Kim Kardashian has been vocal about letting daughter North West “express herself” through boundary-pushing clothes, colorful hair and experimental makeup — but the 13-year-old’s latest mode of self-expression could come with some serious and irreversible risks.
Last September, North, then 12, debuted a dermal piercing on her middle finger. It was the first of many: Since early 2026, her collection’s expanded to several more piercings across her fingers and hands, fittingly accompanied by her debut single, “Piercing on My Hand.”
Critics have flooded social media, but neither North not her mom appear concerned. On their shared TikTok account, the pair told fans: “It’s OK,” while North later clapped back with a sassy video to “everyone that’s mad over a finger piercing.”
As far as doctors are concerned, though, it’s very much not OK: Hand piercings can lead to plenty of issues and long-term complications, from rejection to scarring to disfigurement.
“Just don’t do it,” advised Corey Hartman, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder and medical director of Skin Wellness Dermatology.
“Long term, these piercings can lead to hypertrophic scars, hyperpigmentation, disfigurement and loss of function of the body part where the piercing is done, particularly in patients with highly-melanated skin, like North West,” he told The Post.
West’s piercings appear to be a combination of surface and dermal piercings — two styles that are far more complex than a typical earlobe piercing.
Surface piercings have two entry points connected beneath the skin by a barbell, with decorative ends that sit on top of the skin.
Dermal piercings are single-point piercings designed to give the illusion that jewelry is floating on the skin. Rather than using a traditional backing, a piercer inserts a small anchor beneath the skin, then screws the decorative top into that anchor, making it look like a bead resting on the body.
Even changing the jewelry isn’t as simple as swapping out an earring. Experts recommend having a professional piercer — ideally the one who performed the original procedure — handle changes to avoid accidentally dislodging the anchor or causing complications.
And when a dermal piercing is removed permanently, professional removal isn’t just recommended — it’s required.
It’s unclear how many of West’s dermal and surface piercings are authentic, as some have appeared and disappeared over time. Still, visible scarring and discoloring around some of the sites suggest some of them are genuine.
Those cosmetic changes are among the potential long-term complications that come with hand piercings, said Hartman, who also serves as an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine.
If the anchor isn’t embedded deep enough, the body may gradually push it out or move it through the skin — a process known as rejection, in which the body treats the jewelry as an unwelcome foreign object.
Whether a dermal piercing is rejected or intentionally removed, scarring can occur as the hole closes. There is also a risk of tissue damage if an anchor is placed too deeply and affects nearby blood vessels or nerves.
Another possible complication is hypergranulation, marked by a raised red bump around the piercing site, which can develop for several reasons, including jewelry that is too tight.
Hartman said hand piercings carry a greater risk than more common piercings because they can disrupt tendons if they extend beyond the skin or involve superficial tendons.
That, he warned, could reduce the tendon’s ability to control movement in the hand. In extreme cases, complications could cause permanent loss of normal hand function.
Hand piercings also require advanced piercing technique because of the anatomy involved, making them inherently riskier than a standard earlobe piercing.
If the procedure is performed by someone without proper training, under less than sterile conditions or with the wrong equipment, Hartman said the risks increase dramatically.
While Kardashian hasn’t directly addressed the piercings beyond a two-word comment on their joint mother-daughter TikTok account, she has repeatedly defended the teen’s bold fashion and style choices — including her signature blue hair.
“I would never take that creativity away from her,” Kardashian told podcast host Alex Cooper on “Call Her Daddy.” “I just think anyone that’s raising kids, especially four kids by myself, I’m doing the best that I can.”
Regardless, Hartman argues that minors are not cognitively equipped to fully understand the long-term risks of permanent body modifications.
He believes they should only be done with the consent of a parent or legal guardian — and in that case, the decision shouldn’t be made lightly.
For parents considering allowing a child to get hand piercings, Hartman recommends weighing the child’s psychological maturity, the permanent nature of the piercing, the possible side effects, the facility where it’s performed, and the experience, reputation and skill of the piercer.
Even then, his advice remains simple — just don’t. “If the desire remains when they turn 18, then they can reconsider at that time,” he said.
No ifs, ands or studs about it.
