OK, I'll admit it. Back when such things were more unusual, I flinched imperceptibly—I hope—whenever I noticed hooks in someone's eyebrow or massive gauges in their earlobes. And when I saw my first surgically split tongue, the sighting caused my knees to sway like a dancing lady tattoo on a biker's stomach.
Today, about 15 years later, body modification is so commonplace that I'm no longer shocked by much of anything—until recently. A few weeks ago I saw a pair of elf-like ears on an otherwise ordinary looking woman who was standing in line at a restaurant. A clever double take while hiding behind a tall friend was in order. (Yep. They were real and as pointy as the ear was long.)
At the time, I thought it might just be my own dazed and confused state (after all, I'd recently reviewed Jersey Shore). But now, after reading several news stories on "elf ears," I can trust my eyes. I think she'd had her ear cartilage surgically altered.
The procedure is called ear pointing, and over the last decade or so it's been gaining in popularity. Phoenix resident Jordan Houtz considered having it done for 18 months before taking the plunge. The pixie-eared young woman told CBS News, "[Ear pointing] fit my personality, I've always been into the sci-fi sort of thing, and, I don't know, it clicked for me. Some people think it's the coolest thing and some people think it's ridiculous—and you have to respect that. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's not something I would recommend doing unless you're very, very sure."
Make that super duper, never-waffle, go-to-the-grave-with-it positive, because the procedure cannot be reversed. It's also susceptible to deformities, infections and other complications that could destroy the ear entirely.
So why do folks do it? Body modification artist Steve Haworth told CBS, "There's a lot of people out there who have an inner vision of themselves and they want to express that to the world around them."
I think it's interesting that Houtz also mentioned that The Lord of the Rings was a huge factor in her pro-modification decision. In fact, I'd venture that much of the inner vision Haworth mentions comes from Hollywood. Hey, sci-fi fans and Tolkien movie lovers might think, If Liv Tyler can look enchanting as Arwen and Spock can have the conn, why can't we live the dream, too?
People relate deeply to characters, it's true. But if Hollywood is influencing some to make dangerous, painful and irreversible decisions about their body, I wonder if it's a dream or an occasional delusion.
Editor's note: Click here to read about Lady Gaga's alleged body modification.
Gracie
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