I need advice on pierced ears-New question p.2

[bananiem]

My dd's golden birthday is next month. She'll be 10 on the 10th. I mentioned we should do something "special" and she said she wants to get her ears pierced. I haven't gotten mine pierced and I'm 38! DD's friend got her ears pierced 5 years ago, they got super infected and closed up and she got them re-done a few years ago. Now she tells me stories about her ears getting oozy. (EW!) Doesn't exactly make me want to run out and get this done.
So if you or your dd had their ears pierced by 10...Would you do it again or have them wait until they can take better care of them?
DD thinks we should get them done together so send some pd my way so I get up the nerve to do it!
And my final question...Is it OK to go to Claire's or is there a better place to go?
thanks!
ann

 

[Serena]

10 is a good age. My suggestion is to get them pierced with the very best earrings you can afford. The good gold ones seem to help prevent irritations.

 

[DoeWDW]

My DD got her ears pierced for her 11th birthday but she had to wait an extra month. She was taking her black belt test for karate and they weren't allowed to wear jewelry. I figured if she could break boards with her bare hands and feet, she could handle getting her ears pierced.

 

[Melann]

My aunt took me on my 10th birthday to get my ears pierced!! I got mine done at a jewlery store and never had any problems...I have gotten several ears pierced at Claires (both ear lobes one and my cartilege pierced 2x)...the only time I had a problem was with the cartilege, and it was more because I was not cleaning and taking care of it as well as I should have. I would go and look at the place, ask to see maybe how they keep the equipment, or maybe you can watch someone else getting it done to see how sterile they are. Good luck!

 

[stinkerbelle]

speaking as someone with 14 earrings in her ears (used to be more) and has had other body piercing...I think that 10 is a fine age to start.

I would, however, not go to claires. Sometimes the people working there just don't know what they are doing...I would reccommend going to a kiosk in your mall like Piercing Pagoda or Plumb Gold or someplace like that...and look at the person. If you get an 'off' feeling from them...go someplace else.

I will say to spend the extra money and have her piercing set be of 14k gold or white gold...this will lead to less infection. (years ago they used CRAP to pierce ears with...trust me...it's gotten better!) A friend of mine recently had her ears pierced for the first time (she's also in her 30's) and had them done at Piercing Pagoda with white gold "diamonds"...that was over 2 months ago - no infections.

They give you all the stuff you need to keep the piercing clean and they'll show her how to do it...and they'll even offer a 'follow up' visit in 4 weeks to make sure the piercing is doing fine.

I think it's a great way to celebrate 10 years on this earth!

 

[DSNY FN]

I had my first one done when my mom and dad told me not to at the age of 16. I now have 5 earings and my last one was done when I was 22. I am looking at getting 1 more my 7 year old is considering it and my wife wants to get hers redone. We had no problems with mine just like someone else said get them to use real gold studs it cuts down on alot of hassles and also looks better.

 

[jel0511]

We just got DD's ears pierced in September and she was 5. She insisted on getting it done, and I will tell you that they did get infected. I took care of them just like they said, and they were fine until I stopped cleaning them. I cleaned them for about 6 weeks, and around a month later, she got "hit" in the ear accidentiately at school. Well, the lobe re-opened up from that and she developed an infection. I started re-cleaning them, and it cleared up in a couple of days. Now, everything is fine, and we've had no problems! I'd do it again, if DD wanted them. For me, it's up to them, just oversee the cleaning of the ears, as that way you can ensure that they get clean properly, and no infection happens. Also, get 14k gold posts, not surgical steel. A lot of people have a reaction to the surgical steel and it can cause a lot of irritation, the 14k gold had better results!

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

I was never a fan of babies getting thiers done (Dont flame me!!)
and my mother strictly forbit it (she is now my biggest earing buyer)
My best advice is to keep them clean. I, nor my daughter (she got them about 12) have ever had an infection! We always used alcohol, not peroxide for cleaning.

Some have algeries and/or sensitivites and need to wear the appropriate metals or whatever to keep healthy.

Good luck, and it really does not hurt, jsut like a big hot pinch for a bit.

 

[disneygals]

All 3 of my girls had their ears pierced under the age of ten. I think it takes a full year for them to really heal. My youngest had the most problems which still stayed minor because we kept an eye on them.

Use the liquid that they give you, plus rub neosporin on them periodically. Keep twirling them.

When finally ready to change...soak in alcohol and dip in neosporin first before putting new earring in. Cheap earrings are ok, but only wear them for a day before changing back into gold ones.

Every kid is different, my middle can go weeks without her earrings and then just pop them back in. I have had my ears pierced for over 30 yrs and still have to keep them in or I have problems getting them back in.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by Girls Scout Leader

My best advice is to keep them clean. I, nor my daughter (she got them about 12) have ever had an infection! We always used alcohol, not peroxide for cleaning.

oooo...alcohol is so drying! I'm glad you never got an infection - but you are much better off either using the cleaning solution they give you or Bactine. (Bactine is a first aid wash...usually used for minor cuts/burns/scrape/etc...) This was reccommended to me for my body piercings...works well at keeping away any infection.

 

[Meriweather]

My DD had her ears pierced when she was 3.
At Piercing Pagoda.
she seldoms wears them anymore (she's 21), but even after weeks of not, the earrings go in fine.
She has senstive ears and has had problems now and then over the years when wearing "cheap" earrings.

