Why wear one earring when you can have 10!
It used to be a sign of rebellion. Now, more and more A-list women are opting for ears like pin cushions... and the reasons may surprise you
THERE was a time when a simple set of pretty studs would do, with perhaps something a bit more dramatic for going out.
But why settle for one piercing, when four, six or even ten will do?
The red carpet vogue for ear jewellery appears to be ‘the more bling the better’, with stars from Rihanna and Charlize Theron, to British Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and pop star Ellie Goulding all recently sporting enough dazzling ear glitter to fill an entire jewellery box.
The ‘curated’ ear — an individually tailored collection of piercings that leaves no fold of skin untouched — is the coolest and most provocative new jewellery statement.
At this year’s Vanity Fair Oscars after-party, Scarlett Johansson’s peachy décolletage was bare, leaving just her sequinned gown and sparkling array of ten ear piercings to do the talking.
Piercings in the fleshy lobe are common, but in the hard cartilage surrounding the ear? It’s enough to make the faint-hearted wince.
But could it be the case that an ear piercing has health benefits? In auricular acupuncture (the ear has some 200 acupuncture points) the part of the ear associated with migraines is called the ‘daith’.
Prounounced ‘doth’, like ‘moth’, this is a piercing spot on your ear’s innermost cartilage. Such is the belief that piercing the daith can alleviate migraines, there is a clinic in London’s Harley Street which offers the service for £200 (€240).
At Love Hate Social Club, a tattoo and piercing studio in London’s Notting Hill, piercer Kat Swinton says she has noticed a small, but steadily growing number of customers seeking to have a daith piercing in the hope of beating crippling head pain.
‘We just say there is no proof,’ says owner Guy Starr, ‘but if you’re going to have it done make sure you pick a nice piece of jewellery.’
So could there really be any therapeutic value in body piercings? Siwan Quinn Bratton, of the College of Auricular Acupuncture, is quick to stress that piercing and acupuncture are very different.
‘I would say if there are benefits they are probably short term, because a piercing is more of a puncture,’ she says. ‘Any stimulation you got from that would not necessarily be long term.’
Auricular Acupuncture is a speciality that believes every part of the body has a connection to particular parts of the ear, in a similar way to reflexology. Inserting small acupuncture needles [as small as a strand of hair] into the acupuncture points on the outer ear exerts a gentle stimulation that creates a specific response to promote natural self-healing.
With a history dating back more than 3,000 years, the therapy is used for treating anything from hay fever and insomnia to arthritis, digestive problems and even depression. It is also often used as a therapy in treating addiction.
‘Historically, sailors wore a gold earring, not just to decorate their ears, but also because they believed it would improve their eyesight,’ says Siwan.
‘Medical records from Ancient Greece and Rome show treatment in the ear for reproductive disorders, while medical texts in Ancient Persia record treatment of sciatic pain by cauterisation on the ear. They also used the technique of bloodletting on the ear to remedy many conditions, including high blood pressure.’
The daith is just one of a growing number of unusual spots women (and men) are getting pierced, as these celebrity pictures show . . .