Earrings for DD - gun or professional piercing, what's better and why?

[cloudjumper]

I have promised DD(8) that she can get her ears pierced in the summer, and I'm now looking where to go. When I had my ears pierced, using the gun (at a renowned and well-established jeweller) was the only option (it was a looong time ago), but I now hear from many people that they get their children's ears pierced at a piercing studio, and that the gun is apparently a big No-No.
Anyone got any advice to share on this? Pros and Cons?

My daughter had hers done with a needle. She was 10. Very quick, but of a sting when it was done but all went well. Couple of incidents with a bit of gunk (not proper infection) but with careful cleaning they’ve healed up fine. I’ve told her to keep the earrings in for the foreseeable so they don’t heal up completely if she leaves them out for too long.

I haven't seen any infections in normal lobe piercings. Belly piercings I have seen some. It is a normal run of the mill occurrence in this country amd many others.

Definitely go for a professional piercer. It's what we did for dd - more expensive, but very professional and well done. Dd's friend had hers done the same time with a gun her mum bought off the internet, needless to say, they were uneven and quickly got infected.

I had mine done with a needle recently, I swim often so spoke to the piercer about that and I got some special plasters, she said after a couple of weeks or so I should be ok without them. They were easy to apply / the padding covers the earring and they adhere well, relatively straightforward to peel them off too.

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Another thing to add, when I had mine done as a teen I had a gun the earring had a chunky butterfly. This time with the needle (& experienced professional piercer rather than someone with little training) the earring had a flat back so much more comfortable for sleeping.

Would always pick a needle over a gun now and that seems to be the expert opinion these days.

DD had hers done twice at the same piercing/tattoo place. They use guns on children as standard because it's a bit less terrifying. Having said that the first one, done with the gun, went really gross so when we went back for the second one a few years later she had a needle piercing instead. Turns out she has thick earlobes (you can imagine her 14 yr old delight at hearing this!) and the poor thing had to have it spiked twice and a longer stick put in to give it room to heal. Has healed much better this time and I'm glad they took the time to find out what was going on.

My son had his done aged 10, my daughter aged 5, both with a gun.
Not issues with either almost 2 years on.

I had some of mine done at Claire’s with a gun, where they use the earring itself to pierce the lobe.

The gun then got jammed after the earring went through, basically the staff member was just yanking the gun with my ear attached.

Get it done at a tattoo/piercing studio with a needle.

Some piecing studio use disposable "guns" I would still ask for needle piecing

Needle - we went to a tattoo parlour but actually found the tattooing being done a bit alarming - people with cling film on their arms smoking outside etc. So maybe go and visit without your child first and check it will feel comfortable enough.

Yeah, everyone I know brings their daughters to Claire's or the local jeweller or hairdressers or tattoo place and they use the gun (same as we all had it done). No problems so far. I suppose with children it needs to be quick?

The only exceptions are the Asian families where someone's auntie does it with a needle - I'm also not aware of any problems there.

First ear piercing was a gun at 12 years old, I jumped with the noise of the gun and subsequently ended up with an uneven hole. It's not too bad, but I know it's not right! I also bled like mad and had a lot of pain afterwards.
Second ones I did myself, aged 17! I had absolutely no issues at all, no bleeding healed quickly.
At the age of 54, last year, I decided I wanted a third pair piercing. I went to a tattoo studio and had the needle method. I preferred that overall, but mine did take a long time to stop being sore and heal properly! They're brilliant now!
One thing I will say though and this is very old school, do not use surgical spirit to heal them, it doesn't! (Apparently back in the 80s it did, because it worked for me, but it doesn't now!) Warm salt water twice a day is the way to go. Look at the reviews for tattoo studio piercings before you take the plunge... Good luck!

I suppose with children it needs to be quick?

It's quick with the needle and a lot quieter. The piecing gun makes a noise and I remember it making me jump when I had mine done.

My daughter had hers done by a gun and she wishes she hadn’t. She’s since had seconds with a needle, more hygienic, less blunt trauma and the gun ones are uneven.

What's the Inverness method?