 

[CheshireVal]

I had to wait til I was 10 to get my ears pierced, and I did it soon after my birthday. Funny thing is, my mom hadn't had her ears pierced either, but when she saw mine she decided to do it too!

I've never had any problems with my original piercing (I had it done in a place like Claire's). In college I got second holes, and then a third one-- I developed a small keloid scar behind that 3rd piercing but have never had any infections or oozing or anything else.

 

[winniedapooh]

I agree with stinkerbelle on claire's. I have 5 piercings in one ear; one for each child and 2 in the other ear for DH & I. When I went to get the final 2 done I went to Claire's and this very young girl was not sure she could do it and was giggling and gave me a really erie feeling. I asked if there was anyone else there and the manager came and said no she doesn't do piercings. The poor girl who was going to do my piercings was not even sure how to load the piercing gun. I asked for my check back and went where I usually had gone and went for both of my girls-The pIercing Pagoda, a kiosk in the center of the mall. I think 10 is a good age, that is when I had my first ones done. I was old enough to take care of them. Good Luck.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I would suggest getting it done at a place that specializes in piercing. My friend got her belly button pierced a few years ago and I was amazed at how professional the tattoo and piercings ridden girl was who did the piercing. She spent a good 30 minutes after the piercing making sure my friend was okay and answering her questions about how to take care of the piercing etc.

Claires seems kind of sketchy to me.

Also, the actual piercing doesn't hurt. You'll barely feel it. It's easier than getting a shot at the doctors. But I would definatley go for either 14K gold, sterling silver or something designed for sensitive ears.

I got mine done when I was 8. My mom, aunt, grandma and me all went together and all got matching earrings

Now I'm 27 and I really don't wear earrings a lot. But I like that fact that I can if I wanted to.

 

[poohtown]

both my nieces ears were infected at one time

my kids never were

the only difference we could figure out is whenever my kids got new earrings, I soaked them in alcohol before putting them into their ears.

 

[caitycaity]

i attempted to get my ears pierced three times, starting on my 10th birthday. each time i took good care of them, got the piercing done at a reputable place, got expensive studs. each time they got infected and i had to let them close up. after the third time my family doctor told me it was probably b/c my earlobes were too small (i have really tiny ears and my lobes are attached). anyways, he told me i should just forget about having pierced ears. i have scars on my lobes now from trying to have it done so many times.

so i think some people are just predisposed to getting infections there.

 

[stinkerbelle]

caitycaity - yep, some people's bodies just reject the 'foreign object' in the body...so it's no fault of the piercer/jewelry...just of the body rejecting it.

EsmeraldaX - you are absolutely correct...actual piercing/tattoo parlors do a great job...however, for just a lobe piercing, a gun should be fine. If you are going any higher on the ear - a piercing needle would be best. (Reason being is that a hollow needle is used...so it actually removes that part of the ear...not just pushing it aside as a gun does...yes piercing with needle takes longer to heal...but you run a slightly less risk of getting that 'bump' behind your ear.

trust me - the guy that pierced my navel and eyebrow had more metal in his head then anything! and scarily enough, the guy that tattoo'ed me had no ink and no piercings on his body, yet did a fantastic job.

 

[Kirby]

My daughter, Carol, decided she wanted her ears pierced a couple of weeks ago. She's 13. I gave her the option last year at 12 to have her ears pierced and she turned me down.

Anyway, we had it done at Claire's. Haven't had a problem yet. The lady that did her ears was very competent, walking Carol through the process step by step. Not that there was a lot to do before hand, but it was quite obvious that even though Carol wanted her ears pierced, she was afraid. And she made sure Carol understood how much she should clean her ears, how long to wear them before she could change, etc.

She chose the gold studs and faithfully cleans her ears. What I was surprised at was the cost. I wasn't expecting to pay $25 and that was the cheapest. I know that they say that the piercing is free and I knew that the earrings would cost something but.....

The lady that pierced Carol's ears said not to use alcohol and gave Carol three bottles of the solution she was to use.

Good luck!

 

[cats mom]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I would suggest getting it done at a place that specializes in piercing.
Claires seems kind of sketchy to me.

You mean having my girlfriend pierce mine at home with a big needle and a piece of cork behind my ear was not a good idea

I let my girls get theirs done at age 8.

One was really responsible and had no problems.
The other one really should have waited because she was not ready to take care of them properly and had some infection problems.

 

[aprincessmom]

DD is 8 and just got them done in February. We had it done at Claire's and they were great...very professional and made DD feel comfortable. Explained everything, really stressed the need to keep things clean and follow all the instructions not just until you could take the studs out but for as long as you have the holes.

The first two weeks I did the cleanings with DD...first week I did them alone and explained what I was doing, had her watch me in the mirror so she could see how it was done. The second week we alternated doing the cleanings. By the third week she was doing them herself.

Since removing the initial studs, she has worn other earrings but still cleans them at least once a day and always cleans the earrings before and after wearing them as suggested by the girl at Claire's. So far she's had no trouble and they look great...pink and clean.

I got mine when I was 9 at the doctor's office. Still have those holes and haven't had any trouble with them.

If your DD can handle taking care of herself by herself (brushing and styling her own hair, face washing and showering, picking out her own clothes, etc.) than she should be able to handle this.