Side Effects of Human Skin Branding

Human skin branding is being undertaken with greater frequency in different countries around the world today, according to a published report in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Human skin branding is quite like what is done with livestock. A hot metal branding iron is pressed to the skin. The same report in the Journal of Medical Case Reports notes that there are significant side effects associated with human skin branding.

Third Degree Burns

• Although the objective of branding is to burn the skin and leave a scar for decorative purposes, there are reported cases in which a person suffers serious third degree burns. Third degree burns are extremely painful and cause internal skin damage beyond merely scarring the surface of a person's skin. Because these burns are so serious, they also cause permanent nerve damage in some cases as well.

Infection

• Another fairly common side effect of human skin branding is infection. These infections end up being virulent in many instances and spread well beyond the area of the brand itself. Staph infection is a common example. In some cases, these infections are highly resistant to antibiotics, leaving a person dealing with the condition for an extended period of time.

Septic Shock

• Infection associated with human skin branding sometimes results in septic shock. Septic shock is a condition in which nutrients and oxygen are not appropriately delivered to human tissue through the blood stream. Septic shock readily spreads through a patient's body because of its impact on the blood system. In the end, septic shock can affect all of the major organs in a person's body.

Death

• Although not common, a side effect of human skin branding is death. More often than not, death occurs as a result of uncontrolled infection or septic shock that results in septic collapse. Septic collapse occurs when organs start to shut down and cease functioning.