Pierce Your Baby’s Ears?
As a professional body piercer I feel a need to post a sort of public service announcement about “mall” style piercings to pierce your baby’s ears. You know the kind you get at a place like Claire’s. A young girl with a piercing gun, with no sort of medical training shooting a blunt object through your child’s ear. Tearing through the flesh in a painful way that doesn’t heal fast or properly.
Ear Piercing Babies in a Mall?
Not too mention the lack of sterility. Seriously people think about it…do you really think an alcohol pad is sufficient for sterilizing equipment? No, it’s not.
Please take the time to read the information below so that you can make a more informed decision about this kind of piercing. Professional body piercers are trained in the proper ways to pierce as well as using safe sterile equipment meant for the procedure. Including using an autoclave on equipment such as clamps and only using disposable piercing needles. These needles are extremely sharp and cut through the flesh very quickly. This leaves a nice cut for easier healing, unlike the tear left by a dull piercing stud. This post does contain affiliate links. The products below can be used for piercing ears. I prefer to use an 18g. Always use sterilized needles, gloves and properly cleaned equipment.
Body Piercing Kit -Ear Lip Nose 16G & 18G Piercing Needles by BodyJewelryOnline
BodyJ4You® Piercing Needles Sterilized 18 Gauge 1mm (Ears, Nostrils) – 10 Pieces5-pack Piercing Needles Sealed and Sterilized 18 Gauge By Eg Gifts
What is the APP POSITION on Stud Guns?
It is the position of the Association of Professional Piercers that only sterile disposable equipment is suitable for body piercing, and that only materials which are certified as safe for internal implant should be placed in inside a fresh or unhealed piercing. We consider unsafe any procedure that places vulnerable tissue in contact with either non-sterile equipment or jewelry that is not considered medically safe for long-term internal wear. Such procedures place the health of recipients at an unacceptable risk. For this reason, the APP must strongly recommend that reusable ear piercing guns not be used for any type of piercing procedure.
While piercing guns may seem to be a quick, easy and convenient way of creating holes, they have major drawbacks in terms of sterility, tissue damage and inappropriate jewelry design. These concerns are addressed below.
Reusable ear piercing guns can put clients in direct contact with the blood and body fluids of previous clients.
Although they can become contaminated with bloodborne pathogens dozens of times in one day, ear piercing guns are often not sanitized in a medically recognized way. Plastic ear piercing guns cannot be autoclave sterilized and may not be sufficiently cleaned between use on multiple clients. Even if the antiseptic wipes used were able to kill all pathogens on contact, simply wiping the external surfaces of the gun with isopropyl alcohol or other antiseptics does not kill pathogens within the working parts of the gun. Blood from one client can aerosolize, becoming airborne in microscopic particles, and contaminate the inside of the gun. The next client’s tissue and jewelry may come into contact with these contaminated surfaces. There is thus a possibility of transmitting bloodborne disease-causing microorganisms through such ear piercing, as many medical studies report.
As is now well known, the Hepatitis virus can live for extended periods of time on inanimate surfaces, and could be harbored within a piercing gun for several weeks or more. Hepatitis and common staph infections, which could be found on such surfaces, constitute a serious public health threat if they are introduced into even one reusable piercing gun. Considering the dozens of clients whose initial piercings may have direct contact with a single gun in one day, this is a cause for serious concern. Babies, young children, and others with immature or compromised immune systems may be at higher risk for contracting such infection.
Additionally, it is not documented how often piercing guns malfunction. Some operators report that the earring adapter that holds the jewelry will often not release the earring, requiring its removal with pliers. These pliers, which contact contaminated jewelry immediately after it has passed through the client’s tissue, may be reused on multiple customers without full sterilization. Few, if any, gun piercing establishments possess the expensive sterilization equipment (steam autoclave or chemclave) necessary for such a procedure.
Piercing guns can cause significant tissue damage.
