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Original poster

Child ear piercing gone wrong - help me with what to say

416 replies

formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:30

DD8 had ears pierced today at Claire’s. All went fine, until we got home and she said “my earring has fallen out” and after initially telling her that was impossible l looked, and sure enough there was no earring in right ear. She hadn’t fiddled with them in the 3 hours they had been pierced and we got home, and I found the earring itself in the hood of her coat, no sign of the back so assume it was loose from start and is still somewhere in the shopping centre.
she was very upset, obviously, as she’s 8 and was panicking due to some blood around hole. I called Claire’s and explained what happened, the lady I spoke to sounded very shocked and said she had never had this happen and she needed to call her senior. She called back to say they were very sorry, that it must have been a fault with the earring (though it looks fine) and all that can be done is to leave it a week to heal over and they will pierce it again and as an apology not make me pay again!

I was too shocked to really process it other than to say that I didn’t think she’d want to come back there given she’d been brave to get it done in the first place and was now very upset, and said I had to go as had a very upset little girl to sort out but Could someone senior get back to me. That didn’t happen by the end of the day.

what do I do now? Contact head office? I spent £68 on good quality piercing earrings and about £15 on the piercing aftercare which for me is a lot but it was a special occasion that has gone really wrong. I’d like a refund because I feel I’ve paid for a service that has been poor (be it the fault of the equipment, or staff not checking the back was secure). My daughter is upset she only has one earring (fair enough) and I will try and encourage her to get it re-done elsewhere but right now there’s no way she’d agree to being pierced again.

I don’t write very well- could someone help me word an email and what I should say/ask for? I mainly want to stop this happening to someone other child but I’d also like my money back, not just free new piercing which can’t be goof
for her ear after a week? ☹️

thank you X

OP posts:
LillyPJ · 15/02/2025 20:50

P.S. but I'm genuinely sorry that it's gone wrong and I hope she's fine.

OrlandointheWilderness · 15/02/2025 20:50

@StormingNorman I was gutted. I constantly had them in for 14 months, never taken them out. Changed them occasionally, no issues. Put a gorgeous pair of Whitby jet drop ones in my mum bought me for my 40th, took them out at 3 am after the ball. Woke at 9 and went to put my studs back in and no chance at all.

spongebunnyfatpants · 15/02/2025 20:50

As someone with a few piercings, I would take the other one out and let them both heal up. Yes it might hurt and be uncomfortable.

I'd go back into the shop and request a full refund, if you have no luck I'd contact head office. Take photos to send.

Then I'd wait until she's older and if this hasn't put her off getting them done again, I'd go with a proper piercer (needle, never a gun) in the school holidays (most school require them removed for pe).

Keep an eye on both ears for signs of infection.

SoScarletItWas · 15/02/2025 20:50

formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:45

She’s very good at caring for wounds (she’s had to have lots of bloods done and meds so I had no worries she’d not manage cleaning it etc) and I think anyone would feel disappointed to have one fall out mere hours after getting it done.

Show quote history

Absolutely they would be disappointed but you tried for ages to get it back in and had to give up as an 8YO wouldn’t have the grit of an 18YO.

I completely agree that the back shouldn’t have fallen off; I’m on your side here.

LillyPJ · 15/02/2025 20:49

I suppose this will be unpopular but I can't imagine why anybody would want to pierce any part of a child. It just seems like (admittedly mild) mutilation to me. You say she was being 'brave' so who's forcing her to have her ears pierced? And what for? I say wait until you're 16, then people are old enough to make up their own minds.

BreakfastClubBlues · 15/02/2025 20:48

Could you take out the other while she's asleep?

Then just leave them to heal and think about again in a few years.

Skandar · 15/02/2025 20:46

CaroIus · 15/02/2025 20:39

The drama 🤣🤣🤣

Just disinfect the earring and put it back in.

What earring is she disinfecting? The one that they can't find because it fell out sometime after leaving Claire's?

ketch12 · 15/02/2025 20:46

Get a new earring to put through - the ones they pierce with using a gun are usually quite thick and quite hard to get back through. If you have a thin sleeper earring it'll go through easily as it's thinner (or most straight studs will probably be thinner too). Then it can heal. Leaving it without an earring may cause problems. This happened to me with freshly pierced ears, I left the stud out and it got infected. Hopefully you can save the piercing it would be a shame to take the other one out then have to go through the healing process for nothing.

Original poster
formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:45

SoScarletItWas · 15/02/2025 20:43

It’s probably more about being old enough to care for them. And deal with the pain when something like this happens.

