How Does Ear Piercing Change Your Skin's Microbiome?

Getting your ears pierced only takes a second, but it causes a catastrophic disturbance to the environment as far as your skin’s microbes are concerned.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Ear piercing represents a catastrophic environmental disturbance, one that drastically changes the microbial communities living there

• Microbial changes start when the skin is sterilized for the procedure, while piercing “reshapes the skin’s physical topology” and the insertion of jewelry further alters the microbes’ environment

• Skin pierc…