I call myself an expert in medical piercings. That isn't an official title or a public appointment, but a description of my expertise. It is based on:
Medical piercings is the term for ear piercings placed at points known from auricular acupuncture. Online they go by names such as “migraine piercing”, “allergy piercing” or “weight-loss piercing”. Usually what is meant is a daith, a helix at the tip of the ear or a tragus.
Whether a piercing at these spots has an effect is still an open question. That is exactly what the study I worked on is investigating. What is known about it can be found on the Effectiveness page. As an expert, I therefore don't assess the effect, but the craftsmanship.
You had a piercing done elsewhere, for example a so-called migraine or allergy piercing, and you're unsure whether it was done well? I check the craftsmanship: placement, angle, material and the course of healing.
Common reasons:
I don't assess whether a piercing has an effect or sits at a particular point.
I prefer to look at it in person in one of my studios. If it's too far, a photo via WhatsApp is enough for an initial assessment.
The second opinion is free of charge.
If there is a dispute over a piercing, for example between a client and a studio, or a lawyer or an insurer needs a professional assessment, I prepare a written expert report. I am also available to courts as an expert.
Typical questions:
The report describes the state of the craftsmanship. It contains no statements about a health effect, for example in migraine or allergies.
Costs according to effort, on request.
Before an operation, an MRI or another examination, doctors often ask what the jewellery is made of. For this I issue a letter on the material composition:
I give an initial assessment from a photo. Whether the jewellery can stay in is decided by the doctor.
The certificate is free of charge.
Do you check whether my migraine piercing is at the right point?
No. I assess whether the piercing is placed cleanly from a craft point of view, not whether it hits a particular point. Whether the position plays a role for any effect is still an open question.
Does a migraine piercing or an allergy piercing help?
That's still an open question. It is exactly the question investigated by the study at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, in which I took part as the piercer. As soon as the results are published, they will be on the Effectiveness page.
Can I send you a photo?
Yes, via WhatsApp. For a precise assessment, an in-person appointment is better.
