Reply #194: No it does not...

[cynatnite]

I've lived all over the country and in two different countries. It's no more or less common than anywhere else. There is nothing wrong with this at all.

Plus, it's painless. Thank goodness. I had it done when I was six years old. I got clothes pins and ice before the needle with the string on it got put through my ear. My aunt did it and it still hurt some.

Also, they do close on their own if the earrings are taken out before a certain length of time passes. Sometimes even after having pierced ears for years, they can still close back up.

This isn't a bad or horrible tradition. It's just one of those things and thanks to technology, it's gotten better, safer and painless with time.