Where Did Your DD Get Her Ears Pierced?

[WDWKOOK]

My DD10 is ready to get her ears pierced, but I'm not sure of the best (safe, proficient) place to take her. Do free-standing jewelry stores still do piercing? I live in Northern VA and have many places from which to choose, so I'm overwhelmed. TIA for your help.

 

[Meriweather]

Piercing Pagoda at the mall when she was 3
then when she was a teen ager, the next set at Claire's at the mall.

 

[PatsMom]

My daughter got her ears pierced at a Claire's Outlet store near us (both times). Her cartilage she got done at a mall in Canada - I wasn't with her so I'm not sure of the store name.

 

[live4christp1]

Claire's at the mall.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I had both sets done at a local pharmacy.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

We had both of our girls ears pierced at Piercing Pagoda when they were both around 2 years old. I felt it was old enough that they wouldn't be pulling at them, etc. They were really great because they had two girls there, and both ears were done at once - quick and easy!

 

[golfgal]

Claire's at the mall.

Same here.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I would only have my DD doctor do it. It cost a little more, but I do not trust anyone else. I had them done on her at 6 months old.

 

[clgwli]

No girls but I have many piercings. I've done a few at malls and after going to a certified piercer I would never do a mall again.

I prefer people who are actually trained in piercing and use sterilized equipment. Just my opinion and I know in the past at other places I post on I have been flamed for being so negative on mall places.

 

[mjkacmom]

My pediatrician said to go to Claire's, even though the office does it, because they have more experience, and can usually do 2 holes at once.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Claires at the Mall. I called my pediatrician's office to see if they did it and they didn't. The nurse said they recommend the chain places at the mall like Claires or Piercing Pagoda or Icing. They do have clean, sterile equipment--they should open the pack with the new gun and supplies in front of you. The nurse said they have very few problems that they see from those places.

DD's ears did get infected, but not until months later and we found out it was really from a nickel allergy.

 

[nskjerven]

Clares at the Mall

 

[lemondog]

Claire's. I thought they did a good job. My DD was 7 when she had them done, she is now 8 and so far no infections or any other problems.

 

[WDWKOOK]

You guys are a great help. My DD keeps asking when she can go, and I just couldn't make a decision. When I pick her up from art camp in a few minutes, she'll be happy that I think I finally made up my mind on where to go.

So far, Claires seems to be in the lead. And, if the peds. (and DISers) recommend it, then I feel much better about going there. They do have solid 14k gold posts, right? Or can you bring your own?

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

No girls but I have many piercings. I've done a few at malls and after going to a certified piercer I would never do a mall again.

I prefer people who are actually trained in piercing and use sterilized equipment. Just my opinion and I know in the past at other places I post on I have been flamed for being so negative on mall places.

Agreed.

After speaking to the artist that did my tattoo I would only go to a licensed piercer.

He told me that the biggest and most important difference between a licensed piercer and the "mall" places is that piercers use hollow surgical needles. This actually takes a chunk of skin out to make the hole. This cause much less infection than the mall guns that shove the sharp pointy edge of the earring back through your ear.

Second, licensed piercers are just that. Trained and held accountable for sanitary standards and practices, even correct and even placement of the piercings. Btw, most piercers use a high quality stainless steel earring for the initial healing time. You definitely would not want to bring your own posts (as OP stated in the post above this one.) Yours would not be sanitary and a place like Claire's in the mall has no autoclave to clean it for you. Wiping it down with an alcohol type solution is not sufficient, especially for the first piercing. Remember, a piercing is a wound and the hole is a scar. Should be treated as such.

About me, I got my ears pierced at age 3 in a mall. Placement was uneven. I worked in Claire's in college. No training to pierce ears. Just put the dot on the ears and hope you line the gun with the earring and shoot.

If my daughter ever wants her ears pierced, I'll take her to a piercing shop.

 

[AshleyW]

Agreed.

After speaking to the artist that did my tattoo I would only go to a licensed piercer.

He told me that the biggest and most important difference between a licensed piercer and the "mall" places is that piercers use hollow surgical needles. This actually takes a chunk of skin out to make the hole. This cause much less infection than the mall guns that shove the sharp pointy edge of the earring back through your ear.

Second, licensed piercers are just that. Trained and held accountable for sanitary standards and practices, even correct and even placement of the piercings. Btw, most piercers use a high quality stainless steel earring for the initial healing time. You definitely would not want to bring your own posts (as OP stated in the post above this one.) Yours would not be sanitary and a place like Claire's in the mall has no autoclave to clean it for you. Wiping it down with an alcohol type solution is not sufficient, especially for the first piercing. Remember, a piercing is a wound and the hole is a scar. Should be treated as such.

About me, I got my ears pierced at age 3 in a mall. Placement was uneven. I worked in Claire's in college. No training to pierce ears. Just put the dot on the ears and hope you line the gun with the earring and shoot.

If my daughter ever wants her ears pierced, I'll take her to a piercing shop.

Agreed. I wouldn't go to any place that uses one of the guns to pierce ears - there's a lot higher of a chance for complications than if you go to an actual licensed piercer. I have 3 sets of holes in my lobes, the bottom one done by Claire's when I was young and the top 2 at a piercing shop when I was in high school. My bottom holes have a bunch of scar tissue and are uneven, but the top 2 healed really well because of the hollow needle.

 

[motherhen17404]

No girls but I have many piercings. I've done a few at malls and after going to a certified piercer I would never do a mall again.

I prefer people who are actually trained in piercing and use sterilized equipment. Just my opinion and I know in the past at other places I post on I have been flamed for being so negative on mall places.

I have posted on other piercing threads about being negative on mall piercing and have also been flamed. But I would never, ever have a mall piercer do any piercings. They are not trained the way a certified piercer is. The equipment they use is not the best for piercing. I have several piercings myself. Before I got my first piercing I did a lot of research on piercing methods and that convinced me to always use certified piercers.

 

[The Princess]

Piercing Pagoda when she was 6 months old and that was 16 years ago, now we are wondering where to get her belly button pierced my oh my!!!

 

[Cinderella94]

Got mine done at Claire's 4 or 5 years ago, no problems! I'd go back if I ever want another hole done.

 

[jme829]

I got mine done at Claires when I was ten,,, dd 16 was at Claire's when she was 5 (and again when she was 15) and dd10 got hers done at Claires when she was 8... So yeah..Claires..lol

Just be warned though that even though they offer "free" piercing, the earrings themselves can be pretty pricy depending on what you get. We picked the cheapest and plainest (just little silver balls) and it was still $30.