Though slightly pointy in appearance, most ear piercing studs are quite dull. Piercings must therefore be accomplished by using excessive pressure over a larger surface area in order to force the metal shaft through the skin. The effect on the body is more like a crush injury than a piercing and causes similar tissue damage. Medically, this is referred to as “blunt force trauma.” At the least, it can result in significant pain and swelling for the client, at the most in scarring and potentially increased incidence of auricular chondritis, a severe tissue disfigurement.
Occasionally the intense pressure and speed of the gun’s spring-loaded mechanism is not sufficient to force the blunt jewelry through the flesh. In these cases, the earring stud may become lodged part way through the client’s ear. The gun operator, who may not be trained to deal with this possibility, has two options. She can remove the jewelry and repierce the ear, risking contamination of the gun and surrounding environment by blood flow from the original wound. Alternately, the operator can attempt to manually force the stud through the client’s flesh, causing excessive trauma to the client and risking a needlestick-type injury for the operator. How often such gun malfunction occurs has not been documented by manufacturers, but some gun operators report that it is frequent.
When used on structural tissue such as cartilage, more serious complications such as auricular chondritis, shattered cartilage and excessive scarring are common. Gun piercings can result in the separation of subcutaneous fascia from cartilage tissue, creating spaces in which fluids collect. This can lead to both temporary swelling and permanent lumps of tissue at or near the piercing site. These range from mildly annoying to grossly disfiguring, and some require surgery to correct. Incidence can be minimized by having the piercing performed with a sharp surgical needle, which slides smoothly through the tissue and causes less tissue separation. A trained piercer will also use a post-piercing pressure technique that minimizes hypertrophic scar formation.
Cartilage has less blood flow than lobe tissue and a correspondingly longer healing time. Therefore infections in this area are much more common and can be much more destructive. The use of non-sterile piercing equipment and insufficient aftercare has been associated with increased incidence of auricular chondritis, a severe and disfiguring infection in cartilage tissue. This can result in deformity and collapse of structural ear tissue, requiring antibiotic therapy and extensive reconstructive surgery to correct. Again, medical literature has documented many such cases and is available on request.
The length and design of gun studs is inappropriate for healing piercings.
Ear piercing studs are too short for some earlobes and most cartilage. Initially, the pressure of the gun’s mechanism is sufficient to force the pieces to lock over the tissue. However, once they are locked on, the compressed tissue cannot return to its normal state, is constricted and further irritated. At the least, the diminished air and blood circulation in the compressed tissue can lead to prolonged healing, minor complications and scarring. More disturbingly, the pressure of such tight jewelry can result in additional swelling and impaction. Both piercers and medical personnel have seen stud gun jewelry completely embedded in ear lobes and cartilage (as well as navels, nostrils and lips), even when pierced “properly” with a gun. This may require the jewelry to be cut out surgically, particularly in cases where one or both sides of the gun stud have disappeared completely beneath the surface of the skin. Such consequences are minimal when jewelry is custom fit to the client, allows sufficient room for swelling, and is installed with a needle piercing technique which creates less trauma and swelling.
Jewelry that fits too closely also increases the risk of infection because it does not allow for thorough cleaning. During normal healing, body fluids containing cellular discharge and other products of the healing process are excreted from the piercing. But with inappropriate jewelry, they can become trapped around the hole. The fluid coagulates, becoming sticky and trapping bacteria against the skin. Unless thoroughly and frequently removed, this becomes an invitation to secondary infection. The design of the “butterfly” clasp of most gun studs can exacerbate this problem. Again, these consequences can be avoided with implant-grade jewelry that is designed for ease of cleaning and long-term wear.
A further note on ear piercing studs:
Most ear piercing studs are not made of materials certified by the FDA or ASTM as safe for long term implant in the human body. Even when coated in non-toxic gold plating, materials from underlying alloys can leach into human tissue through corrosion, scratches and surface defects, causing cytotoxicity and allergic reaction. Since manufacturing a durable corrosion- and defect-free coating for such studs is extremely difficult, medical literature considers only implant grade (ASTM F-138) steel and titanium to be appropriate for piercing stud composition. Studs made of any other materials, including non-implant grade steel (steel not batch certified as ASTM F-138), should not be used, regardless of the presence of surface plating.