Show quote history

She’s very good at caring for wounds (she’s had to have lots of bloods done and meds so I had no worries she’d not manage cleaning it etc) and I think anyone would feel disappointed to have one fall out mere hours after getting it done.

OP posts:
Justapiercer · 15/02/2025 20:45

To everyone suggesting just shoving the earring back in that's not how it works. Piercings don't create a hole, the piercing procedure makes a cut, letting it heal with the jewellery in creates the hole.

Firstly unfortunately Claires are absolute trash, guns are terrible (just Google it) there jewellery is awful and their staff untrained and they aren't even piercers.

There's no harm taking the other one out, I would chalk this up to experience, remove, let them heal and then visit a reputable piercer later on. Preferably a UKAPP or APP member piercer.

1smallhamsterfoot · 15/02/2025 20:45

Go to a proper piercer!!! Not claires jesus

FTHC · 15/02/2025 20:44

Find a UKAPP Member
Seeking guidance from a UKAPP member for your piercing journey ensures that your piercer is dedicated to upholding the highest industry standards, prioritising hygiene, safety, and professionalism. UKAPP members are committed to continuous education, staying informed about advancements in health and safety practices, and using only the best quality jewellery and sterilisation techniques. By choosing a UKAPP member, you are not only supporting a professional who values client care and well-being but also contributing to the promotion of safe and ethical practices across the piercing industry.

Original poster
formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:44

Completelyjo · 15/02/2025 20:43

They still pierced the ear. The back falling off and your daughter losing the earring is hardly their fault. I think them offering to repierce is more than generous and I don’t think you really have an argument for a refund.

Hmmmm she didn’t lose the earring - it was in her coat having fallen out as the back was clearly not secured, to me that is in no way her or my fault.

OP posts:
PeriPeriMam · 15/02/2025 20:43

Claires is a minimum wage high street shop. Up to you if you go back or go there in the first place, or up to your daughter who entrusted them with her ear under assumption of trust.

SoScarletItWas · 15/02/2025 20:43

formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:42

I thought 8 was old enough to be pierced, I didn’t know it was too young. Is there an age when this is less likely to happen or is it just a rotten luck one off?

It’s probably more about being old enough to care for them. And deal with the pain when something like this happens.

tappitytaptap · 15/02/2025 20:43

I had mine done at similar places as a kid. It's so much better and cheaper at a tattoo place with a needle and buy prontolind spray for about a fiver or so off Amazon.

WinterBones · 15/02/2025 20:43

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 15/02/2025 20:40

Pierce it again?! Claire’s is fucking awful for ear piercing, they should not be allowed to do it.

Go to Claire’s, get your money back and go to a reputable piercing studio for their help and advice

^this.

if you can find a local proper piercing studio they will give you much more professional and trustworthy advice.

The girls at claires get little training on using those gun, and the literally punch the rod through the ears (they shatter cartilage) whereas a proper piercer will use a proper needle and take thorough care.

Completelyjo · 15/02/2025 20:43

They still pierced the ear. The back falling off and your daughter losing the earring is hardly their fault. I think them offering to repierce is more than generous and I don’t think you really have an argument for a refund.

Carpetqueen · 15/02/2025 20:43

My daughter got her ear pierced at Claire’s in August and one hole never healed. Months later it was still sore. We had to take the earring out permanently.

Original poster
formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:42

I thought 8 was old enough to be pierced, I didn’t know it was too young. Is there an age when this is less likely to happen or is it just a rotten luck one off?

OP posts:
MumChp · 15/02/2025 20:42

Put an ear ring in. Not big deal.

StormingNorman · 15/02/2025 20:42

OrlandointheWilderness · 15/02/2025 20:39

I wouldn't assume it will still be open after a few hours - I had mine done last year, took them out for 6 hours after a ball and couldn't get them back in. They'd been done 14 months at that point!!

Show quote history

Same. Mine have been pierced for decades and as I don’t wear earrings often, I have to re-pierce them every time as the back heals over.

SoScarletItWas · 15/02/2025 20:41

@formula3 fair enough, it’s decades since I had a piercing so I’ve forgotten! No, I appreciate you would have stopped after that time.

Original poster
formula3 · 15/02/2025 20:41

Thank you so much, had no idea Claire’s wasn’t a reputable piercer. Lesson horribly learned, just wish it was my ear not her’s ☹️

OP posts:
IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 15/02/2025 20:40

Pierce it again?! Claire’s is fucking awful for ear piercing, they should not be allowed to do it.

Go to Claire’s, get your money back and go to a reputable piercing studio for their help and advice