Three young Nottinghamshire girls have been admitted to hospital with serious illness after swallowing the small magnetic parts of fake tongue piercings.
According to Nottingham City Council, the three girls, all in their early teens, suffered abdominal complications and two needed major bowel surgery to remove the parts in recent weeks.
Government health body Public Health England notified Trading Standards teams at both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils of the cases. Both authorities are now warning young people and their parents not buy or use the magnetic fake piercings.
Both councils have also sent out letters to schools and directly to headteachers to highlight the dangers of what the council says is an emerging ‘new craze’ among teenagers.
Fake tongue piercings can consist of two strong magnetic parts – one placed on each side of the tongue to hold them in place, giving the impression of a real piercing.
Another type are sold as “buckyballs,” which are designed to make shapes and structure and not intended to be placed in the mouth. Both products are easily available and can be bought online.
The magnetic parts can be small enough not to cause a real choking hazard if swallowed and if stuck together they can pass through the digestive system without complications.
However if swallowed at separate times, the strength of magnetic attraction can cause serious physical damage to the bowel, resulting in the need for major surgery.
Councillor Toby Neal, the city council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, said: “It is really concerning that this is happening and we hope that these young girls recover quickly. Children are using these high powered magnets to mimic having a tongue piercing and they are not thinking about the dangers, which in some cases can be life threatening.
“We would ask parents and guardians to warn young people about the dangers of placing these products in their mouths and to seek urgent medical attention should these products be swallowed. These products are legal and our Trading Standards team cannot remove them from sale, however we feel they are dangerous and should be outlawed.”
Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Vice-Chairman of the Communities and Place Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Our thoughts are with the three girls hurt by these products and we wish them a speedy recovery from their ordeal. It’s vitally important that children and parents are made aware of the potentially deadly health risks that wearing these fake tongue piercings can pose.
“As the products have a legal status, our Trading Standards teams are powerless to act against any shops or websites that have them for sale. However, we are appealing to all responsible retailers to withdraw them from sale immediately and we are calling on MPs and the Government to ban these products at the earliest opportunity.”
