was hit in the chest, searing a hole in his shirt. A friend performed CPR, which she learned by watching TV, and he is apparenly doing well.

Keep in mind that body piercing has its own health risks for teens, but getting hit by lightning is not one of them.

For more information about body piercing:

• Lightning Blows Teen's Tongue Ring Out Of His Mouth
• Tattooing and Body Piercing Information
• What Is a Body Piercing and What Can You Expect?
• About Piercing Safety