Misuse of ear piercing guns is extremely common.
Even though many manufacturers’ instructions and local regulations prohibit it, some gun piercers do not stop at piercing only the lobes, and may pierce ear cartilage, nostrils, navels, eyebrows, tongues and other body parts with the ear stud guns. This is absolutely inappropriate and very dangerous.
Although gun piercing establishments usually train their operators, this training is not standardized and may amount to merely viewing a video, reading an instruction booklet, and/or practicing on cosmetic sponges or other employees. Allegations have been made that some establishments do not inform their employees of the serious risks involved in both performing and receiving gun piercings, and do not instruct staff on how to deal with situations such as client medical complications or gun malfunction. Indeed, surveys conducted in jewelry stores, beauty parlors and mall kiosks in England and the US revealed that many employees had little knowledge of risks or risk management related to their procedure.
Considering that a large proportion of gun piercers’ clientele are minors or young adults, it is not surprising that few gun piercing complications are reported to medical personnel. Many clients may have been pierced without the knowledge or consent of parents or guardians who provide healthcare access. Therefore, the majority of the infections, scarring and minor complications may go unreported and untreated. Furthermore, because of the ease of acquiring a gun piercing and the lack of awareness of risk, many consumers fail to associate their negative experiences with the stud gun itself. They believe that, since it is quicker and easier to acquire a gun piercing than a manicure, gun piercing must be inherently risk-free. Often it is only when complications prove so severe as to require immediate medical attention that the connection is made and gun stud complications get reported to medical personnel.
Despite these pronounced risks associated with gun piercing, most areas allow gun piercers to operate without supervision. Recent legislation has begun to prohibit the use of guns on ear cartilage and other non-lobe locations, and the state of New Hampshire has made all non-sterile equipment illegal, but these changes are not yet nationwide. It is our hope that, with accurate and adequate information, consumers and the legislatures will understand and reject the risks of gun piercing in the interests of the public health.
Ear Piercing Kids
Are you still thinking about getting your baby’s ear pierced at the mall now? I hope not… If you’re local to me, I’ll do it for you.
Girl on Fire
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Hi, so, I immediately clicked your blog when I saw the update on twitter.
I actually went to a piercing studio to get Zandi’s ears done. I DIDN’T want to go to the mall. I thought it was crazy to do it there when I could go to a place where people do it as professionals.
So, we walk up to the store and rang the bell (it had a “private piercing in progress” sign up). The straight-out-of-central-casting chick opens up and lets us in. Once I tell her want I want we to do she said, “Oh, I don’t do babies…I can’t stand to make them cry.”
*blink, blink*
You pierce scrotii, nipii,and labiaii (<–new words, like 'em?) but you are afraid of doing a four month old baby????
So, I got a good laugh out of that, and drove off to the Piercing Pagoda in…..the mall. No, I wasn't happy about it, but the woman did a really good job, and we've never had a problem.
I wish the piercing chick would have done Z's ears.:(
.-= Lagunatic´s last blog ..Rub a dub dub, Sue’s in the tub – let’s drown her. =-.
Yea, I totally understand. It’s hard for people to get it done properly because a lot of piercers will not do it. But……………did you know a lot of pediatricians will do it?
Not mine. I even called local plastic surgeons! Nada, zip, zilch. They left me no choice! 😀
.-= Lagunatic´s last blog ..Rub a dub dub, Sue’s in the tub – let’s drown her. =-.
Now, while I hate the piercing guns on cartilage. I was one of those Claire’s girls that did piercings. And I was trained for if incidents occurred. When I had the chance, I would tell people not to pierce their cartilage with the guns. I would send them to my tattoo artist. But there’s no way my piercer could handle a small baby to pierce, no matter how much he says he could pierce the girls.
