Same reason people customise any aspect of their appearance: because they like the way it looks.
It's unlikely larger stretches would close on their own, but they usually will shrink depending on size and age. If they're small and/or new, they might close. People definitely shouldn't do it under the assumption they can reverse it without having them sewn up; they should treat it as permanent.
Often? I'd question if it was ever. It's a cosmetic procedure.
All you have to do is claim that the resulting stretched flesh is causing harm to your mental health; something that is very hard to quantify or adequately prove. I'm unsure how it is in mainland Britain (England/Scotland/Wales), but the procedure to repair the damage can be carried out by a doctor/GP; which is technically the NHS.
Oh look Pauly pics. How typical of this kind of QQ about heavy modification.
"If you want to control people, if you want to feed them a pack of lies and dominate them, keep them ignorant. For me, literacy means freedom." - LaVar Burton.
They're a great way to know who not to hire.
A generation or so ago people had the same attitude towards any piercing other than the ear and all tattoos. I'm guessing before that even ear-piercings were some frightful and hideous mutilation.
Give it a dozen or so years so this "young" generation with their gauges are the older generation and these "extreme" piercings will barely be worth noticing and the old folks will be complaining about the latest mainstream thing, probably implants or total limb piercings or something.
Feels like one of the biggest missions Captain Hindsight will have to undertake once people with unhealable plug hole piercings start to transition into their twilight years.
Saying that though, contemporary fashion will be seen as "old/boring" when new generations arise, but I think altering your body for a fleeting fashion seems rather feckless to me.
I suppose there are plenty of old folks with rather overt tattoos, but tattoos are so entrenched in popular culture (through centuries of practice) that they are more timeless than something like plug piercings.
At least you can use your nose for its intended purpose (breathing), but how the hell do you eat (and clean this shit after meal)?
Some of the comments here so are ignorant.
People do it for the same reasons that they get a classic stud piercing, BECAUSE THEY LIKE IT.
I do agree huge gauges look stupid, but anything under about 16mm looks 'acceptable' in most cases. There's a point where it just becomes impractical and an injury risk.
I have 10mm in both of my lobes and don't plan to go any higher. I would like them to naturally be able to get smaller again plus I think 10mm isn't 'in your face' unless you really have an issue with them. I'm currently 25 and had them both at 10mm since I was 19, not one person has said anything negative about them to me personally.
My own reasoning for having them is because I like the look/style and as a male there's not really any options for ear piercing apart from gauges.
There's a lot of awesome designs and materials you can buy.
I think it's pretty weird to argue against people judging you for your appearance choices and then turn around and do the same to another person for crossing some arbitrary threshold.
No one should give a shit whether some random dude has no piercings, and 7mm, or 5". One certainly doesn't have to like it or understand it, but it doesn't affect anyone but him.
I think the real question is why does anyone care about what someone else chooses that has no effect on anyone else's life.
Because people feel so uninspired and yet highly pressured to "find" their individuality, and for most people the options are very limited. So they do something very shallow, permanent and very noticeable in order to achieve that.