How old for ear piercing?

[Confessionsofashopoholic]

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?

Highlights aren’t permanent though - hair grows out.

3 months old and above

You'll need to check the school rules too. DD is in year one and a couple of girls missed over a term of PE because their ears took ages to heal and the earrings needed to be removed for PE and this wasn't possible til they were removed.

My DD was 14, but that’s because I don’t like how they look on young children. She could have dealt with cleaning and care from age 12ish.

I would say 11 if studs are allowed at secondary. Or 16 if a new jewelry rule.

I had mine done at primary and was desperate for years before my parents agreed.

My DC have no interest in piercings what so ever.

At the end of year six, so 10/11. Ready for secondary school.

Sorry, but it does look tacky on younger girls.

Dd got hers done when she was 3

Do you think entire countries and cultures look tacky then?

Washing hair and cutting nails are hardly equivalent to having a (permanent?) hole made in your body. How many beliefs or preferences did you hold at 5 that you still held at 16, or 21 or older? Age 5 is a child and is not old enough or well informed enough to make decisions about changing their body.

No - YOU got DD's done when she was 3. She had no say in the matter.

It's a shame that piercings a child isn't also illegal.

Around 10yrs for us. Old enough to be able to clean them and look after them totally independently.

My Czech friend got her daughter's done at 3. In Czechia it's normal. She regretted getting it done here because it was unusual and her daughter stood out. So no, not universally, but in the UK, yes.

I understand it’s more common in some cultures and I really try to empathise with other parents, but I have to admit I really judged a mum I saw recently get her young baby’s ears pierced in Claire’s and how upset the baby was.

No, she said she wanted her ears done and I said yes.

When I was young, it was usual for girls to have ears pierced as a birthday present at 5yo. Every girl hung out for it and was a cause for great excitement. Never hurt any of us, sure there was the odd infection here and there but nothing some salt water baths didn’t usually fix, and the very rare case got some antibiotics.

My own DD got them younger than that. I think they were around 4 from memory. They were obsessed with pierced ears and it was the first thing they said when they woke up and last thing before bed ‘ears’. Every. Single. Day. With much begging also during the day. Every. Single. Day. They had a lot of physical problems and delayed speech due to physical issues so words were a BIG deal. It was laughable to explain to them that getting it done hurt as realistically the pain and any discomfort after is nothing compared to that of the many medical procedures they had to have constantly. One day I just gave in. They are an adult now and they still remember that day. I have zero regrets apart from not doing it sooner for them.

For about 6 or so months after, everywhere they went they would show people their ears 🤣. It really wasn’t hard for an adult to look after their ears for the relatively short time they take to heal. To say it’s hard is bloody minded. I wouldn’t let them change the earrings for 12 months but it didn’t really matter, they loved the surgical steel studs with sparkly stone they initially chose to pierce with. As for ‘tacky’ I couldn’t have given one shit let alone two. Was the least of my problems, the least of DD’s problems, and if a third party random wanted to take it on as their problem they were more than welcome to do so🙄.

My nan done mine when i was 3 days old.
Had 3 in each ear by 12.
By 14 i had 7 in each ear.
Nose done at 10.
Belly button at 18 tongue 19.
My lady jane at 20 septum 20.
Snake bites 21.
Now i only have one set of small studs and lady jane the only diamond i own.

I think 11/12 onwards is an appropriate age, if they want them done. They're capable of the aftercare at that age, and can consent to having it done with full understanding.

DD had them done for her 6th birthday after she showed and proved she would be able to take care of them. I had just got one down so she was “helping me” by reminding me to clean it ect. and to be fair she did everyday so I said yes.

16

I'd say as long as they're old enough to know how to clean the piercings, take off and put on earrings without assistance and not losing them, and understand that it might get infected if they don't care for it.

Also that it's permanent and will scar a bit even if they don't want it anymore.

That and the fact they've been requesting it for a fairly long period of time.

So for me I'd say five might be a little young. I'd say maybe 8- plus for me personally. But you know your child best.

My 8yo DD is asking at the moment, just because there's been a little flurry of new piercings in her friendship group.

Partner and I have told her 13. Basically we're of the view that she needs to be old enough to care for the new piercings and change the earrings herself, and at the moment, we don't think she's mature enough to manage it.

I'm also put off by a friend of mine who got hers pierced when we were about that age, didn't look after them very well, and within a couple of years had stretched-out slits for piercings, instead of holes.

I’d say about 11/12 for most people- old enough to have a proper needle piercing, do the aftercare, wear plain titanium while it heals and understand the risks. That said, if your DD is confident in how to care for the piercing and you can find a reputable piercer willing to pierce a 6-year-old’s ears, then there shouldn’t be an issue with it!

8-10 is probably average. I was 8 (30 years ago) and my niece was 10 (earlier this year)

Summer before Secondary school.