And, on the topic of Ears

peekaboo2011

Hazel posted a story the other day of a mom who let her 7 year old get her ears pinned back, and whether or not that was acceptable.

This (CLICK) was posted on Wedding Woes, and, well...I'll leave it up to you ladies.

Thoughts?

Beads921

Hmm...

I guess it's just like any other body modification. I'm not a huge fan of a lot of it (beyond tattoos and piercings), but some people seem to love that kind of thing. While we were away, there was only 1 channel that was English on the TV, and one night we ended up watching some plastic surgery show, which included several women getting body modification done. One woman got antennas, another got her tongue split, and finally another got this odd fish-bone type thing inserted into her arm. They all had a lot of previous work done as well, and were all very passionate about being 'modified people'.

cu97tiger

I think they are about as cool as when guys (or girls) get those discs put into their earlobes, and gradually get bigger, until you can literally stick your finger through the hole in their earlobe. That is going to be SO nasty when they take the discs out. Ew.

SeaTea02

Cu, I think you are referring to gages. Idk about where you are, but here they are pretty popular. 

And as for the Spock ears, what ever they are into. It is their body and if they feel better or more secure being Spock-like, more power to them. 

marleylikeair

Yeah...I don't get it. Can't imagine why anyone would want to permanently change their ears to look elfin. The article made me cringe with its description of the procedure.

::continues to shudder::

ETA: Peeps--please don't think I'm judging. This is just my personal reaction. If someone wants to do this, it doesn't make me think less of them or anything; I just can't fathom wanting to do this! 

Sparrow87

If one educates themself on the risks and weighs the pro's and con's then decides to do it then I think it's perfectly fine.  But it does seem to have harsh consequences if it doesn't go as planned. 

AbigailMS

I think it will be rather cute when they're old men and women. Sitting in the nursing home with pointed ears and all. Little old elf people. 

NurseyK

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_topic-of-ears?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8d3a8e3a-60ce-4040-aa86-fa873eeb6b36Post:f4c11b41-9cf3-42f4-95f5-e5a6c3ecb6c2">Re: And, on the topic of Ears</a>:
[QUOTE]I think it will be rather cute when they're old men and women. Sitting in the nursing home with pointed ears and all. Little old elf people. 
Posted by AbigailMS[/QUOTE]

....wondering if they will wear pointy shoes, too?

Peaseblossom55

Not judging but I find it a bit odd. I guess people are entitled to do what they want to their bodies.  Especially if it's done when you are young you sometimes have to think if you make any kind of a change like that how it might affect you down the line.  Which is why at 31 I still haven't gotten a tattoo.

bourgehm

Well a little odd, especially since it's such a dangerous procedure and because it's pretty much permanent.. Not for me, but obviously for some.

peekaboo2011

I think the issue that made me bring this up was that someone on Wedding Woes said that parents were doing this for their kids' 16th birthdays...which made me shudder even more than the procedure, and I am a squeamish one.

I just don't feel like you're capable of making a decision like this at 16.  But hey, to each his own, I guess.

Beads921

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_topic-of-ears?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8d3a8e3a-60ce-4040-aa86-fa873eeb6b36Post:4f89aa6e-ab80-4441-9c36-9d349c8d7817">Re: And, on the topic of Ears</a>:
[QUOTE]I think they are about as cool as when guys (or girls) get those discs put into their earlobes, and gradually get bigger, until you can literally stick your finger through the hole in their earlobe. That is going to be SO nasty when they take the discs out. Ew.
Posted by cu97tiger[/QUOTE]

<div>I actually did this in my younger years. A couple of different times, actually (the last time my ear ended up infected from all the old scar tissue tearing so I didn't get very far). Mine were never larger than 7mm (which is .3 inches), and they shrank back just fine, although I am sensitive to cheap earrings now which I never was before. It was very painful to do, and took several months, but I loved it and sometimes wish I still had it. They will shrink back to up to a certain point (which is 0 gage...mine were about a 4 I think...average pierced ears are 18 or 20 or something). I think of all the ways to modify yourself, gaging is fairly harmless up to that 0 point, if you do it carefully. </div>

Sparrow87

Wow a 16 year old doing it kind of brings a new dynamic into it, not sure that I like that too much. 

Beads- I have a friend who gaged her ears, for whatever reason when she took them out they didn't shrink completely so she had them cut apart and had them sewn back together in the correct position, she said she'd never do it again after that. 

I myself have had a few non-permanent piercings (corsets and barbells) they're fun for a few days or weeks, but I don't think I want anything permanent, other than a tattoo. 

Narwhal

My ears kind of already look like that...

alanna91

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_topic-of-ears?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:8d3a8e3a-60ce-4040-aa86-fa873eeb6b36Post:94725f25-bf9f-4c64-ab7b-30d52b692ae9">Re: And, on the topic of Ears</a>:
[QUOTE]I think the issue that made me bring this up was that someone on Wedding Woes said that parents were doing this for their kids' 16th birthdays...which made me shudder even more than the procedure, and I am a squeamish one. I just don't feel like you're capable of making a decision like this at 16.  But hey, to each his own, I guess.
Posted by peekaboo2011[/QUOTE]

What?! I was reading the article and I thought "As long as a parent isn't getting it done to their child..."
For my sixteenth birthday, my parents took me and BF out to one of those Japanese restaurants where they cook in front of you. And some people are getting permanent elf ear treatment for their sixteenth birthdays? Jeesh...mom and dad really cheaped out on that for me, huh?

Because it's so hard to reverse the surgery, why would a parent put their child under it? I've changed my mind so much since I was sixteen, I would be livid if I had to live with elf ears for the rest of my life because my parents thought I was making an excellent life decision and signed off on the papers.

I wonder if elf ears would be allowed in a strict work place where they don't even allow tattoos and piercings...?

Wrkn925

I think it is stupid.  But, I guess any adult who chooses to do this should have that right.

No one under 18, though.  Even with parental consent.