Please talk to me about ear piercing, its doing my head in today.

[PurpleBurtle]

So my 9yrold daughter (10 next month) really wants her ears pierced. Ive been looking into it today and deciding on where and which method but I keep coming up with mixed opinions and have changed my mind a few times...I need to get this done asap so she has a good few weeks for healing before she might have to take them out for a day when she has P.E once back at school..I know Ive still left it a bit late.

Anyway Ive been looking at gun vs needle and the needle seems to be the one people say is best so thought I had decided, however I have called a few tattoo/piercing studios today and they use a gun anyway!

Im still reluctant to use the gun method but think its going to be difficult to find somewhere that will use the needle!

AIBU to hold off a bit longer or should I just go for it. Claires seems the easiest place but heard mixed views, dont really know what to expect from a tattoo studio, woman I spoke to didnt seem to know much, and said they use an air pressured gun, and they get lots of kids in and use titanium studs, dont know what the aftercare is like

Please help me decide what to do, Ive also looked at the jewellers f hinds but wont be able to get an appointment with them till next week, they use a studex 75 gun but not sure if this is the same as claires.

Its all doing my head in to be honest..maybe Im over worrying and I should just pop down to claires tomorrow get it done and do a bit of shopping after.?!? I mean it seems like alot of people use them

[VladmirsPoutine]

A decent tattoo shop should have you sorted.
Whatever you do don't go to Claire's.

[Missgraeme]

My girls went to a beauty salon for theirs done. Used a gun (2ladies - 1ear each!) Surgical spirit on a cotton bud twice a day - quick turn of each stud and had no bother at all.

[LexieSinclair]

On here people say that needles are the best as the guns can damage the earlobe, but in RL everyone seems to have had theirs done with a gun, and I don't know if anyone who has ever had a problem.
My 10yo DD recently got hers done with a gun at a local independent jewellers and they have been absolutely fine.

[VoldysGoneMouldy]

Find a different piercing place. Anywhere using a gun should be avoided, even if it is easiest.

[fluffywhitekittens]

I was the same as you, looked into it and wanted it done with a needle. Made the appointment at local reputable tattoo place - and stupidly didn't even ask if it was going to be a needle - and it ended up being done with a gun.
However she's had no problems with them.
Typically about a week after another local tattooist had an advert saying they will pierce children's ears, and recommend, using a needle.

[April241]

I had my first ears pierced when I was about 9/10 (20 years ago now) with a gun and then a further twice at different ages all with guns. I never had any problems, all my other ear piercings (cartilage) have been done with a needle. For aftercare I had to soak cotton wool in salt water and hold it onto the front and back of the stud and turn the studs a few times a day.

Not sure what aftercare instructions are now though.

[Rachcakes]

Mine have all been done with a gun too. Three in each lobe, a cartilage and my nose. In all honesty, I think as long as they are sterile, and you clean them properly afterwards with surgical spirit, they are fine.

[TooMinty]

I have five ear piercings all done with a gun and no problems with any of them. Don't go to Claire's - my friend had his daughter's ears done there and they did them squint!

[Flappyhat]

Took my 12yr old DC yesterday to a tattoo parlour to have her ears pierced. It was done with a needle. I don't like the gun method. I especially don't like Claire's Accessories who do it on the shop floor in front if other customers even if the person being pierced is only 3 and crying.

[CrowyMcCrowFace]

Guns are bad news - they 'crush' the tissue & are impossible to sterilise. Plus Claire's will let a teenager loose on you who trained on a teddy bear. Yes, often they'll be fine, but then often they'd be fine if you just shoved a piercing stud through by hand, which is how I did my nose as a teenage idiot. Doesn't make it a great idea.

My dd is in the same boat as yours, & is having to wait until I can get her to my mate who is a proper piercer, but lives at the other end of the country. I had a forward helix done a couple of days ago, but at a place that does not carry out piercings on U14s.

