Problems over botched body piercings could be a burden on the NHS.
Despite the increasing popularity of body piercing in recent years, these are the first firm figures showing the extent of the boom.
The joint study between the Health Protection Agency and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine asked a sample of more than 10,000 people aged 16 and over in England whether they had been pierced somewhere other than the earlobe, and if they had suffered any complications as a result.
They found approximately 10% had some sort of body piercing, with women and younger people most likely to have one.
Half of those who had experienced complications said the problems were bad enough to seek further help, and a small number required hospitalisation.
Four out of five piercings were carried out at specialist shops, which are licensed and inspected by the local authority, and complications were less likely.
A small number of those surveyed, however, admitted that they had carried out piercings of the tongue, lips and genitals without official expert help - 9% of tongue piercings were carried out this way.