Right age for ear piercing?

[Becky2005]

I haven't read through everything & I'm pretty sure you will all think I'm crazy but my rule is 16.

I can't stand pierced ears -- as in I don't want anything to do with it, so I wanted my DD old enough to take care of the turning, cleaning and anything else she has to do with it all by herself. I don't have a clue why but seeing people stick things through their ears freak me out. I don't mind that she has them but I don't want *anything* to do with it.

It probably stems from growing up my best friend had a slit in her ear lobe where an earring sliced it. Basically she had a V (picture that upside down) in her ear lobe. Then being on the volleyball team in High School you were not allowed to wear any jewelry. One of the teammates got pierced ears right before the season but she had to take them out at games even though it was before the time -- she basically re-pierced her ears each event. It just freaked me out.

I don't have pierced ears & never had a desire to get pierced ears. I know my DD does want them and I'm positive will get them next year. My DD has been a gymnast for years though & until recently she wouldn't have had a season where she could leave earrings in long enough I don't think (It would have been flashbacks to my volleyball days for her).

 

[Handbag Lady]

In our house growing up it was 18.

I felt that was SO not fair. I was set to finish High School at 17, and I was starting college at 17...and darnit, I wanted pierced ears at the prom!

So, I finagled my way using my good grades and literally drew up a list of why I was so much more responsible than my older sister, blah,blah. and my parents finally agreed. (or the got tired of me trying!)

I got my ears pierced for the prom! YAY! Then the summer between High School and college, I was also allowed to travel to England alone (I had a friend living there to stay with) and it got 8 more holes in my ears!

So don't listen to me!


I think before six months or after the age of 16 is perfect!

 

[fairestoneofall]

DD 7 just got hers pierced for the second time (as a reward for all As in school). She had originally had them done at age 4 1/2, but we had trouble with one of them. So, I let her grow them back. I did tell her this time, that if she decided to grow these back, she was going to be 13 before I let her pierce them again. lol

The funny thing is, the same thing happened to me as a child. I first got my ears pierced around age five, but had to let them grow back because I had issues with them. I got them done again a few years later.

I go by the "old enough to ask" and now that we've been through the first time and it's issues, I'd also say "old enough to take care of them."

 

[moon]

I had mine pearced (the first time) when I was seven. I hurt a lot. The earrings came out and the holes closed. I had them pearced two other times before my my ears remained pearced. It was awful, but I wanted so bad to wear earrings!

Meanwhile, my cousins ears were pearced as babies. They never had a problem, and I had to see them wear the cutest earrings years before I had the courage to ask for mine to be pearced. I was always telling my mother "mom, why didn't you pearce my ears when I was a baby! It would have been so much easier for me! Why Mommy, WHY, WHY?"

I'm sure she was sorry she didn't do it just because I nagged so much about it!

 

[muffyn]

I have a 4 month old daughter. My family is very big on ear piercing early. All the girls on my side of the family have had their done anywhere between 6 months to a year.
Thanks!

we had our daughters ears done when she was less than 6 months old ( can't be for sure , this was 30 years ago). her doctor did it , quick easy peasy.
a bottle of milk takes their minds off of stuff like that
with *ME* taking care of her , was easy to care for her ears. I certainly would not have done her ears at any age pre-school & above! there would be to much fussing with the earrings & I wouldn't even chance a child to take care of their own ears. the mom's who had kids that took care of them are lucky!
I didn't have mine done till my late 20's, nope, would have rather had them done when I would never be able to remember!

 

[fac]

deleted

 

[Russian-in-Kansas]

I would say that the right age is when the child can make an informed decision about it herself as well as assume the responsibility for keeping the experience healthy and safe. If I had daughters, I would probably set the minimum age at 12. I understand some find babies to be cute with earrings, but I don't understand the appeal as well as such intrusive measures without consent of the child. It is not only that something can go wrong, but shouldn't it be the child's choice whether they get medically unnecessary holes in their bodies in the first place?

 

[Macca1111]

I can see both ways. I got mine done when I was maybe 10...I had to beg for them, and I was very responsible about cleaning and turning them. I believe my sister got hers soon after. My mom's were done by her college roommate with a potato, sewing needle, and ice, but her older sister had them pierced at birth (in the hospital in PR). It seems like it would just be so easy to have them done right away, and they seem to be better centered than later piercing, but also I had a friend who was proud of the fact that she didn't have any extra holes in her body. When she got to law school, she decided she wanted to wear pretty dangly earrings so that eventually went away, but she made the decision when she was good and ready at the age of 24. I have 9 earrings at the moment, so I have no problems healing up the wounds, but I would have been ok with my mom having done the first two at birth.

