OT-What age to get ears pierced??

[chipndales]

I won't be piercing my baby's ears, but for anyone who is planning to, I agree with taximomfor4, talk to your Dr. I know you can have it done at our office, and I will probably take DD there even when she is older. I just don't trust the people at our mall.
No offense meant to any mall piercers, your place may be great, but ours looks a little off.

From professional and personal experience, don't always trust your doctor's office either. They might look sterile and because they're physician's you tend to trust them, but they're not skilled or usually trained in ear piercing. I've seen absolutely horrible ear piercing jobs done by doctors and nurses who butcher the holes. As with anything, either in a store/mall or doctor's office, make sure you ask the right questions. How many ears have they done is a must, and make sure you approve where the dots are for the holes. Ask what the earrings are made of (14k is definitely the best way to go as stainless steel can sometimes cause pussing and itchiness) and always be sure they give you the correct after care instructions which include an approved ear care solution. Alcohol is not recommended for cleaning. Good luck!

 

[chipndales]

but wouldn't that be the same with circumcision for boys, etc? As long as it is not considered a sort of child abuse, parents will continue to decide based on their own opinions, traditions, beliefs, etc.

Thank you for pointing that out. I'm a child birth educator as well as being trained for many years in ear piercing, and you're 100% correct. If you can chose to have your son circumcised which in recent years has been medically proven to be a cosmetic surgery and not necessity, you can chose to have your baby's ears done as well. It's very essentially the same ideal, something based on tradition, personal beliefs and custom.

 

[abbybeth]

From professional and personal experience, don't always trust your doctor's office either. They might look sterile and because they're physician's you tend to trust them, but they're not skilled or usually trained in ear piercing. I've seen absolutely horrible ear piercing jobs done by doctors and nurses who butcher the holes. As with anything, either in a store/mall or doctor's office, make sure you ask the right questions. How many ears have they done is a must, and make sure you approve where the dots are for the holes. Ask what the earrings are made of (14k is definitely the best way to go as stainless steel can sometimes cause pussing and itchiness) and always be sure they give you the correct after care instructions which include an approved ear care solution. Alcohol is not recommended for cleaning. Good luck!

Honestly another option may be to look into a professional piercer. In doing research for my ears I read a lot about how the typical mall piercing done with the gun is not actually the best way for it to be done and is part of the reason why many have problems with the healing. The gun simply pushes the earring back through the ear, so the natural reaction of the ear is to heal back as it was. A piercer's tool will actually "remove" a tiny, tiny amount to make a hole when the earring goes through, leaving more room for the hole to heal properly and helping avoid infection.

 

[solferino]

Honestly another option may be to look into a professional piercer. In doing research for my ears I read a lot about how the typical mall piercing done with the gun is not actually the best way for it to be done and is part of the reason why many have problems with the healing. The gun simply pushes the earring back through the ear, so the natural reaction of the ear is to heal back as it was. A piercer's tool will actually "remove" a tiny, tiny amount to make a hole when the earring goes through, leaving more room for the hole to heal properly and helping avoid infection.

I agree. Guns are awful and can really damage tissue. See a professional piercer, even if, g-d forbid, they are at a tattoo studio. The one I had mine done at has a completely separate room for piercings. Ask to make an appointment for first thing in the morning if you don't want to be around people getting tattooed (and believe it or not, they're not a bunch of freaks, don't be deceived by the way they express themselves!)

If they're worth their salt, they are trained in anatomy/physiology, bloodborne pathogens, first aid/cpr, etc. I don't think the girls at the Claire's boutiques get that. The needles professional pierces use are a one-time use and have been autoclaved. They will open the sterile package in front of you. They will generally use stainless steel earrings, which are hypoallergenic. Gold is also an option.

for your reading pleasure
Piercing guns and why they are not safe

the smoking gun on piercing guns

 

[bearpele]

I had our daughter's ear pierced when she was one year old and I have never had any issues with her ears. I did not get my ear pierced until I was 14 years old and wanted them pierced way before turning 14. Again, the choice should be what you feel is best for your child.

