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Quick answer Ancient Egyptians pierced their ears (and sometimes noses) starting from at least the Middle Kingdom period (around 2000 BCE), with the practice fully mainstream by the New Kingdom (1550 to 1070 BCE). Both men and women wore ear piercings across social classes, with gold reserved for nobility and simpler materials for lower classes. Pharaohs including Tutankhamun had stretched earlobes, visible on his golden death mask. Ancient Egypt is one of the earliest well-documented sources of piercing tradition anywhere in the world. The civilisation that made adornment sacred Few civilisations in human history integrated jewellery into daily life and...

Different from permanent retainer use This guide covers temporary use of PTFE retainers for specific medical events (typically days to weeks). For long-term use of retainers as everyday jewellery (e.g. for workplace requirements or lifestyle choices), see the separate guide on permanent retainers. What PTFE retainers do medically PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is a soft flexible polymer used in medical devices, cookware coatings, and specifically for piercing jewellery designed for temporary medical use. In the piercing context, PTFE retainers replace metal jewellery during medical events, holding the piercing open without the metal that causes problems in specific medical situations. This guide covers...

Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from the specific medical team performing your procedure. Each procedure type and each facility has its own protocols. Follow the specific instructions you receive from the clinic or hospital above the general guidance here. The middle ground between routine and surgery Between routine dental appointments and full surgery sits a large category of medical procedures: endoscopy, colonoscopy, biopsies, catheterisation, ambulatory interventions, day-case procedures. Each has its own equipment, positioning, and requirements. And each has its own piercing considerations, often not obvious from general internet advice. This guide covers common...

Medical disclaimer This guide is informational and does not replace guidance from the radiology department performing your imaging. Every imaging facility has its own protocols, and specific imaging types (e.g. mammography, dental imaging, specialised CT) may have specific requirements not covered here. X-rays and CT are not MRI A common confusion: because MRI has strict metal removal requirements, people often assume X-rays and CT scans have the same requirements. They do not. MRI uses magnetic fields, which react strongly with any magnetic metal. X-rays and CT scans use radiation, which does not react with metal in a dangerous way. The...