<p>Please don’t flame me. I’m just trying to understand this fad. </p>
<p>Today when I was ordering at a Panera Bread Company, the very nice young lady that was helping me had ear gauges the size of quarters. She is a pretty girl, not extreme looking in any other way…normal hair, normal make-up, no scary tats…just a very normal, pretty girl.</p>
<p>I couldn’t help wondering, “why”, and what’s going to happen when she no longer wants those very large holes in her ears. Obviously, I don’t know if she’s done, some people have gauges the size of bracelets (I actually got nauseous when my cashier at a store had gauges that big).</p>
<p>Are plastic surgeons going to be busy in a few years repairing these ears?</p>
<p>Actually stretched ears (the “technical” term for “gauges” is plugs) can shrink back to normal size if they are treated properly and stretched the right way. I know it seems impossible, but it’s true. Of course this depends on several factors, and the larger the stretched earlobe the less likely it will close on its own. </p>
<p>It’s just like any other body modification; it’s an aesthetic choice. People like the way they look so they choose to do it.</p>
<p>Plastic surgeons are specializing in this particular area…this plus tattoo and scarring repair. It really seems no different than cutting or eating disorders…it is self inflicted pain and harm.</p>
<p>In answer to the OP…I have no clue why one would do this unless it is of a tribal cultural nature.</p>
<p>There’s usually truth in humor…the grand kids don’t want to visit grandma because she has a scary vulture on her back…it was a humming bird 30 years ago :)</p>
<p>People like to change themselves. It’s in every single culture on earth in one form or another. Some more “extreme” than others (depending on your point of view… I mean other cultures would be repulsed that we would ever want to be stick thin or have silicon in our breasts). </p>
<p>I stretched my ears one time… I actually really hated it and it didn’t last long. But I have friends that do it and I don’t really “get” it, but to each their own. Personally, I don’t understand how women cake crap on their face every morning. We all have our own quirks.</p>
<p>Agreed. I don’t personally like the look of ear gages but I think it is an aesthetic decision. I also see people on the street and wonder how they can possibly think that whatever they have on or their hairstyle is a good look for them. So to each their own.</p>
<p>I have a visceral reaction to gauges and facial piercings–they actually nauseate me. I own a retail store and would never hire anyone with that sort of body decor because I don’t want to have to look at it and have to assume at least some of my customers would feel the same way. These choices affect one’s employability. I’m even surprised that a chain like Panera doesn’t insist on more a conventional appearance for its workers. The last thing I want to see when I’m ordering lunch is the bodily mutilation of the moment.</p>
<p>The difference between cake makeup (hate it, wear mascara and for a really really really important occasion some under eye concealer and a bit of eye liner), bad clothing (yes, been there, there done that) and body modification is PERMANENCE. If you go through a bad makeup day - you wash it off at night. If you have a bad fashion period…well…goodwill will have that much more stock for the next Halloween. If you tatoo, scar, stretch and over pierce…you will need outside assistance and available funds to change.</p>
<p>I pose this question to my kids…can you pick one outfit, one type/style of makeup or one particular room configuration/style/decor which you can promise yourself you want to live with for the rest of your life…or are willing to search out expert help and spend considerable $$ and pain to change…then go for a body mod. If not…then proceed with extreme caution.</p>
<p>WOW-some of you should avoid Seattle like the plague! If just looking at facial piercings makes one ill or you liken it to self abuse, well, just don’t come here. You’ll sleep better and won’t feel like puking. </p>
<p>The girl with the stretched ears is as capable of serving me a nice sandwich as the girl with the nice, bland non-nauseating appearance, and the girl with the full-sleeve tattoo is as good a waitress at my favorite upscale brunch place as the one without.</p>
<p>It’s always funny to me that we’re all about freedom of expression unless it’s different in same way-be it a name, or clothes or body jewelry.</p>
