Medicine: An Earful At The Mall

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By Mary Carmichael

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Last week doctors warned that piercing the cartilage in the upper ear can lead to infection and permanent deformity, and moms everywhere nodded in agreement. The warning came after seven Oregon kids got their upper ears pierced at a mall kiosk and developed nasty abscesses, some of which required reconstructive surgery. Doctors say it's best not to pierce the upper ear at all, since it takes longer to heal than the earlobe. But if you must have that second (or third, or fourth) hole, you can avoid infection by watching your piercer closely. In the Oregon case, a kiosk employee mistakenly sprayed the starter earrings, called studs, with disinfectant, which apparently wasn't doing its job well either--health-department investigators cultured bacteria off the bottle. Doctors advise against using disinfectant, since the studs are sterilized before shipping. They also oppose piercing guns, which--unlike needles--can rip apart the delicate upper ear. But needles have drawbacks, too, says piercer Nicole Maye of Claire's Accessories, the chain responsible for millions of piercings nationwide: "There's more chance of an infection with them." You know, they also sell clip-ons at Claire's.

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