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Original poster

Are your ears pierced?

133 replies

Bobje · 22/12/2023 15:41

My niece has just had her ears pierced. She is 27.

I remember having mine done at aged 11.
Most of DCs friends are having theirs done at the start of the primary school summer holidays so have the six weeks to heal.

Do you have your ears pierced? How old were you?
What about your DCs?
As a parent, should it your choice, or theirs?

OP posts:
Lizzieregina · 22/12/2023 16:26

Did mine at 11 after convincing by my older sister. My mum was so impressed that I did mine, that she got hers done (mid 40s).

My girls got them done at 8 for their first communion. Their choice.

ANightmareBeforeChristmas · 22/12/2023 16:30

Yes, just one hole per ear, but I don't very often wear earrings these days.

I had them done when I was 10. My mum was very unkeen and refused for ages on the grounds that (at the time) I regularly went swimming and they wouldn't heal. Then I broke my arm rendering swimming a no-no for at least six weeks, so she relented.

ETA - no DCs so can't answer that bit!

PollyannaWhittier · 22/12/2023 16:36

No. My mum offered to let me have them done for my 12th birthday but I wasn't sure about it; then when DSis got hers done a couple of years later I fainted while watching which kinda confirmed it probably wasn't a good idea 🤣
I just buy clip on earrings from Claire's !

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DustyLee123 · 22/12/2023 16:38

One of mine had them done in the summer of year 6, the other days she’s never having them done.
Personally I’ve got 3 holes, and planning on going into my cartilage in the new year.

NoTeaNoShade · 22/12/2023 16:39

Mid-40s and don't have my ears pierced, not sure why!

When I asked my parents why I couldn't have mine pierced when 8/9/10+ I was told it was 'common' 🙄

AllTheChaos · 22/12/2023 16:42

I did mine in my late teens but wish I hadn't. No one else in my family has pierced ears, and I don’t want DD to. Self mutilation in the name of adornment feels pretty barbaric to me these days!

Strawberryshortcake90 · 22/12/2023 16:42

I have 3 lobe piercings in each ear and a helix in one, the first ones were done when I was about 6 and the later holes added in my teens.

DD had hers pierced at 7.

Kimchieggs · 22/12/2023 16:43

I was about 3 or 4 I think, young enough that it wasn’t my choice and when I was older i think about 10/11, I took them out and never put them back in.

Bert2e · 22/12/2023 16:43

No and I'm old!

whoscoatsthatjacket2012 · 22/12/2023 16:44

I've got 3 in each ear. Did 2 of them myself
DD had hers done when she in year 3
Want one in the top of my ear but I'm too much of a wuss

StoatofDisarray · 22/12/2023 16:44

On my tenth birthday my dad took me to a shop after school (my birthday is in early January so it was still dark) and some woman sat me in a chair and surprise-pierced my ear. I was so horrified I had to be held by my dad for the second ear. I had never asked to have my ears pierced and had never even thought about it. He was sexually abusing me at the time anyway, so I guess it was part of that. I took the gold studs out when he dropped me off home again (my parents have just got divorced) and let the holes close over but they got infected and I still have lumpy cartilage in both lobes over 40 years later.

Dutch1e · 22/12/2023 16:44

My daughter had hers done at 6 years when she REALLY wanted it.

I had mine done at 45 years old as a final hurrah to shaking off a pretty awful childhood when nothing was allowed.

I only wear earrings a few times a year but I feel quite warm and happy when I do, especially as they're ridiculously gaudy and fun.

TheLocust · 22/12/2023 16:45

fedupwithbeinghot · 22/12/2023 16:01

Yes, done at the hospital the day I was born. The second piercing was done when I was at university

😯

OvO · 22/12/2023 16:47

I got mines down when I was 41!
I’ve had other piercings - nose/belly button/lip/eyebrow/helix - but never just a regular ear piercing for some reason.

My eldest DS had his ears pierced before me!

Cismyfatarse · 22/12/2023 16:50

I had mine done at 16. Tore one when I was 24 and had it stitched up. No piercings until I had them redone a few weeks ago. I am 55 and enjoying having pierced ears again.

scaredofff · 22/12/2023 16:53

My ears are pierced in my playgroup picture so I can only have been 3yo max when done
The piercing decisions I made were my own nose during my maths class at 13
Belly button at 14
A nipple piercing at 15 from an unreliable piercer in her living room of a strange flat (lesson learned!!)
Got a further 3 holes in my belly button (to make 4) at 16 as wanted to be unique. Also had a microdermal in my wrist at 18, another at 21 and both nipples done again at 22.

I don't wear any except earrings in the first hole now

Lifeinlists · 22/12/2023 16:54

Nope. Never fancied it at all. It was less common when I was growing up, and probably where.

I still don't fancy it even though I inherited a few nice pairs of earrings from my grandmother.

First school I taught in, it was common for girls to do each others with a hot pin. The gross infections that sometimes followed probably killed any doubts I had!

Dutch1e · 22/12/2023 16:54

StoatofDisarray · 22/12/2023 16:44

On my tenth birthday my dad took me to a shop after school (my birthday is in early January so it was still dark) and some woman sat me in a chair and surprise-pierced my ear. I was so horrified I had to be held by my dad for the second ear. I had never asked to have my ears pierced and had never even thought about it. He was sexually abusing me at the time anyway, so I guess it was part of that. I took the gold studs out when he dropped me off home again (my parents have just got divorced) and let the holes close over but they got infected and I still have lumpy cartilage in both lobes over 40 years later.

A proper hug coming your way from an internet stranger who is very proud of you, and would cheerfully cut that guy open from nuts to neck.

Cotswoldmama · 22/12/2023 16:55

I was 6 I asked to have them done for my birthday, I was annoyed my sister was allowed hers done at the same time she was 4. We both wanted them done. I had second holes when I was about 10 and a third at about 12. I didn't get any more until last year when I was 38 I got 6 more!

lucysmam · 22/12/2023 16:57

Yes, three lobes & helix in each. First for my 7th birthday. No idea how old for the others.

Both girls also have theirs done - dd1 2x lobes and left diath. 1st Lobes at 7, 2nd and diath this year.

Dd2 had 1st lobes around 8, has asked for seconds for her birthday next week, and a helix for Christmas.

They wanted them done - I thought 7 was ok for first ones since that's how old I was.

AnswerThePhoneValerie · 22/12/2023 16:58

Six times.
Had them done first when I was 4.

HairyToity · 22/12/2023 16:59

I was 12. DD was 10. I got them done when she asked.

SweetPetrichor · 22/12/2023 17:01

I got mine done when I was 30. And only then cause I started shaving my head and felt I needed a little something to soften that up a bit!

Andthereyougo · 22/12/2023 17:01

I was 22 I think. My mother would not have allowed pierced ears ( or pierced anything else for that matter) I remember ankle chains being fashionable 1970-ish and she told me only prostitutes wore those, but couldn’t tell me how she knew that.

RockahulaRocks · 22/12/2023 17:01

I got mine done at uni. My dad always said “not til you’re 21” as a bit of a joke and it must have stuck as I suffered minor pangs of guilt that I was only 19 or 20, not the requisite age.

DD is 3 so that topic of conversation hasn’t cropped up yet, but I think 13 seems a decent starting age.