Kelsie’s ears were pierced by my manager. She never touched them after being pierced. The jewelry comes in a sterile package and the guns that are wiped off never actually touch a client. The jewelry is loaded into a “clasp” sort of speak that comes sterile as well.
While pediatricians do it, they have no idea what they are doing honestly. I had to correct ear piercings done by pediatricians. Pediatricians using the same piercing guns I did, making the piercings severely crooked and then telling parents to clean the piercings with rubbing alcohol. Sweet. Kill the healthy tissue too.
.-= Jenna @ For The Love of Baby´s last blog ..Keep Your Smoke to Yourself =-.
“The jewelry comes in a sterile package and the guns that are wiped off never actually touch a client.’
This does not matter. A spray of tissue and blood that you can not see still get’s on the piercing gun. Plain and simple fact is…it is NOT sterile and is NOT autoclaved between clients.
The jewelry is still a blunt object tearing through the skin.
I am actually licensed to do this. I have had all the blood borne pathogen training as well. It isn’t safe.
I’ll also say that I do not agree with piercing a baby’s ears. It is a body modification that should be their choice to make. Heck, I think if I had a boy I most likely would not circumcise because I don’t want to take something away from them by making that choice.
I have my ears pierced (and a couple of tattoos too) so I agree with the fact that the guns likely aren’t the best way to get a piercing. My issue though is this – is it really necessary to punch holes though a baby or young child’s ears? I think they should have a say in any cosmetic procedure done to their body and I don’t think that a 4 year old, a 6 year old or even an 11 year old realizes the care and attention that’s required for proper healing and thus may not have the maturity to make the decision well.
I know my comment is a bit off topic and I don’t mean to cause trouble but I don’t think parents should pierce their kids ears at all. I think the decision should be made by the child when they are of an age to be able to gather enough info to make the best decision around how and with what method they wish to be pierced.
.-= Heather (fomerly Maternal Spark)´s last blog ..Cool Beans =-.
I actually agree with you Heather.
Morgan did get her ears pierced when she was 4 and it was hell. I took them out and we re-pierced when she was 8. Lauren and Emma will be waiting even longer than that because of the rampant amount of MRSA and other staph infections that are so easily picked up these days.
I’m actually really glad you posted this. As a mom with two young girls, ear piercing is something we’ve had on the mind for some time. Our pediatrician does not offer piercing services and I’ve always been hesitant to trust a 16 yr old mall girl with my child’s ear. I didn’t know tattoo artists even offered this service (regular ear piercing).
The only thing that concerns me is the time involved. How in the world are they going to get a young child or infant to sit still long enough to place the clamp, pierce and place the earring?
.-= Cat´s last blog ..When Good Moms Cook Badly =-.
Yes, this is where I say….wait til she is about 14 🙂
I have to admit that I did have my oldest daughters ears pieced at the mall. Even though I knew you then and had heard you say not to, it was just easier. But boy do I wish I had listened she has had so many infections in them, and it has been almost 3 years since she got them pierced. My middle daughter has been asking about getting hers done (she is 4) and I am going to call a couple of the local tattoo shops and see if any do children ear piercing. It is funny that you posted this because I was just thinking about all this just a couple days ago.
I would honestly let her’s close up and get them re-pierced correctly using piercing jewelry that is made to be IN the body. She could also have a nickel allergy and you could check into Titanium jewelry!
I was 5 when I had my ears pierced. With a gun. I never had any problems. I was 16 when I had my second holes pierced .. with a gun. No problems. I had the top of my ear/cartilage done, with a gun, and there were issues later on.
I chose to have my baby’s ears pierced, at 3 months old – with a gun, from walmart. The piece on it was a whole new, clean, sterile, new piece. I saw her take the main part of of the packaging. Kam is 2 1/2 years old – no issues.
IMO Its not about the gun, or piercing professional at a tattoo parlor, its keeping it clean after the fact.
