Pierced ears have long been a fashion accessory. By some estimates, more than 85% of women have them. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have practiced piercing other body parts, too.

In every culture, in every era, people have modified their bodies. Corsets. Jewelry. Makeup. Hair dye. Tattoos. You name it, people have done it in the name of beauty, and even more to the point, in ...