 

[aprilgail2]

I had my daughters done at three months old. Never had any problem with her pulling them or infections. I prefer having it done while I am stil the one to take care of them- cleaning, turning etc.- at least I know they will get taken care of properly then. My friend in 4th grade pierced her own using an ice cube and sewing needle because her parents would not take her to get pierced ears--- YUK!

 

[portocall]

I got my ears pierced at age 9. The rule was that I had to learn backwards and forwards my multiplication tables. I started begging around age 5, and that was the deal that I struck with my anti-piercing dad. Getting them pierced didn't hurt much, and I took care of them myself. That said... my dh and I decided that if we did have a daughter (we didn't, three boys) that she could get her ears pierced once she was old enough to ask to have them done, not chicken out in the chair (in other words, not forced unless one side has already been done), and take care of them herself. The other thing we decided is no hoops... but that is because my friend in high school had ears that were funny looking do to a Kindergarten fight that ended in her earings being pulled out of her ears. I really don't have a strong opinion with early vs late...

 

[beattyfamily]

Wow, for a hot topic subject, this thread is pretty calm and civil so far.

Since it is not tradition in my family to have it done as a baby (but I have no problem with a family doing what they feel is best for their family), I've decided to wait till they say they want it AND they are old enough to take care of them themselves.

For my now 13 year old it was age almost 11. She was ready and responsible.

For my 9 1/2 year old, it hasn't happened yet and probably won't for several years. She is afraid to do it and still wouldn't be responsible enough to take care of them and I don't know yet when she will be.

I'd say a minimum of age 9, depending on their desire and maturity.

 

[Pixiedust34]

For us, there wasn't an age requirement, but we did tell dd that she had to wait until we thought she was mature enough to take care of her own ears/earrings. She's 10, and a couple of years ago we gave her the OK to get her ears pierced. Guess what---she didn't want to do it! That was fine. They're her ears.

Now she does want to get her ears pierced, but we're going to wait until after summer to get it done. She's prone to swimmer's ear (that's enough ear issues for summer) and we're doing some traveling during the summer so once our lives are back on an even keel in the fall she will get them pierced if she still wants to do so.

 

[donaldduck1967]

My daughters ears have been pierced since she was 6 months old. Never once did she have an ear infection, and to this day the obnly earrings she will wear are the original ones.

 

[LisaNJ25]

My oldest daughter had hers done between 3-4 months an my younger one right before a year. Only reason I waited with the younger one is I knew she was having surgery and I didnt want to have to take them out right away.

 

[hulagirl87]

My sister and I were both 10. It was the age that my mom had set and it was something that we had to look forward to. She thought we would be able to care for our ears, clean them, turn the earrings a couple times a day and such. I still remember having it done! I was so excited. Choosing the earrings that I wanted, having them put the dots on your ears and then using that terrifying gun. haha I felt so grown up though. It was great!

 

[Pigeon]

I don't like the look of earrings on very small children. I don't find anything cute about it. Babies come into the world adorable, and don't need stuff stuck through their ears to make them look better.

I also think people have the right to make their own decisions about cosmetic modification of all parts of their own bodies. Not everyone wants pierced ears.

I think a child around age 12 is old enough to decide.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

You are putting holes into your child ears without her permission. Maybe she won't want her ears pierced when they're older.

A person should always have the decision themselves whether to have piercings or not.

My sister had her oldest daughter's ears pierced when she was a baby. They ended up crooked and my niece had to have them re-pierced when she was a teen. You can still see where the original holes were.

Growing up, the rule was 18. My mom made my sister wait until 18 and I had to wait too. But, by the time I was 18, I was allergic to anything but real gold. I still have never gotten my ears pierced.

 

[SC Minnie]

I waited until DD asked for them and she was old enough to understand about taking care of them. She was 6 and didn't want to wait until her birthday so she did extra chores around the house to earn the $ to get them done.

 

[okeydokey]

When they are old enough to want them themselves and old enough to take care of them.

 

[tazdev3225]

I wasn't allowed to have my ears pierced until I moved out of my parents house. I was 26 and I remember how much it hurt at that time. When my girls were younger they had it done when they were about 5. My DD had her oldest DD done at 6 months. The baby just turned 6 months and got the go ahead from her pediatrician and will be getting them pierced soon. The pediatrician told us that she prefers they wait until they have gotten the shots at 6 months to lower the risk of some infections. OP if you want to pierce your DD's ears do it. She is your baby and it is really a decision between you and your DH, not even your extended family. Thats my thought anyway. My SIL got my nieces done when she was 6 months while my brother was in Korea. He got off the plane and that was the last of her earrings. My brother was beyond angry that it was done. If your DH is OK with it, do it.