WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO: Doncaster GP's public health alert over bizarre finger piercing craze

Scores of people across the country have got the painful piercing and proudly displayed the results in pictures posted across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

While it is not yet known if there has been any cases locally - Doncaster's Clinical Commissioning Group warned that there are a number of health risks associated with the unusual piercings.

Dr David Crichton, chair of NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group and a GP in Bentley, said: “There is a risk of infection from breaking the protective skin barrier. In this case there may also be the additional danger of potentially poor healing of the wound given the anatomy of the finger.

“Ears are the most common piercing undertaken and some people choose to have other sites of their body pierced. Anyone who is planning to have a piercing of this nature has a responsibility to consider the risks beforehand and to also minimise the chance of infection afterwards. It is ultimately their decision.

“I am not aware of any patients going to see their GP with problems arising from such a procedure so far.”

The procedure is a type of dermal piercing which is typically made up of two pieces of jewellery.

It consists of a flat piece of metal that sits beneath the skin’s surface and a visible stud that can be attached to it and changed just like any other body piercing.

Just one search of #fingerpiercing on Instagram reveals the extent of the growing trend - which has racked up several thousand posts.

One Instagram user posted: "Our engagement dermals we got Friday.

“It was a little painful and bloody but definitely worth it and an awesome idea by my fiancée!"

*Do you know anyone who has got their finger pierced? Email reporter Lee Peace at [email protected]