Where to get ears pierced?

[Disney Addicted]

My DD is turning 13 and has wanted her ears pierced for quite a while now. Where does one go to get this done? I was going to phone a couple of jewelry stores today, but it turns out they are closed.

Can anyone recommend a place in Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville or Newcastle?

Are studs pretty much all the same, or are there different designs? Do places expect me to buy studs from them, or can I bring in a pair?

Also, is the norm to get 1 ear pierced at a time? She's wondering about having both ears done at once. But I wonder if that is adviseable.

Hey, how long do studs stay in the ears anyways?

TIA!

 

[jenkh]

Usually the best place to get them done is at a salon. But there are many other places that do them do, But usually any salon in a mall will be able to do them (and will be clean)

You cant use your own studs you will buy them with the piercing. As the piercing gun actually uses the studs to do the piercing. So they are special in that they can be loaded into the gun and that they have a point to go through the ear.

You will have many choices from cheaper to expensive. What you get is your choice. They will have simple studs, to jewels to cute shapes. I do advice splurging on something more then the cheapest as so many of us seem to have allergies to cheaper plated jewellery and you do have to wear the studs for a long while. Its been a while for me but I think its 6 weeks??

And yes you get both done at the same time. Depending if they have two "guns" they can literally do them at the exact same time.

Doing them at the same time is best. Honestly the hard part is the healing. Thats when you get the soreness/itching etc.

 

[4orm]

Really, the best place to get it done is at a piercing studio (tattoo shops that also have piercers in-house).

Salons and the like often us 'guns'. Which are not very hygienic. They force a blunt object through the ear causing tissue to kind of 'pop' out the back. Professional piercers use a sterile hollow needle per ear that removes the tissue before the earring is inserted.

Not saying a tattoo shop is the best place to bring a young teenage girl but the health regulations that are in place and the knowledge base that professional piercers have trumps that of someone who's main vocation is hair/nails.

I believe if going with a pro. piercer you will not use studs and instead have hoops which will allow for any swelling that will happen after that sort of bodily trauma.

Sure it's just ear piercing, but an infection is a nasty thing. I had them after having my ears done with guns as a child. If my daughter wants her ears done when she's older it will only be with a trainer piercer.

Google "piercing gun vs needle" for more info.

 

[Eliza32]

Had mine done with guns both times and they were fine. Don't see how they can be unhygienic when it's the stud that pierces the ear...they should come straight out of a sterile packet if they're doing it properly.

As a PP stated, the studs are pointed at the back to make them go through cleanly. I still have my studs after 30 years and still wear them when I want something that won't catch...like this weekend when we went camping. The small hoops are much easier to catch with a comb, brush etc.

 

[NagyFamily]

We got our baby girls ears pierced last weekend at People's. They did a great job and my baby girl only cried for a few seconds. You can get numming cream to put on the ears so you don't feel it as much. I didn't use it on my baby girl who is 3 months old and she was fine.

 

[dancin Disney style]

One of my girls had hers done at Ardene's and the other at Claire's. My youngest had both ears done at the same time but we had to pre arrange this for a time when they had 2 staff members available. She was 6 at the time. I did get the numbing cream from Shoppers Drug Mart before she had it done but she cried any way and said that the cream didn't help.

If you are very careful to clean the ears after, as required, then there should be no issue with infection. The studs are sterile and the gun is cleaned before and after each use. The staff will wear gloves.

The studs stay in for 6 weeks so pick something that your DD likes and don't go for the cheapest ones. Often they are plastic and will break.

 

[dontthrowsand]

I honestly wish I had waited to get mine done. I never wear earrings anymore and the gun was traumatic. Now I would recommend going to a professional piercer. The needle is more hygienic, less traumatic mentally and physically (to the ear tissue) as well as you will get high quality jewelry. Also they provide very good after care instructions and kits.

 

[Disney Addicted]

I apologize for taking so long to write back. It's just been so crazy busy. And to think 9 weeks of summer in another 2 weeks. Yikes!

Well, you all gave me a lot of information (thanks!) and much to think about. In the end she had the piercing done with a gun. Piercing does sound like a much better practice, but I just do not know this area well enough to know where to go. Or have enough knowledge of the piercing places here to feel comfortable with it.

In any case, I took her to a local jewerler's after visiting and talking with the gentleman myself first. He's done this for years and several other moms out this way have brought their daughters.

Her ears were done last weekend and DD is thrilled! I used numbing cream on her ears (front & back) for a couple of hours. Every morning & night for the past week, I turn her earings; soak front & back with 70% alchol; then smear polysporin under the backing (under the front at night as well). Gold electro-plated surgical steel studs with a birthstone.

Thanks again!