 

[rwrocksme]

I asked to get my ears peirced when I was about five--all of my friends had them. My mom said I had to be nine. Well, that was six years ago, and I will absolutely never get it done. Between a dozen plus surgeries, hundreds of blood tests, and a billion and a half shots in fourteen years, I have enough holes in me already. Besides, I hate needles.

Yet, as I say that, I'd be ready to go to a fear counselor if it ment I could get a tattoo.

 

[Abby's Dad]

I sure am sorry that you have had to go through so much at such a young age, but somewhere down the road you may decide that you will go through with the ear thing, and maybe even a tattoo when you are old enough - who knows. But whether you do or not, it is OK, because you are still the best you that you can be, and that is good enough for anybody!

 

[bumbershoot]

I had mine done when I was 4, on request. My pediatrician did it. I don't think I ever had any problems with them.

Then I got another hole in one ear at 15, because that's the age that my mom created her own third ear piercing hole doing the ice+needle thing at a girlfriend's house.

And another hole on that same ear when I was in college.


The piercings done at 4 have healed the best. I actually don't bother with earrings anymore, and those two NEVER try to close. The other two do, and it really hurts to open them again.


I personally think you should have them done REALLY young so it's only seen as cutesie, OR have them done when you're more towards womanhood. I think doing them at 9 or so, as the rest of you is starting to develop, sort of ages you, makes you seem older than you are...or it can be SEEN as doing so...adds a weird twist to getting ears pierced, IMO.

 

[bumbershoot]

Honestly another option may be to look into a professional piercer. In doing research for my ears I read a lot about how the typical mall piercing done with the gun is not actually the best way for it to be done and is part of the reason why many have problems with the healing. The gun simply pushes the earring back through the ear, so the natural reaction of the ear is to heal back as it was. A piercer's tool will actually "remove" a tiny, tiny amount to make a hole when the earring goes through, leaving more room for the hole to heal properly and helping avoid infection.

I actually really like that idea. And not just the image of a kiddo of mine at House of Tattoo. Though I must admit, I had my navel pierced twice at piercing/tattoo places, and both times it was HORRIBLE; the first time was the fault of the piercer who just had NO clue (I took it out inside a week and it closed within 12 hours...the second time I gave it a year and took it out, it took longer to close, and now I have some LOVELY scars in and around my navel). So you can't always trust professional piercers, either!

So with everything, you gotta know the person who is going to do it, and try to make sure they know what they are doing.

 

[phillmolly]

WOW!!! I never thought I would get such a great response. The reason I was asking is because I think my SIL should get my DN ears pierced now, rather than later. I will tell you my reason,

I got my ears pierced the first time when I was 7, they got infected, I lost the earrings and then the holes closed, I got them pierced for the second time when I was 10 and then another infection but at least this time they stayed open.

My middle sister was an infant when she had hers done by her dad's mom, not one problem ever. I was 8 when this was done and I was jealous, why was it so easy for her?? LOL

My baby sister got hers done for the first time when she was 4, the second time when she was 8 and again when she was 11, and now she is 17 and will not try again.

It seems that everyone who has problems with infection, and holes closing, ect where older when they got it done. I think if we get it done now, she won't even know they were there and as she gets older it will just be a part of who she is. We already have some baby earrings for her, actually two, one is the screw back type and the second is a tiny pair of 18k gold hoops. BTW, in our (mine and my brothers) culture it is something that is usually done to infant girls. Don't worry though, I know it is not my decision , I just want to know what to say to SIL if she asks. I am not one of those pushy types of in-laws that try's to force my choices on my family, but if asked I will give my thoughts , lol. Thanks again!!

 

[LisaNJ25]

My oldest daughter was 3 months old.. my second daughter was 11 months old.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I had to wait till I was in 6th grade...then I ended up having 7 in each ear (YES--in the cartlge ??) But since children I don't wear any...I think that only my first 2 holes are still open, when we go out for special occasions I put them in, I told DD that at 6 yrs old she can get them --she's almost 7. Most of her friends have them & have had them for AWHILE!! I know someone would did them @ 3 days, yes DAYS & then for their 2nd 3 months (I guess she told me stores had changed)

 

[taylorsmommy05]

My DD was 2 months old.. Did it the same day she had her two month shots... She did great! Didn't even flinch! She is 28 months now and we have Never had a problem with her ears!

