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Original poster

How old for ear piercing?

133 replies

Confessionsofashopoholic · 07/08/2025 07:37

My daughter is 5 and has been asking for her ears to be pierced for about a year now. I said in the summer holidays she could have them pierced but now I’m worried it’s too young. What is the general sort of age that people have taken their children to get their ears pierced, is 5 too young?

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 07/08/2025 07:38

When they are old enough to clean and look after their ears themselves. I feel that age five is too young.

Beamur · 07/08/2025 07:38

Personally I think high school age. When they are old enough to be able to look after the piercings and take earrings out by themselves.
Too risky for injury through play/pe at primary school.

GraceEver · 07/08/2025 07:40

When a kid can say they want it and understand the process of cleaning them.
if say 6 or 7.
to me it’s not a big deal but MN are really funny about ear piercings.

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Beauty
Marylou2 · 07/08/2025 07:42

Summer before high school at the earliest so they have time to heal. Also by 11 the child is old enough to look after them and remove them for school as necessary. Should also be done with informed consent from the child. Piercings on any small child look dreadful. 5 is too young.

HeadWall · 07/08/2025 07:46

I said the summer she left primary school. When she was old enough she didn't want them any more!

NoTouch · 07/08/2025 07:51

Secondary at the earliest

LillyPJ · 07/08/2025 07:53

I'd say 16. Any younger and they don't know enough to decide about things like that.

LillyPJ · 07/08/2025 07:55

GraceEver · 07/08/2025 07:40

When a kid can say they want it and understand the process of cleaning them.
if say 6 or 7.
to me it’s not a big deal but MN are really funny about ear piercings.

I don't think it's being 'funny' to not want to pierce holes in a child.

Sometimeswinning · 07/08/2025 07:55

On mumsnet usually when they are off to college. In real life about 6/7. The only thing I am quite funny about is using a gun. I did with my oldest but then after reading up on a few things I’ve said they can only go if they are brave enough for a needle. My 15 year old now has 4 piercings and wants her helix(?) done. 9 year old is happy with her 2.

Icouldabeenalawyer · 07/08/2025 08:01

Dd was asking for as long as she could, would put those little stickers on her ears etc. she got them done on her 7th birthday.
after asking for a year, she had her second lobe done recently for her 9th birthday.
I clean them for her (she would make sure I don’t forget). Healed beautifully and she’s very happy with her decision.

skippy67 · 07/08/2025 08:01

Dd was 10 I think. She wasn't bothered about getting it done before then. People on here are weird about ear piercing. 16?? Lol.

Parker231 · 07/08/2025 08:02

What are her school rules about wearing earrings? DD’s school was no earrings.

Original poster
Confessionsofashopoholic · 07/08/2025 08:03

She is almost 6, she is a sensible 5 as well. I have read it’s better to get pierced by a needle rather than gun so I will do that. I have contacted local piercing / tattoo places to see if they have an age limit. I’m worried about it getting knocked at school while playing but I do think she will want to look after them.

OP posts:
TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 07/08/2025 08:05

10+ depending on maturity

TheGriffle · 07/08/2025 08:07

Dd1 had hers done at 11 at the end of Year 6. Her secondary school don’t allow earrings which we didn’t realise so it was a bit of a rush and she had to change them before they were ready, because of this if dd2 wants them, we’ll take her to get hers done at the end of year 4 or 5 so they have at least a full year to heal before being taken out for the day.

Whitehorses67 · 07/08/2025 08:08

If being “funny” is judging someone who facilitates a child making a choice they are not mature enough to make then I’m hilarious.

skippy67 · 07/08/2025 08:09

Whitehorses67 · 07/08/2025 08:08

If being “funny” is judging someone who facilitates a child making a choice they are not mature enough to make then I’m hilarious.

😅

Lessstressedhemum · 07/08/2025 08:11

My piercer won't do anyone younger than 8. Even then it's only lobes, the kids need to be accompanied by a parent and both need photo id. Anything other than lobes, it's 14, accompanied by a parent and both still need photo id.
Please don't get a gun piercing. Always use a reputable piercer who is a trained specialist.

Floranan · 07/08/2025 08:12

I let my daughter have them for her 16th. I’ve seen to many younger girls get them ripped out in the playground to let her have them at junior school and thought 13 or 16 are nice birthdays to mark it with, went with 16 in the end don’t remember why tbh.

Blancheyo · 07/08/2025 08:16

LillyPJ · 07/08/2025 07:53

I'd say 16. Any younger and they don't know enough to decide about things like that.

My parents made me wait til 16 which I thought was stupid then and still think is stupid now. I was no less able to clean them or make that decision at 12 or 14. I help my primary age children with lots of things - washing hair, cutting nails - so I don't really see why helping to clean ears is a big deal and would be happy for my 8 year old to have hers done. The only thing that puts me off is having seen the fuss little girls make when they lose an earring or butterfly in the classroom - can't really be doing with that yet.

BusWankers · 07/08/2025 08:17

I'm boring and find it interesting how people are fine with letting a 6 year old pierce their ears, but probably wouldn't let them bleach their hair, or have a tattoo or similar.

My DD is 5y8m and hasn't shown any signs of wanting yet.

She is desperate to have makeup. Which she will not be getting! Facepaint for now 😁 And then her 12yo cousin does her "makeup" when she goes over there sometimes.

Sometimeswinning · 07/08/2025 08:18

Floranan · 07/08/2025 08:12

I let my daughter have them for her 16th. I’ve seen to many younger girls get them ripped out in the playground to let her have them at junior school and thought 13 or 16 are nice birthdays to mark it with, went with 16 in the end don’t remember why tbh.

As someone who works in a school and has had 2/3 of my kids go through primary school I have never once heard of this happening. How many kids have you seen this happen to? How did it happen?

I’ve seen some kids lose the back of the earring and that’s been the worst casualty of ear piercing at primary age.

juicelooseabootthishoose · 07/08/2025 08:18

10-11 here.
Schools should be following the rules set by the association of PE-our school do. And they have to be removed. So the child has to be capable of removing them and putting them back in independently at school. You used to be allowed to tape them up until about two years ago but that has stopped in the vast majority of schools now as they follow the guidance.

So they also have to be really well healed to allow this to happen or they struggle/have to miss a lot of lessons which school arent keen on obviously.

GRCP · 07/08/2025 08:19

Dd was 6 but one got infected so she took them out. I think 5 is fine if she is asking for them. But at that age you’ll need to keep on top of cleaning them for her.

MalcolmMoo · 07/08/2025 08:20

I think I was year 5 or 6 and that felt like a good age, personally think 5 is too young a lot of reputable piercers wouldn’t pierce someone that young. Our local lady is from age 11 I think.

I have a lot of piercings myself but I wouldn’t let my daughter until at least secondary school, she’s only 18 months now 😆 but I think if she starts asking I’ll say between years 6 and 7.