The zoologist Desmond Morris in his book The Naked Ape (1967) conjectured that the lobes developed as an additional erogenous zone to facilitate the extended sexuality necessary in the evolution of human monogamous pair bonding.

[3] The earlobe, as a body part built of epithelium and connective tissue, might appear to be derived from dermatome.

But more recent studies have concluded that, since earlobes become more creased with age, and older people are more likely to have heart disease than younger people, age rather than intrinsic factors may account for the findings linking heart attack to earlobe creases.

The specific mechanism in allergies caused by earrings is the contact of nickel ions with the lymphatic system.

The immune system remembers the presence of the nickel ions in the person's blood and lymph, so the child can still react to:[28][29] Research by allergists has found that in a sample of 428 pupils of ages 7–8 and 16–17 years old:[28][29]