Lots (probably most) piercers won't do kids...firstly, many piercers are working from tattoo parlours which cannot have children on the premises, & also some areas do have age restrictions although nationally it's not illegal to carry out most piercings at any age.

I would carry on ringing round. Or just tell her to wait!

(& Missgraeme - surgical spirit & twisting them?! For future reference don't do that! Saline & no fiddling if you want them to heal cleanly. Glad your dds healed well, but frankly you were both lucky & badly advised there).

[CrowyMcCrowFace]

Why you shouldn't use a gun: Guns

Why you shouldn't twist:
FAQ - scroll down to

'Should I twist/move the jewelry?

NO. You never ever twist/move jewelry in a healing piercing. Twisting/playing with jewelry welcomes unwanted bacteria/crusties, it tears/destroys the fistula, it prolongs healing time, it can cause excess scar tissue, and it increases your chances of infection. Do NOT mess with jewelry.'

[Flappyhat]

I was also advised - well Dd was - about no fiddling/twisting. The place I took Dd won't pierce those under 10. They were great. I have had 10 piercings back in the day when I people went anywhere to get done. But times have moved on and I am pleased I took the time, researched and found a decent place.

[YouBoggleMyMind]

My understanding is that a gun is ok for soft flesh, i.e your lobes but if you're going through cartilage i.e the top of your ear, needle is best. As long as they're kept clean, you shouldn't find any problems. I can't say I've used Claire's but I wouldn't go there.

[MsKite]

I've had my lobes pierced 3 or 4 times (not 3 individual holes, re-pierced because they closed up)
The first times were done with guns and the most recent time with a needle. I've found the needle holes have healed better and been less trouble than the gun holes. So my advice would be needle. I went to a place in Manchester called 'holier than thou'

[karalime]

I've had piercings with both methods. The ones with a needle healed much better and hurt less imo, no gross twisting required.

[CoraPirbright]

A friend of mind had her lobes done recently with a needle and said that it was utter agony!! I had mine done with a gun and it was so quick that the pain was gone by the time my brain had registered "ouch". Any thoughts on the pain differential? Also, one of hers was done wonky - its at a sort of angle so getting the earring all the way through is proving really tricky. I have recommended she lets them heal over and then start again with a gun but, from what people say here, I am wondering if that is right. I don't think she would be persuaded to do it with a needle again though!

[Griphook]

Your over thinking it. Pop down to Clair's tomorrow. Get it out the way.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

The advice used to be to turn your earrings 6x per day morning and evening- I ended up with terrible infections doing that! My second piercing I just did with an ice cube and sterilised earring myself and I was fine

Our local tattoo places use guns,the needle method is twice the price.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I took dd to a tattooist. He used a gun, refused to use a needle and was really patronising asking if I'd read it on the Internet. We should have walked out. dd ended up with an infection and was allergic to the earrings they used.

[Flappyhat]

Cora my Dd has a very low pain threshold. But she wanted her ears pierced. The needle was quick and clean. I had the gun in the past and my piercings were fine but,as with many things, time moves on and we find better ways to do this things. I thought dd would cry and come out of the shop with only one ear done but the lady who did it was fab and Dd didn't even squeeze my hand when it happened.

[Flappyhat]

Bloody hell please don't follow Grips advice and take her to Claire's! Actually in my research the tattoo parlours are far more reasonably priced than Claire's.

[VimFuego101]

Even if a tattooist uses a gun they will still be better trained and knowledgeable about hygiene practices than Claire's.

[ChippyMinton]

I agree you are over-thinking, and also have left it a bit late. DD had hers done at a beauticians last summer, mid July after PE had finished at school.

[JennyOnAPlate]

You'll find that mumsnet is really anti gun piercing, but in real life I don't know anyone who's had their own or their dcs ears pierced with a needle. I couldn't find anywhere that pierces ears with a needle local to me; the 3 local tattoo places don't even allow under 18s through the door. My dds had theirs done a few weeks ago with a gun and we haven't had any problems.