The gift of a diamond ring upon engagement has long been cemented into the world's mind by diamond sellers. Recently, newlyweds have been putting an edgy twist on the long-time wedding tradition. Couples are getting “finger dermal” piercings on their ring fingers instead of purchasing a typical engagement ring. The fad has been taking over Instagram and getting plenty of attention on other social media as well. Because of all this talk, many people, including health experts, are weighing in with opinions and facts. While it might be cool to have something a little more permanent than a ring to signify your love, there could be some bigger issues.

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While this new trend of engagement ring dermals is growing, this type of piercing has actually been around for quite some time. Most frequently, people get these piercings on their back or chest area. During a dermal piercing procedure, the piercer uses a punch to remove a small section of skin, where a metal anchor is inserted to hold the stone or top of the piercing. Many couples have been choosing this new piercing because it is unique. People like the fact that you can change the stone so that their “ring” can change over time with them and their relationship. The piercing process and jewelry also tend to be less expensive than traditional engagement rings.

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There are a lot of concerns about these piercings that one should consider before going under the punch. Besides the obvious threat of infection with piercings, placement and rejection can pose some issues as well. Medical director, Dr. Lisa Kellet says, “There are digital nerves and arteries that supply the finger, and if you were to pierce through then it would be a big problem.” She goes on to explain that there is a possibility of a hematoma, which is a solid swelling of clotted blood within the tissues. If this were to happen, you could lose blood supply to the finger.

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With fingers having many nerves, there is a possibility of hitting one during the piercing. If a nerve gets hit a certain way, it could cause numbness and movement issues. Another problem with the placement is the increased risk of trauma. A piercing on the finger could easily get caught and cause tearing and scarring, which could cause problems with range of motion. Scar tissue can also occur in the event of the body rejecting the piercing. Rejection happens quite often, and it hurts even more to re-pierce.

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Like with everything in a relationship, you have to decide what is best for you and your partner. If you are into this new fashion statement and have considered all the possibilities, then you should go for it! If the issues and complications sound like too much to handle, maybe a funky ring would be more up your alley. Couples may start to get creative in even more ways after seeing this trend. It will be interesting to see how this fad grows, and if other non-traditional styles begin to surface. Perhaps, eventually, the tradition of a diamond engagement ring will become obsolete.