<p>Easy answer - because she likes the way gauges look. Just like how I like the way my eyebrow piercing looks. I was a resident assistant as an undergrad and it was never taken to be an issue. Now I’m a graduate student and I’ve even taught a 100 level lab course with it in. </p>
<p>I guess because of my generation I don’t see why people have such a visceral reaction against body modifications. Cultures have engaged in various forms of body modification for millennia.</p>
<p>sseamom: No one questioned the performance or skill level of anyone. I wonder why the simple question of "why’ brings such an emotionally defensive response. That said, there is a good chance this type of modification has limited employment opportunities (and yes, yes, yes…that too is a choice)</p>
<p>And, yes, the infected lip piercing of a relative at the Thanksgiving table did lead to a scramble of trying NOT to sit at THAT table.</p>
<p>Romani: yup… that is the answer…do what you like, be realistic about the consequences…carry on…</p>
<p>D takes out her very very small nose piercing for all her accounting type job interviews. When she got it she considered the ease of ‘repair’ or disguise and decided it was worth it.</p>
<p>My point is that how one LOOKS does not affect how one ACTS, or WORKS.</p>
<p>My older D works in the restaurant industry and LOTS and LOTS of the workers at her chain place and many others around Seattle are tattooed or pierced-it doesn’t seem to hold them back-out here at least. But chances are that if you’re a bartender or cook or expediter or a waitperson, you’re not looking to work in a upscale law firm or something. Although out here I’ve seen white collar people with piercings or tattoos as well. </p>
<p>But-the easy answer is the right one-they like it.</p>
<p>^Sure, but it does affect how other people perceive you. Ten years ago eyebrow piercings made me feel queasy, I’ve gotten used to them now, but I still don’t like the look. I’m not a fan of plugs either, though the other day, someone was wearing some that I really liked. They had cutouts of snowflakes. If you choose somewhat out there styles, you have to realize that you may have to work twice as hard to convince people that you are mature. It’s not necessarily fair, but that’s the way the world works. Of course if enough people do something, it stops looking weird. I don’t think too many people worry about long hair anymore.</p>
<p>" I don’t see why people have such a visceral reaction against body modifications." - Mostly the reaction comes from older folks who know that few people like anything FOREVER. Permanent modifications seem unwise.</p>
<p>So, I’m not conservative. A lot of my clients do these stupid things to their faces when they are young. I think some of these face piecings look like Christmas cookie decorations and others look like you have something on your face you need to brush off. That said, I have friends who have them. </p>
<p>But, with my kids, I always pointed out the fact that they looked like Christmas cookie decorations. So, instead of seeing this edgy cool thing, they see Christmas cookies… not as cool. The gauges I abhor.</p>
<p>Tattoos I like, when they are done by a talented inker.</p>
<p>But, all that said, it doesn’t effect what I think of someone. For example, I have a friend who is a guy who wears tennis shoes with his khakis instead of real shoes. I think it looks as stupid as gauges.</p>
<p>Poet girl…what are tennis shoes in your book? A pair of cool Vans with khakis?i can’t imagine what “real shoes” are. Maybe like real earrings vs gauges?</p>
<p>I’m guessing “real” shoes are dress shoes, or maybe loafers? I wear “fake” shoes often, or at least very casual ones, with nearly everything, because I have trouble with my feet. Most “real” shoes don’t have the padding I need for comfort, even the more dressy “comfort” shoes.</p>
<p>But then, I didn’t know it was bad to wear tennis shoes with khakis.</p>
<p>No, limabeans. I mean tennis shoes. The kind you play tennis in. The white ones.</p>
<p>There are black “tennis shoes” too. Even that would be better.</p>
<p>We are in our forties. Real shoes are leather shoes. Loafers, oxfords, even cowboy boots. He laughs anyway. He probably wears them just to bug me at this point. :)</p>
<p>But I have friends with gauges, too. They are younger than me, and they know I hate them. Love the friend, hate the gauges. They laugh at me, too.</p>
<p>I laugh at me. But I can’t help it. I like real shoes on men.</p>
I don’t personally like the look of ear gages but I think it is an aesthetic decision. I also see people on the street and wonder how they can possibly think that whatever they have on or their hairstyle is a good look for them. So to each their own.</p>