IND-to-SEA

U.S. body piercers typically use surgical steel, at least for the initial jewelry. European piercers, OTOH, usually use titanium.

After the initial healing, and it's okay to change the jewelry, there are various options. In addition to the above two metals, niobium is pretty common. Gold is also an option, and if you're willing to spend the $$$, you can even do platinum (that one usually requires a special order).

FWIW, I have both nipples pierced, along with a genital piercing, and they've never set off the WTMD or the wand at a TSA checkpoint. Come to think of it, they've never set off any metal detector, with one exception: the nipples did set off the wand when the Secret Service was screening me before meeting former President Clinton at a book signing. I don't know whether their equipment is more sensitive or something else caused it. But a quick flash was enough to satisfy the agent... no tools required.

thegeneral

"Come to think of it, they've never set off any metal detector, with one exception: the nipples did set off the wand when the Secret Service was screening me before meeting former President Clinton at a book signing."

I wonder if that got you in the president's special line up. Sorry, given that we're talking about slick Willy here I couldn't resist.

IND-to-SEA

But the article states:

"Hamlin said she could not remove them and asked whether she could instead display her pierced breasts in private to the female agent."

Sounds as if she was happy to "flash," which is consistent with your experiences. But had she been allowed to do so, she would have cleared security without incident, and there'd be no lawyers involved, no threat of a lawsuit, no media coverage, etc. So I don't think she just made the whole thing up.

chollie

(Emphasis mine)

I don't. How do you suggest 'removing' a joint replacement, for example?

essxjay

It's a mixed bag: some of us have dressed differently to avoid hassles, some of us have refused to be dictated to.

dlombard

Welp, it's been only a matter of time before the TSA was gonna get sued over this. Stand-up comedians and the like have joked about the possibility of this for years (I know I have), now we're kinda find out what a JUDGE things, heh.

This oughta be good...

dblevitan

As part of the TSA's continuing process to improve airport and airplane security, you will now be required to remove all metal parts permanently installed in your body. In addition to the pliers currently available, all TSA checkpoints will now be provided with a bone saw and surgical knives that will be available for your use in a private room should your metal body parts be detected. You will be given the option of either opening the area yourself and using pliers to remove the dangerous metal parts or using the bone saw to remove the general area. We hope you continue to enjoy the security offered by the TSA*.

*TSA not responsible for death or injury due to performing this procedure on yourself. Since flying is not a legal right and since obtaining a joint replacement or other metal part is not a requirement for life, it is your own fault for obtaining one and then choosing to fly. You should have thought of this before getting the replacement. Valid, non-expired, government issued, and randomly denied ID required before any medical equipment is provided.

Scubatooth

dblevitan - Interesting to know because i would love for screeners to start practicing medicine without a license because i would turn them into the state boards and others for doing so. My job requires a fair amount of training (2+ years/paramedic), and im not about to let some F-tard screener with maybe a GED even get any where close to be able to practice. along with the mental and physical capacities required to carry out our day-to-day tasks/duties that are way above/proven mental and physical capacities shown by 99.9% of the screeners i have seen and run into.

needless to say it would be a slam dunk case, and the screener would be sent to jail for a good period of time and be a convicted felon.

viking407rob

I'll second that....

dlombard

Third vote on that as well.

txrus

After a certain amount of time, it's a non-issue because tissue has encapsulated the implant. I have multiple screws & wires in my jaws that not only don't set off the WTMD, but also are no longer a problem for having an MRI, if needed. Also, many of the manufactured joints on the market today have significantly less metal in them, that would set off a WTMD, than say 10-20 years ago when joint replacement surgery was much newer.

The issue here was the parts of the rings that didn't have tissue around them that set off the WTMD. However, that's no different than someone who has a chemo catheter inserted into their chest (like my girlfriend did last Oct when we flew out of DFW); can't remove that w/pliers!!

I agree w/the suspicion that this was an ignorant male just out for his daily jollies & I hope the atty nails his perverted hide to the wall.

Global_Hi_Flyer

I predict that the TSA will follow the time-honored technique that this Administration has used: request dismissal of the case because it will require disclosure of "state secrets".

I'll buy more popcorn.

sbm12

Total joint replacement is way diffferent than a screw or wire in a jaw. Yes, there are many being implemented with ceramic and plastic components, but there is still a huge amount of metal in a hip or knee replacement, and it is going to set off the detector just about every time.

As an entertaining aside, the femoral component of a hip replacement has a shape very similar to a gun. The nub to hold the "ball joint" piece (which is one of the piececs that is ceramic sometimes) comes off the main shaft ant an angle, and there is a flange that could resemble a trigger. And then there is the long, tapered "barrel" shape that goes down into the femur during the implantation. It always was fun to see the screeners when one of those went through the xray machine in a carry-on Fortunately, after a few trips through the folks at the local airport got to know my dad and knew what it was, so they stopped freaking out, but he still had to take it out for inspection every time, and that was 15 years ago.

Boraxo

People get piercings in, umm, even more private areas.

It seems to me the TSA is going to run into trouble if they insist on copping a feel in leiu of removal.

We've always said that people are fortunate that Richard Reid didn't hide the explosives in his underwear. Apparently there are no boundaries anymore...

pinkcat

Yes, I do, It triggered when being wanded once in PHL and I told the lady straight where the piercing was and she accepted it, I hope I am never asked to remove it, like someone suggested people with piercings dont have many qualms about showing them but I do