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Original poster

To think that most women have pierced ears?

239 replies

Sweetiedarling7 · 14/01/2026 08:22

In my teenage years (70/80s) my father refused to let me have my ears pierced. He was a very judgemental unpleasant man and it was deemed “common”.

I never did end up getting mine done even after I left home because I went into nursing and the client group I worked with (people with extreme challenging behaviour) made wearing earrings inadvisable.

It seems to me that pretty much every woman has pierced ears now and many girls have them done at quite young ages.

Is there anybody left like me who doesn’t have pierced ears?

OP posts:
Toastythesnowman · 14/01/2026 09:17

I do but don't think I've worn earrings in 15 years.

Do keep thinking about getting a helix piercing but think I'm too much of a coward now!

RumJerrySailorRum · 14/01/2026 09:15

I bloody love my ear rings......I'm known for never leaving the house without a pair on.

I had mine done at 6. Dad wasn't happy apparently behind the scenes but all he said to me was that I looked lovely.

I'm 50 now.

Sartre · 14/01/2026 09:12

I do but I rarely wear earrings these days. I tend to lose them quite easily and can’t be bothered replacing them. I got mine done initially when I was 2 so obviously didn’t consent, my dad was furious and removed the earrings behind my mum’s back. I then asked to have them done again at 8 and because I’d asked, my dad allowed it. I had lots of different piercings as a teen- about 10-12 different ones in my face, nipple, navel, back of neck, wrist even… and lots of ear ones.

Not sure if the majority of women do or don’t, it isn’t something I pay much attention to.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 14/01/2026 09:12

I had mine done in my 40s, never having had any interest in pierced ears up until then. Promptly became allergic to everything in my ears except pure gold, and having had them pierced so I could wear really dramatic type costume jewellery I lost all interest and let them grow over again.

Couldn't afford gold, don't really like it and never wear it, so it would have looked daft.

Waitingfordoggo · 14/01/2026 09:10

I had mine pierced when I was about 15 but I haven’t worn earrings since my 20s as I started having reactions, regardless of which type of metal they were made of. I’m also not into jewellery generally- I just wear a wedding ring and that’s it.

mcmuffin22 · 14/01/2026 09:09

Cherrytree86 · 14/01/2026 09:04

All these judgemental ridiculous dads! If it were my dad, I’d have to get about 10 piercings as soon as I could just to spite him! Lol

Quite! Interesting that dads had the final say (mine didn't 😆). I got my nosed pierced at 18 and he didn't even notice until I pointed it out to him.

saltnpepperchips · 14/01/2026 09:08

Get them done-treat yourself! It’s never too late xx

Cherrytree86 · 14/01/2026 09:04

All these judgemental ridiculous dads! If it were my dad, I’d have to get about 10 piercings as soon as I could just to spite him! Lol

Cherrytree86 · 14/01/2026 09:03

Vast majority of women do. Can’t imagine faffing about with clip ons…they hurt!

tinytemper66 · 14/01/2026 09:03

My mum never. She is 80.

SpinelessBastardsAll · 14/01/2026 09:03

Myself,DM and DD have our ears pierced. None of us wear jewellery though.

Sarah2891 · 14/01/2026 09:02

I'm early 40s and have never had them pierced.

ThisHazelPombear · 14/01/2026 09:01

I don’t know anyone without pierced ears and I’m 49 this year. I had them done at 6. My grandmother didn’t have pierced ears and clip on earrings look so uncomfortable.

Also had a judgemental dad 🙄

ChocolateCinderToffee · 14/01/2026 08:58

My father thought they were ‘barbaric’ so I had to wait until I was 18. My mum got hers done at the same time. I was walking around in London a few years ago and being bored and nosy was looking to see how many people hadn’t got pierced ears and all the women I saw who hadn’t were Japanese, which I thought was interesting.

dementedpixie · 14/01/2026 08:57

I had my lobes done about age 7. I have 3 in each ear now - the most recent ones were done last year (I'm 52). My dd is 22 and hers arent pierced as she didnt want them done

BellyPork · 14/01/2026 08:56

The problem with clip on earrings is that they're far more likely to get lost. Even though my ears are pierced I weigh up the value of earrings versus likelihood of loss when I'm choosing what pair to wear.

Binus · 14/01/2026 08:55

Would be surprised if it's not a majority, but I also know quite a few women who don't.

Original poster
Sweetiedarling7 · 14/01/2026 08:52

I’m thinking it is a generational thing and those of us without pierced ears are 50 plus?

OP posts:
cakeisallyouneed · 14/01/2026 08:49

I don’t for similar reasons OP. But when I turned 40 and didn’t have a single piercing or tattoo I got my nose pierced. My parents are in their 70s and still disapproved!

Plantlady10 · 14/01/2026 08:48

I have pierced ears but haven't wore earrings for years as my ears react to every metal I've tried, only plastic earrings were okay but I just dont bother now

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 14/01/2026 08:47

I've never really looked. I had mine pierced in my early teens. I used to work with jewellery and there used to be clip ons for those without pierced ears.

Gahr · 14/01/2026 08:46

My parents were similar to yours, OP. They didn't explicitly say it was 'common' as it wasn't a word they used, but in our household there were 'things that were done' and 'things that were not done'. That said, I got mine done when I was 21. Unfortunately, though, the person who did them wasn't very good and the holes closed up again!

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 14/01/2026 08:46

Mine were pierced at 3 and don't close up no matter how long I go without earrings. I used to wear them all the time but these days I often go without for months.

Alpacajigsaw · 14/01/2026 08:46

My dad also hated pierced ears, even my mum wasn’t “allowed” 🙄 them until she was well into her 30s. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup either. My dad did eventually back down so I got mine done. I think most women do have them pierced though I know a few people who don’t, but not everyone seems to wear earrings. I wear earrings regularly but not daily, my sister never wears them

DontCallMeBaby · 14/01/2026 08:43

I think most do, but it’s not wildly unusual not to have them done. My dad, without being judgemental and unpleasant about it, also disapproved of pierced ears. So I was 14 when I had mine done - he had little choice but to cave as his mum had just had hers done, in her 70s 😄