What I posted above is facts. I know many people get it done with no problem…many people also have one night stands without getting Herpes….but there is that one that get’s it. That is my point. It isn’t worth the risk.
hhahahha
I agree. I BEGGED to get my ears pierced when I was a kid. My mom took me for my 5th birthday, but made me wait until I could go to the proper place, not the mall. I still have my first earrings. They were 14K gold teddy bears with screw on backs. Then we found out I could only wear 14K gold or those plastic earrings that came out in the 80’s. As an adult, I found out my fibromyalgia is what made my holes grow closed so fast. I couldn’t even go a day with earrings out before I had to re-pierce the middle a little.
I had cartilage piercings too – before I knew about the fbro. I took them all out when my skin started to grow to the earrings, and they were done by a piercer in a tattoo place. I have a weird body.
I definitely think parents should wait to get their kids’ ears pierced. Do we really need one more thing to take care of and worry about when they’re small?
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Why Such a Debate on Don’t Ask, Dont’ Tell Policy? =-.
I got my ears pierced at the mall when I was young, and it was done badly. The gun got sticky or something and there was a bit of a struggle with it. In the end, my right ear was pierced way too low. Eventually gravity won out and over the course of several months, it ripped all the way through. Still have a scar to this day!
I think I am also on the NO side of piercing a baby’s ears at all. If they’re too young to make the decision themselves, it begins to feel a little bit like branding…
.-= MommyNaniBooboo´s last blog ..Epidemics scare me and Glenn Beck is a douche. =-.
I agree about the piercing being unsterilized. I feel a little differently about the ages that children are allowed to pierce their ears. I allowed my younger 3 children to have their ears pierced when they asked. Even though they were still young, piercings can grow closed if you no longer want them. I was a very young mom when I had my first and had her ears pierced when she was only 6 months old. I probably should have waited for her to ask like I did the others.
I am one who likes tasteful piercing, having 4 body piercings and several ear piercings, not to mention a few tattoos. This is all just what I have done in the past and my opinion on the ear piercings. If I would have thought how unsterilized the gun was, I may have held off and let the tattoo artist that did mine, do all of my kids. He did do my oldest daughters cartridge years ago and lip (this year, already closed LOL).
.-= Jessica @Riding with Jessica´s last blog ..Swimsuits For Spring Break =-.
This is a great post,
I have had my ears done since I was not even 1. It took me until last year to go get a second hole done. Only cause I wouldn’t go to a place like Claire’s to get them done. One of our best friends owns a Tattoo Parlor and after he told us a lot about things we wrote off ever getting any type of piercing done at Claire’s or anything other place besides the Parlor. Our friend does a lot of advocating for the industry and goes all over the province talking to kids in high school and Jr High about Piercing and where it should be done and things about health and safety !
My older girls all have their ears down and it was their choice. My younger daughter will not get them till she is at least 13. I’m pretty proud of my older girls they always go to a Parlor to get any type of piercing done.
Thanks for the post. As someone with a number of tattoos and piercings (nothing exciting, tragus & cartilege) the thought of going to a mall piercer for myself or daughter scares the crap outta me. Of course I say this after having pierced all 5 holes in my ears myself… but I digress. I’m also a health care professional and after years of training on bloodborne pathogens, I can definitely see the dangers of a stud gun. My daughter will definitely be older when she gets her ears pierced, but we won’t be going to the mall to get it done.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Colorado School Won’t Allow Child of Lesbian Parents to Enroll =-.
I am extremely happy to see this article! I did not get my daughters ears pierced since she became diabetic at the age of 2 but if I had I would not have taken her to the mall!. I do have several piercings and I do know the importance if each valid point this article possessed. I applaud Brandy for her terrific use of her words and the importance of her subject!
Thank you so much for stopping by Sheree! I posted this information because most people just don’t think about stuff like this. I’m hoping to change that and make people more aware!
Hello,
I came to this article through the comment you left at Two Of a Kind. So glad to see it. I will be sharing it on Facebook, as I have several friends with little girls. I’ve chosen not to pierce Mungee’s ears. If she asks to get them pierced when she’s older, I’ll think about it then. I would never do it at the mall, especially after reading all the above information!
