Earpiercing, needles, London restrictions and recommendations

[SquirmOfEels]

DD wants a second hole in her earlobes and is threatening to do it herself. She is the same age as I was when I did mine myself, and it's nearly the start of the summer holidays. So I'm going to agree, on condition of her having it done by needle at a proper piercing parlour.

I live in one of the London boroughs which has a stipulation that there shall be no piercing of under-16s other than earlobe by gun. So I doubt anywhere locally would do this, even with me present.

Can anyone recommend a piercing parlour, in a borough which does not have that kind of restriction?

(Or can simply say for sure which boroughs have it and which don't)

Also are they likely to check ID of a teen who could easily pass for 16 and who has a parent present (I'm planning on going with her anyhow)

[dementedpixie]

Have you tried a tattoo place?

[SquirmOfEels]

They have the same special licence restrictions.

They is why I'd most welcome some specific recommendations, either for salons which do piercings, or simply which boroughs don't have that restriction.

[SquirmOfEels]

Thank you - yes, we'd travel.

I'd not managed to find good google search terms for council policies (you tend to have to dig around within their websites, which is why I asked on here.

I was hoping there might be some London families who had recently had U16s pieced by needle and could say in which borough and whether they recommend the place they had it done

DD's first piercing was by Metalmorphosis, but they would nit do it by needle, instead it was a hand-pressure single use cartridge system (way better than a gun, but as this is second hole, I think it would be easier to site it well with needle)

[RandomNameChange415]

I think the rationale for the rule is that if piercing with a gun goes badly (relatively common) you’ll end up with mitigated/infected earlobes, but if piercing with a needle goes wrong (probably very rare indeed but the research is lacking) you’ll end up with hepatitis/HIV. Adults are allowed to offset the small risk of a disastrous outcome against the larger risk of a poor outcome, but children aren’t.

I don’t have an opinion myself because as I said the stats aren’t there to judge whether the policy really stacks up - especially once you’ve allowed for the risk that children like your daughter might decide to go the DIY route which is much riskier.

[SquirmOfEels]

I think I might have to ring up various places in parts of London I can reach easily and see what they say.

Further googling has found a (central-ish borough) place which will do U16s, with parent present and ID shown, but it's a whopping £45 per ear! But as it exists, I'm beginning to have a glimmer of hope that I might find somewhere.

Even though I know it'll be a 'no' from the local place, I might drop in to ask if they can recommend somewhere else that can do it.

[BlueCowWonders]

Do the 2 of you need a day trip out of London?

I wouldn’t want my dc to have to have a gun - a needle is much less painful

[BlueCowWonders]

£30 😮
My dd paid £10/ ear at a v nice tattoo parlour

[BlueCowWonders]

(Home Counties)

[SquirmOfEels]

More googling has been going on chez Eels. I think I might have found a place in Croydon, which will do 14+ with parent present.

Also one in Greenwich (mentioned on an old MN thread) which doesn't give a minimum age, but says a parent must be present for under 17s.

[Bobbiepin]

@RandomNameChange415 that's utter bollocks. A reputable place will use needles that are single use, sterilized and perfectly safe. There is no risk of HIV or hepatitis. However, guns cannot be adequately sterilized so although the risk of transmittable diseases such as HIV is small, it is more than with a needle.

[RandomNameChange415]

Obviously if needle piercing is done properly then there’s no room to transmit blood-borne disease. But there’s a very obvious mechanism for transmission if things aren’t done properly whereas you really have to make an exceptional effort to transmit blood borne diseases via a single use cartridge. If that’s not the reason for the by-laws then I don’t know what is: maybe Claire’s Accessories just employ really good lobbyists.

[Davros]

We went to one in Brick Lane called Fifth Dimension when DD was 15. They knew her age, I gave consent and it was fine

[Bobbiepin]

Then we should all research where we are going to get needles stuck in our bodies, shouldn't we? Any reputable studio would be happy to show you their autoclave, their council regulations and reassure you of single use needles, that are bent and disposed of in a sharps bin after. If they can't show you that (including Claire's accessories) then you should find somewhere else to get pierced.

[Blue5238]

My daughter who is under 16 had her ears done with a needle at Shiva in Greenwich. They needed my consent. I have had piercing done there too, and would recommend.

[RandomNameChange415]

Of course Bobbie, if you’re an adult taking that decision for yourself.

[SquirmOfEels]

From the website of the place we shall probably use:

"All needles and jewellery used for your piercing are used once and once only. One time only needles are singular, pre-packed and disposable"

I really don't see how that poses a different blood-borne disease risk to that of a singular, prepacked, disposable non-needle.

[RandomNameChange415]

Yes of course that makes a difference because it should remove the potential for human error.

[SquirmOfEels]

I thought it was industry standard these days (and I've been looking at quite a lot of piercing and tattoo parlour websites this week)

DD is having having cold feet now. I've told her she can have it done any time in the first week in the holidays but not after that (as she'll need to be taking them out for sport in term time). If she warms up to the idea again, I'll update the thread with what we think of the one we chose.

In the meantime, many thanks to those who made suggestions and for the comments.

[SimplySteveRedux]

no piercing of under-16s other than earlobe by gun

Please don't, guns cannot be sterilised, cause immense trauma to the ear as they force a piece of blunt metal through the lobe, rather than a needle which creates a hole, and guns result in a fine mist of blood particles being released, which will contaminate the gun and expose the next people to potential blood-borne illnesses.

A professional piercer/tattoo place should pierce by needle, you may need to either give consent by letter, or attend with your daughter but I cannot see you having a problem finding somewhere.

[SquirmOfEels]

If you read the thread, you will see that I have absolutely no intention of allowing this piercing other than by needle. Indeed that is the whole point of the thread.

I was seeking information in which boroughs have that stipulation in their special licences (so not bother to look at any in their areas) and to ask for recommendations for salons which would be suitable, and easily reached (anywhere in London near reasonable transport)

Do you have anything to say on those points?

As I discovered by both google and enquiries of salons, many will not piece U16s (either at all, or by needle).

I had a major problem, and that is why I posted. If you can tell me a London borough where all/most salons will do that, then please add it, as it might save others from the problem I encountered.





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[Davros]

Don't look at anything in Camden which is why we went to Brick Lane. Good luck