It's a popular fashion statement-- you see in navels and noses. In fact, it's all over! It's jewelry, attached by piercing the body.

To those who sport the studs and rings it's a matter of personal expression. But medical professionals are seeing it as a matter of health.

Stacey Butler has been investigating these "Piercing Questions" and has a special report.

Local piercering studios say business is booming--up to 20 percent from last year.

There are no laws regulating body piercing in Salt Lake County. In fact, it's harder to get a license to cut hair than it is to pierce someone's body.

Teenage girls do it.

"I THINK IT LOOKS CUTE ON OTHER GIRLS--I THINK GUYS LIKE THEM."

Julie Gonzales/South Jordan: "A LOT OF MY FRIENDS HAVE THEM, JUST NORMAL MOMS. WE THINK THEY'RE CUTE."

And college professors do it.

Tiffany Rousculp/College Professor: "IT'S A WAY TO CHANGE YOUR BODY, THAT SOMETIMES IS PRIVATE, SOMETIMES IS PUBLIC."

Should you do it?

Emergency Room Doctor: "WE STARTED OUT APPRECIATING IT AS A FASHION STATEMENT, IF YOU WILL, AND NOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL VERY SERIOUS LIFE-THREATENING CASES."

In the last year, emergency room doctors at LDS Hospital have seen more and more complications from body piercing. And even one death.

Dr. Welch/E.R. Supervisor, LDS Hospital: "A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD HER TONGUE PIERCED AND WITHIN A WEEK, WAS DEATHLY ILL, CAME INTO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND WAS PLACED ON A RESPIRATOR AND DIED THE NEXT DAY FROM OVERWHELMING STREP INFECTION."

The victim suffered from a heart murmur, a pre-existing condition that makes people more susceptible to the strep virus.

Stacey Butler:"THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE IS THAT DEATH IS AN EXTREME RESULT OF BODY PIERCING. BUT WE FOUND OUT THAT DOCTORS ARE JUST NOW DISCOVERING A LOT OF DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS FROM BODY PIERCING -- FROM PROBLEMS THAT CAN EFFECT YOUR EARS, OR YOUR TEETH -- TO COMPLICATIONS THAT CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING."

"WE NOW KNOW THAT EVERY KIND OF HEPATITIS CAN BE TRANSMITTED WITH BODY PIERCING, AND THE FIRST CASES IMPLICATING BODY PIERCING IN THE TRANSMISSION OF THE AIDS VIRUS HAVE NOW BEEN REPORTED."

Local piercers that we spoke to use an autoclave to sterilize instruments to prevent the spread of such diseases. They wear gloves before they touch anything, and all their needles are prepackaged and sterile.

But Dr. Welch says without medical training, piercers have no way of knowing what sterile really is.

She visited one of the reputable studios and found that the jewelry, the gloves and the counters looked clean, but were not really sterile.

"THEY MIGHT TAKE A STERILE INSTRUMENT AND SET IT DOWN ON A TRAY THAT'S NOT STERILE. THESE LITTLE THINGS MAY SOUND LIKE DETAILS, BUT AT EVERY POINT THEY CAN PICK UP THAT GERM--THAT STAPH GERM, THAT STREP GERM-- AND INTRODUCE IT INTO YOU."

As of now, Utah County is the only county to require piercers to have a sterile environment. Everywhere else in Utah, there are no laws regulating the practice.

The most common side effect is an infection. Most can be treated with oral antiboitics, others can be avoided altogether by proper care.

But now a new germ doctors have never seen before is causing an infection that eats cartiledge in the ear.

"THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES OF YOUNG PEOPLE LOSING LITERALLY HALF OF THEIR EAR."

So far, there is no evidence this type of infection is widespread in Utah, but it is another risk.

But not the only risk. Just ask local dentists.

"IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE CRACK RIGHT THERE."

Dentists are treating more and more and more patients with chipped or cracked teeth from biting down on tongue jewelry.

"A CHIP RIGHT THERE, ANOTHER CHIP RIGHT HERE."

It's important to note---- many BODY PIERCERS are pushing to have the practice regulated. They say they already abide by higher standards than that of the health department, and strict laws would make their customers feel safer.

The Salt Lake County Health department, by the way, has not regulated body piercing because to date there have been very few complaints.