My daughter is 15 months old and she won’t be getting her ears pierced until she is way older- as in she has to be old enough to ask to have it doen and she has to be able to take care of them. When/if we do get her ears pierced we will go to a tattoo/piercing shop. It has never even crossed my mind to go to the mall to have something like that done! I had my eyebrow pierced two separate times when I was younger and it is really amazing to see how careful the piercer was to make sure everything was sterile. I mean- why would I trust a teenager to stick a piece of metal in my child’s ear?
This is great advice and well put… however (you knew there’d be a but there) I tried to get my son’s ear pierced at a piercing shop in SoCal, and they wouldn’t even let him in the shop! 18 years and over only! He was 9 at the time and had decided he wanted his ear pierced, and my sister went to get her nose done. I figured there was no better or safer place to get it done than a piercing shop. When they wouldn’t even let him in the door, I took him to the mall down the street. was not a “pleasant” experience, but I didn’t want to not let him get it done just because the piercing place wouldn’t let him in the door. I guess I could have told him to wait till he was 18, but at the time I didn’t see any reason to do that. *shrug*
The reason some people have problems getting their children pierced is because a lot of states have strict rules that govern tattoo shops and people under 18 aren’t even usually allowed in. So if a piercing salon is attached to a tattoo parlor, your chances of being able to get a child pierced there go down.
People would have more luck if they stuck to either piercing only places, or places that have a separate entrance from the tattoo shop.
It surprises me when people say they went to a piercer and the piercer wouldn’t do it so they caved and went to the mall. All it takes is a few calls to a few different piercers to ask if they pierce babies and you can save time/gas/heartache. I can list 4 just off the top of my head in SoCal who I have personally witnessed piercing young children and infants.
If having your child’s piercing done right matters, people should do more legwork than just taking them out one afternoon determined to come home bejeweled.
Absolutely fabulous post. I will be sharing wherever I can. I don’t plan to let my daughter get her ears pierced til she is older but I’m glad I read this so I know better where to take her. I did all my ear piercings myself so I’m still lucky nothing bad happened.
great article. You never think of these things when getting your ears pierced. It’s a great article for people thinking of going to the mall to get it done on themselves.
My aunt did my ears when I was 13 …. brand new gun & sterile studs. she worked in a hair salon that did piercing many moons ago and was finance manager for the red cross for many years so she knew the ins and outs of both. our 14 year old has asked about getting his ears pierced but has not quite gotten up the nerve to get it done, when he does, he will be going to my artist … not the mall.
I’ve piercied THOUSANDS of ears with a GUN yes a GUN. you stuck up “pierciers” all think your s h i t is so f u c k i n g rosy… The gun NEVER fucking touches the ear. The earrings are in a sterile sealed container. They are f u c k i n g s h a r p earrings. NOT f u c k i n g b l u n t. piercing babies is like getting a shot. if you disagree about piercing a baby, then dont pierce your f u c k i n g b a b y. simple. You probablly let them eat a mcdonalds and thats f u c k i n g worse then a piercing. f u c k i n g c u n t s
Well, I certainly won’t be shopping at Claire’s or Icing anymore if this is the kind of people they employ.
I tweeted the link to my post to Claire’s Curious what they will have to say.
Awwww, you sound super mature!! I’m sure people are just dying to put their children in your hands now! Sharp? A piercing stud? Really? So if you barely poked it on your finger would it make you bleed? Nope, it wouldn’t. You just showed the world how much of a moron you were and guess what? That is the whole reason I approved your whole ignorant foul comment. It’ll stay up here too so everyone can read it! Thanks for helping me prove my point! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
OMG – “Claire-Icing” is the EXACT reason you don’t trust young girls with “guns” to pierce your baby’s ears. Wow. You can bet Claire’s won’t be getting anymore business from me…although they never did get any “piercing” business from me to begin with.
WOW!! WTF Claires! I am so glad that I never went there NOR will I ever after reading that! Lovely!
