Penetrating Facial Injury with an “Airsoft” Pellet: A Case Report

Airsoft is a recreational combat sport that originated in Japan in the 1970s and is currently increasing in popularity in the UK. Participants use air or electrically powered weapons to fire small plastic pellets at a controlled pressure. UK law strictly regulates the maximum muzzle velocity and the type of ammunition used in these weapons. A search of published papers found several reports of penetrating ocular injuries caused by Airsoft pellets, but no reports of penetrating injuries to other areas of the body. We report the case of a 25-year-old man who sustained a penetrating injury to the cheek after being shot with an Airsoft weapon.