Has anyone's child had their ears pierced at Claire's recently?

[DudeWheresMyCarSeat]

12yo DD wanting hers done in the summer before starting secondary school. She's insisting on it being in Claire's as it's her favourite shop ever so we're not looking for recommendations on other places (I've already tried to persuade her for weeks as I've heard mixed reviews of Claire's).

I'm trying to get an idea of price and what's actually included. Their website currently has an offer of free piercing when you buy a starter kit but the earrings are expensive! Around £50.

I remember paying about £10 for mine years and years ago.

So, if we just want piercing and cheap, basic studs - how much would this be? Thanks.

they are trained

They’re not trained as piercers. They’re sales assistants who have to do piercing as a side line. The “training” is cursory and leaves a lot to be desired considering the process is body modification.

not sure why there's such snobbery on here

I’m not snobby. I’ll shop in Claire’s with the best of them. I am, however, interested in body modification from minor to major and I don’t agree with Claire’s practices.

Had mine done at Claire's - no issues with healing but gun can make it hard for piercers to be precise and now I have wonky lobe piercings that regularly bleed because of the slanted angle I have to put earrings in at they're also not symmetrical - one is far higher than the other.

Second ones were done by a piercing studio (not tattoo) and was great and clean - but I don't really see what's inappropriate for an 12 year old in a tattoo studio?

Don't take her to Claire's. Another issue with guns is that they're impossible to clean completely - meaning germs can be hidden and transferred into your daughters freshly pierced ears.

Also, you're daughter is 12. If there's no suitable place available, you can say no. If shes desperate for Claire's, you just say no. You're the adult, not her.

I took DD to a proper piercing place. They couldn't pierce with a needle because of her age and licensing laws but I was happy with them using a gun.
I've had all my piercings there (with a needle) and trust them to be clean and the aftercare was top notch.

Claires still give out dated advice such as turning the piercing to clean which I believe to be dangerous. They're best left alone apart from cleaning with salt water.

did loads of research and Claire's don t use sales assistants . they are trained.

Bollocks. They are employed as sales assistants and given training to pierce ears and noses with a gun.

They are not fully trained professional piercers.

Here is an example job advert which clarifies

Sorry you have to click on the picture to view it in full.

Both my Dd's had theirs done at Claire's. They both had no problems at all. As long as you clean them properly then they should be fine.

rainbowgrimm "Out of interest, what age generally are proper piercer's willing to do kids lobes?"

My DD was in Y6 last summer. Off of the top of my head I can think of 3 different piercers that did needle piercings on 10-11 year olds' ear lobes near us. I think there was one tattoo place that wouldn't. Btw I was worried needle piercing would be much more painful, but DD wasn't bothered at all by it.

This whole debate gets heated and hyperbolic. But OP for us there is one reason to avoid Claire's - they give out of date advice on aftercare, and to me this is a warning sign that they are not that good. Go to a reputable piercer and their aftercare advice will reflect the latest research and advice currently on the NHS website. Would you choose to eat at a restaurant that follows current public health guidelines or one that still uses old ones, that have been disproven and superseded?

I really doubt your DD has strong feelings about who pierces her ears. Even if she did, surely you just say no. She has the choice between somewhere you deem suitable and safe, or not at all. You can always take her to Claire's to buy earrings afterwards.

Off on a tangent, but jeez, they do cartilage piercings. Apparently they’re healed in 8 weeks.

@biscuitdrama Oh Lord! I think that says it all.

biscuit that's shocking.

Just had my helix done (by a proper piercer) and they said at least 9 months to heal.

My dd age 10 got hers done in jan on her 10th bday no issues have healed nicely
We paid £65 for rapid after treatment, getting them pierced and gem earrings

In claires no issues ears healed great

What is this "rapid treatment"? Surely if there was a magic potion that speeded up the body's healing process, the NHS would be using it for wound care??

As posted above:

"Don't bother with the 'faster healing' cleaning fluid. The rate of healing is determined by the body, not what you wipe on it.

"But it'll certainly keep the germs down the n the area - the label lists it as hypochlorite - which means it's an expensive way to buy pre-diluted Milton Fluid"