Piercing of the ears and body is an age old practice of adornment. Piercing, is defined as the insertion of a needle to create a fistula for decorative ornaments1.The earliest record of piercing, is in the Bible (Genesis 24:22), where a golden earring was one of the gifts given to Rebecca, wife of Abraham's son Isaac. Over the ages, ear piercings have become a widespread practice enjoying social, cultural and religious acceptance. Body piercing is beyond the scope of this article. Traditionally, in India, ear piercing was accomplished by a goldsmith. A gold (or silver) wire was used directly to pierce the ear lobule. Although aseptic technique was rarely followed, the low incidence of infection and complications is anecdotal, as there are no 2studies regarding this. This age old method has largely been replaced in modern times by the use of a piercing gun in beauty salons & jewellery shops. Ear piercings are also frequently performed by family physicians, otolaryngologists and cosmetic surgeons using a venous cannula (intracath).
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