the Ear Piercing A 10 Year Review Of Related Complications In Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Ear piercing is a form of body piercing in which puncturing is made to the part of the Pinna for the purpose of applying a jewelry. Objective: To review the complications associated with ear piercing practice in Kano, Nigeria. Methodology: All patients who were presented at the ENT and post-natal clinics of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, with ear piercing-related complications between 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2022, were included. The various complications following ear piercing were analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 138 patients had ear piercing-related complications. The mean age was 3.27±6.7 years, and (127) 92 % had their ear piercing within the first three weeks of life. All the patients had their ears pierced at the ear lobe. Local infections were the most common complication (74.64%), followed by keloids (13.8%), tears (10.1%), and allergic reactions (4.4%). Conclusion: Ear piercing is still a common practice, mostly among females. The high incidence of infection is attributable to the poor hygienic conditions under which it is performed