About Ear Scaffolding
People never tire of finding ways to decorate themselves. From simple make-up and jewelry to the ornate tattoos of the native Australian people, human beings just can't leave their bodies alone. One of the newer trends among piercing aficionados is ear scaffolding---which is also a British medical procedure. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Cosmetic piercing stretches as far back as human history, in almost every culture. According to a September 2007 article in The Observer, corrective ear scaffolding was invented by Norbert Kang, a plastic surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London, as a way to fix ears that stick out too far. Kang compares this procedure to getting braces for your ears.
Corrective Ear Scaffolding
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Kang's "scaffold" is a small, flexible strip of metal that is about half an inch long and a tenth of an inch wide. It is molded to whatever form will "train" the ear to lie back more flat against the head. The strip is inserted through a tiny incision in the back of the ear, where it rests between the cartilage and the skin. Unlike traditional corrective ear surgery, this can be done under a local anesthetic. After six to eight weeks, the ear supposedly conforms to its new shape, and the physician removes the scaffold. As of August 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not approved this technique.
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Decorative Ear Scaffolding
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Not all people sporting ear scaffolds are having a corrective procedure done. According to the Pierce Off website, ear scaffolding---also called industrial piercing---mimics the corrective version, but with one crucial difference. Since the aim is not to distort the natural shape of the ear, it begins as two separate piercings, with the bar added once both holes have completely healed. The placement of the initial holes must be laid out very carefully, or the ear will be distorted once the bar is placed. The piercings can be arranged so that the bars can lie in any direction, and some people place multiple bars in intricate patterns called an "ear cage."
Complications
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There are no documented complications from corrective ear scaffolding, but decorative ear scaffolding is riskier. According to the Association of American Family Physicians, piercing through cartilage carries a greater risk of infection. Piercings high on the ear also tend to take longer to heal because cartilage is not as resilient as skin. The constant rubbing of the jewelry can keep the piercing open, which can turn a simple infection into a chronic one, and even lead to a systemic infection of the blood.
Removal
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People who have corrective ear scaffolding should not attempt to remove the device at home, just as you should not remove casts or stitches. People considering cosmetic ear scaffolding should make sure the piercings can be easily removed in case of infection, or in the event they require an MRI, X-rays or other procedure where metal on the body could cause a problem.
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