Having said that, my daughter has had her ears pierced since she was about 6 weeks old. The pediatrician didn’t offer it, but she was taken to a piercing place in town.. She slept through the entire process. No issues at all. My first ear piercing was done at Wal-mart, after that I had heard things you post above and the remaining 2 were pierced at a piercing place, as well as my cartilage piercing.
I honestly had no idea about any of this. Thank you for posting the facts so that I can make an informed choice. I definitely know I will never get it done at Claires…Not after seeing that type of comment!
I am a licensed Esthetician and in my state we can actually perform these types of piercings in the spa. I have called every reputable tattoo parlor around my area and cannot find one piercer that will do my 10 month olds ears. However some of my colleagues told me that I should just go buy my own personal new in the sterile packaging piercing kit and just do them myself when she’s asleep with 2 separate guns that way I know they are even, clean and done right. What do you think? I’m kind of nervous just because I don’t want her to be mad at me lol
I think this would be better than the “mall” route. But it is still not sharp and tears through the lobe. Now, this is just my personal opinion and I know many people feel differently, but don’t you think she should be able to make her own choice on having her ears pierced? Not trying to be rude or tell you what to do, but please think about it.
Hi Brandy!!
My oldest daughters are 15 and 10–they want to get their ears pierced for the first time. Should I also find a professional for them?
I have my ears pierced, but after I had my first child I could no longer wear earrings. I have NO idea why, but my ears lobes would get swollen and form a knot inside. (And this was with sterling silver or 14 k gold earrings. I kind of wonder if that could go back to when I had them pierced at Claires decades ago. Never can tell, I guess. But that’s one of the reasons I’ve waited so long with my daughters.
Thanks for this really informative post. Wow!!!
Von 🙂
I most definitely think you should have them done by a professionalism piercer! Here is the post showing my girls getting theirs done. https://notsoaveragemama.com/2011/12/09/pierced-properly/
I have three girls…they have all had piercings. My oldest had hers done when she was 10 months, and my older two when they were 5+. This is what in observed my 10 month babies ears healed beautifully as she seemed to be unaware of anything happening after the few seconds of pain she experienced. My other two however, experienced many issues and they were all three done in my friends professional piercing studio. Any how I’m pregnant again and I will choice to have the piercing done around 10 months if I’m having a girl.
Also I understand the point those are making about a child having the choice to have the piercing done…but in my opinion this doesn’t seem to be something damaging to my children. I feel parents are able to feel what’s good for their children, so my advice is parents trust your judgement, and don’t let others “opinions” sway your decisions!
I am truly grateful I have come across this article and want to say thank you for sharing your knowledge! My daughter is 4 months old and her father and I REALLY wanted to get her ears pierced. After reading just the beginning of this article my mind was made up that we are absolutely not going to take the risk… When she is old enough, if she would like to have her ears pierced we will take her to the appropriate people to have it done and have it done right. Being an RN I knew there had to be risks but I didn’t know enough so that’s why we decided to do some further research. Thanks again for the article.. I am really glad I read it and changed our minds!
I was pierced by my pediatrician with a disposable gun that came in a sealed package. He threw away all components after I was finished, and he prefaced the piercing with a little novocaine. The only flaw was not using a piercing needle and using the jewelry to pierce.
The real matter here is going to someone who is QUALIFIED. No, most retail store piercers are not qualified (or at least no more than I was to shove a needle through my friend’s ear as a teenager after extensive sanitizing with alcohol, because now I know better). Pediatricians can be a great choice if they bother to learn how to properly perform the piercing. Not all doctors are equal, and passing their boards to practice medicine (especially when it was 20+ years ago) doesn’t mean they’re qualified.
I agree with a piercer’s choice to not pierce small children for the sake of them not being able to voice whether or not they want the piercing. I wouldn’t have made it through kindergarten with pierced ears. My best friend in pre-school ripped hers out and couldn’t re-pierce until she was a teenager. They’re cute, but not worth the risk.