Ear seeding on the Tamron Hall Show, and why this ancient practice is having a mainstream moment

If you caught the Tamron Hall Show's spring refresh mindset edition recently, you may have noticed something small and sparkly on the ears of the guests. Those were ear seeds, and the segment that followed gave millions of daytime viewers their first real introduction to auriculotherapy.

For those of us who have been practicing and teaching this modality for years, it was a moment. Here's what was covered, why it matters, and what to know if you're curious about trying ear seeding yourself.

What the segment covered

The show opened by noting that celebrities including Naomi Campbell, K-pop star Lisa, and NFL player Eric Kendricks have been spotted wearing ear seeds, framing ear seeding as one of the newest wearable wellness trends to break into mainstream culture. The New York Times had already covered it. Now it was on daytime television.

Licensed acupuncturist and TCM practitioner Sandra Lanchin Chu joined the show to explain the practice and demonstrate it live on a staff member. She described ear seeds as a non-invasive form of ear acupressure, rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with roughly 200 pressure points in the ear corresponding to different parts of the body from head to toe.

The demonstration focused on Shen Men, one of the most foundational zones in auriculotherapy, known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the "spirit gate." Sandra described it as a zone that calms the mind, relaxes the body, and supports stress relief. When the seed was applied and pressed, the staff member's reaction was immediate and unscripted: it felt like a wave of relaxation, something she described as feeling like a cold compress, followed by a washing sense of calm she wasn't expecting at all.

That moment, live, unscripted, on national television, is the best demonstration of what ear seeding can feel like when it's applied correctly to the right zone.

Why ear seeding is having this moment

Auriculotherapy isn't new. It's been practiced for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and formalized for the modern world by French neurologist Dr. Paul Nogier in the 1950s. The World Health Organization recognizes it as a legitimate therapeutic modality. Peer-reviewed research supports its applications for sleep, stress, pain, and hormonal balance.

What's new is accessibility. Ear seeds, small seeds or gold-plated pellets placed on the ear using medical-grade adhesive, bring this practice out of the acupuncturist's office and into everyday life. No needles. No appointment. No clinical setting. Just a wearable, non-invasive tool you can use at home, every day, on your own terms.

That's the shift. A practice that once required a practitioner visit is now something anyone can integrate into their daily routine, if they have the right guidance.

Watch the full segment

If you haven't seen it yet — or want to watch the Shen Men demonstration again — the full Tamron Hall segment is available here: Watch the ear seeding segment on the Tamron Hall Show →