 

[abbybeth]

So with everything, you gotta know the person who is going to do it, and try to make sure they know what they are doing.

Exactly! It always pays to do your research. For all the great, responsible piercers who are out there, there are also the poorly trained ones who don't know quite what they're doing. There are a ton of sites out there that have a lot of information and some lists of questions that you should ask of your piercer to verify their qualifications, like:

Do you have a license?
Do you autoclave all of your tools prior to each customer?
Do you use a new needle on every customer?
How long have you been piercing?
Are there any prior customers that I could speak with?

So on and so forth. As with anything, the more information you have, the better decision you can make and while ear piercing may seem like a tiny thing, it is a procedure that can have poor side affects if not done correctly.

 

[abbybeth]

It seems that everyone who has problems with infection, and holes closing, ect where older when they got it done.

As I posted, I did not get mine done until I was a freshman in college. I was 17. I followed the care instructions to the letter and did not have a single problem with infection or a long healing time. I have friends who waiting to get second or third holes when they were older and also did not have any issues with infection or long healing time.

I don't think that age is a relevant factor in whether or not one gets an infection. It's a matter of each individual body's reaction to a foreign object and the composition of that object, each individual's ability to heal and the level of responsibility for maintaining the healing process. A piercing is an open wound and needs to be taken care of properly. Regardless of the age that a parent decides is acceptable, the individual getting the piercing should be aware of what is going on and be able to accept responsibility for the care of their piercing. I know many people who had the ear piercing decision made for them by their parents (e.g. getting pierced as a baby or young toddler) and wished that they had been able to have a say in it. If your SIL doesn't want to pierce her daughter's ears right now and wants her to be older, it may not be appropriate for you to force the issue, no matter how "cute" you think it is for tiny babies to have their ears pierced.

your mileage may vary...

 

[girli565]

I got mine about a week after I was born. I had to get them redone when I was 12 because the originals were too high.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I wanted to pierce DD's age early on, but I figured that I really should let her decide when she was able to. With that said, she made the decision to pierce probably around age 7. Two years later she let them close up and now is in her teens and still has had no urge to pierce her ears or anything else (thank goodness). If she wants her ears done again though, I would have no problem with it.

 

[bumbershoot]

As I posted, I did not get mine done until I was a freshman in college. I was 17. I followed the care instructions to the letter and did not have a single problem with infection or a long healing time. I have friends who waiting to get second or third holes when they were older and also did not have any issues with infection or long healing time.

Yes. My second and third piercings aren't closing b/c of problems, they are closing because they haven't existed as long (they aren't permanent scars like my piercings at 4 years old), they are closing because I don't put anything in them.

I think the people here who have family who have dealt with piercing problems in infants would definitely reject the anecdotal evidence from this thread, that younger kids don't have problems and older people do....problems can happen with anyone at any time!

 

[TinkerValkyrie]

I had my ears done at age 5. I had no problems with infection or anything. My best friend dropped by on the way home from having her ears pierced. I immediately ran inside and demanded that my ears be pierced too. Well, the next time we went to the mall I got my wish.

As I have boys so far, I haven't had to think about ear piercing, but if #3 is a girl I will probably wait until she's old enough to decide to ask. I look at ear piercing like circumcision. I didn't circ my boys because I personally felt it was wrong to cause an unneeded alteration to their body. If they choose to get it done at some point that's totally up to them. If my daughter chooses to have her ears pierced... she can.

 

[Kat77]

Funny story: DD8, then 4 asked after preschool one day to have her ears pierced. I joking replied I did not know how to do it and dropped the subject. Next day, at pick up she announces "Great news! I asked around and here is what we need to do....."
We told her and DD9 they could have it done at 13. I like the idea making it a right of passage, makes poking holes in ones self special. If we were catholic, I might go with first communion though. Eight is old enough to expect proper self care on the childs part.
Right now DD's use those magnetic backed earrings. Clip ons hurt. I even make earrings from regular ones by adding magnets sold as replacement backs if DD8 just has to have a certain style