North West, the 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, has seemingly removed a controversial finger piercing that sparked intense online debate, just weeks after telling critics to "pull it together."
The Disappearing Piercing
On Tuesday, 30 December 2025, North shared a series of photos to her newly debuted Instagram account, posing with friends in the snow. Sporting bright blue hair under a Balenciaga puffer jacket hood, the preteen was seen with her hands in full view. Notably absent was the dermal piercing she had previously displayed on the middle finger of her right hand.
The silver piercing, which consisted of two small balls placed just below her knuckle, was first spotted during a summer trip to Italy with her mother. Its appearance quickly ignited a firestorm on social media, with many users directing criticism at Kim Kardashian for permitting her young daughter to get such a body modification.
Facing the Critics Head-On
North did not shy away from the online furore. Using the TikTok account she shares with her mother, the 12-year-old posted a defiant response. In a selfie video, she used a sound that said, "Why are you crying? How old are you? Just pull it together." She overlaid the clip with text reading, "This is for everyone that's mad over a finger piercing."
To prove the piercing was genuine and not a temporary accessory, North also uploaded now-deleted behind-the-scenes photos of the procedure itself. This move was a direct rebuttal to sceptics who questioned its authenticity.
A Broader Parenting Debate
The piercing controversy is part of a wider pattern of scrutiny faced by Kim Kardashian regarding her parenting of North's public image. Throughout 2025, the reality TV star has been repeatedly criticised for the outfits she allows her daughter to wear.
One particular ensemble—a tight black corset paired with a mini skirt—was labelled as "inappropriate" for a child by many followers. Comments ranged from concern over North being paraded as older than her years to wishes that she could grow up away from the public eye.
In her defence, Kim addressed the style criticism on the Call Her Daddy podcast. She stated she would never stifle North's creative expression, saying, "It makes her so happy. I would never take that creative [style] away from her." Kardashian described her daughter as her "bestie" and expressed a preference for letting North experiment with her look, including trying different hair colours, under her supervision.
The apparent removal of the piercing marks a new chapter in this ongoing public narrative, highlighting the intense spotlight on celebrity children and the perennial debate over parenting choices in the digital age.
