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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

DD is having her ears pierced on Saturday. Who wants to bet she comes out of the hairdressers with one side done and not the other?

92 replies

Reality · 24/07/2013 13:21

Judging from her comments over the last few weeks...

DD: 'it doesn't HURT hurt though does it?'

Me: 'Yes darling, it really hurts, you don't have to have them done'

DD: 'Oh but I really want them done'

and so on and so on.

I have finally given in after years of her badgering reasoned arguments. She's nine.

It's going to be awful, isn't it? I shoudl never have said yes.

OP posts:

goodasitgets · 24/07/2013 21:47

Mine were done with a gun originally. The butterfly back didn't go on and they said they weren't allowed to push it on so they had to repierce the hole that they had just done. That stung a bit
My 7 other piercings have now all been done with a needle, and I have hoops with a ball so no risk of butterfly getting embedded

Lj8893 · 24/07/2013 21:52

Every piercing I have had done with a needle I have never had any problems with.

My nose peircing was done with a gun (many moons ago) and got quite badly infected and I ended up with a huge lump on my nose which took weeks to heal.

I have always gone to reputable tattoo/piercing parlours since that use needles.

uselessinformation · 24/07/2013 22:01

I was told to leave the ear piercing alone and not keep turning it and to bathe with sea salt water. I had no problems when following this advice and a needle was used. When I first had my ears done twenty years ago it was a gun, turning them and bathing with surgical spirit and they never healed properly so I had to stop wearing earrings.

foreverondiet · 24/07/2013 22:04

My dd had it done for 9th birthday. Done in pharmacy - they sprayed / froze ears and she said it didn't hurt at all....

Hulababy · 24/07/2013 22:06

I noticed that dd's backs are not butterfly ones. They cover the end of earring completely. Is this the norm now?

The earrings are not tight on either like I remember mine being when I had them done at Claire's about 8 years ago.

goodasitgets · 24/07/2013 22:11

Definitely don't turn and yes to saline. Had my last one done 6 days ago and it's virtually healed

WeAreSix · 24/07/2013 22:24

I went to get a Tragus piercing (and was turned away as I'm breastfeeding), but asked about ear piercing while I was there - my 9yo has asked several times now.

Their policy was strictly no under 16s. I was so pleased that I was no longer the 'bad guy' saying no!

Lancelottie · 25/07/2013 08:50

Hmm, the only place I've come up within 40 miles (apart from Claire's) is... the vet's assistant.

Would that just be too weird? Would DD end up with giant calf eartags dangling from each lobe?

Chopstheduck · 25/07/2013 08:59

you can even buy the guns on eBay, that way you know that it hasn't had someone else's blood all over it! I bought one and redid mine. I have a split ear lobe after ripping one out mountain biking, so no one would re pierce it for me. So I got a gun and did it myself instead. It's been absolutely fine since, no infection and it hasn't moved.

specialsubject · 25/07/2013 10:02

yes it hurts. And you will probably find it a waste of money, a nine year old is too young to look after the piercings while they heal. She won't clean them and turn the earrings, she'll get the holes infected so out will come the earrings. It will be healed over in six weeks.

that's my bet.

FrenchRuby · 25/07/2013 10:31

Don't turn the earrings, it will make the ears sore and probably get infected. Just leave them be, don't touch or fiddle with them. Do salt water soaks (google the ratios, can't remember off the top of my head) but just don't turn or fiddle with them.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 25/07/2013 10:53

I had mine done with a gun as a teenager. There was no loud noise, no blood and it didn't really hurt. My third was probably the one that stung. No infections either, I cleaned them every day.

TraceyTrickster · 25/07/2013 11:31

My 6 year old really wanted hers done. I booked an appointment so they could ensure 2 people were available.
They hid the guns, then positioned themselves...counted down and 'pop' all over.

I told her it would hurt but only very briefly and it did. She cried but as we left the shop it was all over.
She has also taken the cleaning regime very seriously!

WhiteDogBlackSpots · 25/07/2013 12:37

Can I suggest you take her to a proper piercing studio that will use a needle rather than a gun

Agree.
Claires HAVE cornered the market, also a gun is not the right way to do it. A needle is the way to do it.

I used to think Claires were ok, until dd ended up with a terrible infection needing medical treatment, Claires refunded the cost and apologised, looking back should have sued them.

A proper tattoo/piercing place is best. As long as they have certificates and are meticulous cleanliness wise.

I really would have no problem taking a child into a decent tattoo and piercing studio.

Hulababy · 25/07/2013 13:13

Why do so many proper tattoo and piercing places, with certs, also use a gun? I'm curious. I know from reading a needle is the better option but every place we tried said they use a gun and only one of 4 most local ones have us the option of needle, though also used a gun for lobes normally they said

WhiteDogBlackSpots · 25/07/2013 13:28

never heard of a tattoo place using a gun?

FrenchRuby · 25/07/2013 14:34

None round here do it either.

CockyFox · 25/07/2013 16:13

I don't have pierced ears so doubt DD will want hers done either. However having them done with a needle sounds terrifying like a sewing needle or a doctor/injection type needle? How do they do that? If I was ever to have it done (which I wouldn't) I think I would pass out.

Dippyeggsrock · 25/07/2013 16:13

My DD has her's done 2 weeks ago - I did loads of research of places to have them done. One tattoo parlour said no one under the age of 16 because they use a needle and another one said the would use a gun and no real age minimum!
We settled in the end with a high street jewellers ( who have a minimum age of 6) who were fabulous - really patient, took their time and explained everything to DD.
We also used Emla cream on her ears about 45 mins before we went - just in case. She had each ear done separately and didn't flinch.

FrenchRuby · 25/07/2013 16:27

cockyfox they put a little mark on the ear with a pen then use clamp like pliers (sounds awful! But it's not haha) to hold the ear steady. They then use a hollow very very sharp needle to pierce the ear (the earrings they use in Claire's are blunt in comparison and cause damage going in), a plastic tube is left in the ear, which the piercer then feeds a barbell through and tightens and done! It takes about 2 mins from start to finish, doesn't hurt and is so much more hygienic and safe than a gun. Guns should be illegal to use tbh.

Hulababy · 25/07/2013 22:08

It would appear that the gun is rife in Sheffield tattoo/piercing places!

Dancergirl · 25/07/2013 22:20

I'm totally with ladybryan

How anyone can have their child's ear pierced with a blunt instument ie an earring is beyond me.

OP seriously don't take this lightly. We learnt the hard way with dd1. If and when my younger dds want their ears pierced, it will be with a clean sterile SHARP needle that makes a clean hole performed by a trained professional who knows about piercing and how to avoid nerves etc.

NOT some Saturday girl in Claire's.

Dancergirl · 25/07/2013 22:22

Totally agree frenchruby it's barbaric. There's a campaign in America to ban them.

FrenchRuby · 26/07/2013 09:24

If I went into a studio and they used guns, I would walk straight back out again no matter what piercing I was going in for, because they obviously don't take health an hygiene seriously.

MamaChubbyLegs · 26/07/2013 10:18

Definitely do your research. You can walk into tattoo shops and ask if and how they do it. You can get the feel of the place and the piercer then. Have a look at certificates and ask what qualifications they have etc. I have a DS, but if he ever wants anything pierced, he's going to a proper piercer. They use sterile medical equipment and know what they are doing, not just aim and fire.

It's just like an injection. Doesn't hurt at all. Better than forcing a blunt object through flesh with a questionably clean gun

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