ear piercing.. what age?

[ditsydoll]

Just wondering what age you would deem suitable for your dds to have their ears pierced?

Hi toby!

Hi lilies :)

Shock at ear piercing on MN always amazes me when if there were a thread about tattooing or nose or tongue piercing anyone who dared say it wasn't nice would be accused of judging or being up themselves.

Can't win on MNet.

Not if the thread were about tattooing/piercing young children, NearTheWindmill.

I would possibly be talked into allowing dd to have hers done now, cos she's 12, but she doesn't want to. I'm glad, cos I saw my niece pierce her ears at 10, tongue at 15, without parental consent, and belly button at 16. My niece was desperate to grow up. I consider myself lucky that DD doesn't want to grow up too fast and that's part of what pierced ears is about, being grown up.

Unless of course it's done at a really early age and then it's just about being pretty. I am happy that DD never really went down that path either. She won't entertain heels, thongs, mini skirts or plunge necks. Maybe next year it'll be a different story but for now, I find her sensible and she tends to share our views.

I agree with the other posters about not seeing the connection between earrings and sex.
It seems any time a woman does something slightly vain it's labelled as sexual. REALLY?! I wear make up sometimes so that I don't look so tired, or because I like it, or I think the colour goes with my coat. It is rare that my first thought is "PHWOAR this is going to make me look shaggable". Likewise when getting dressed, I reckon only around 1% of the time (poor DH ...) I wear something because I think it will make me look hot.
I don't see this about men - you don't see "so Bob's grown a beard - that's really sexualised, innit?"

Makes me laugh....the attitudes are so funny! My DD had hers done at 8....because I knew she'd look after them and she wanted them.....her friend isn't allowed because "They're not for little girls" but she IS allowed to go online without anyone present and has already been subject to the attentions of a pervert.

My DD isn't allowed online...but has her ears pierced....I know which attitude I prefer.

Claire's haven't bodged mine or DDs. My second holes (done with a needle at the tattooists) got infected and they're now closed up.

exit I just thought the earrings would make the helmet look cuter for riding! I am joking though I rode for years and fully remember that being bitten by a horse hurts more than piercings. Also I remember the horse better so must have longer lasting psychological implications!

Lots of piercers still use guns for ear lobe piercing. We'll in Sheffield anyway. I discovered this when looking at piercing places before getting dad's ears done. These were places recommended online and with excellent reviews. Almost all offered gun and needle for lobes, some just needle. Only two offered needle only.

Dd not dad!

Wow - what happened in the world that having them pierced with guns is so wrong.

Somebody read something on the interweb.

Guns cannot be autoclaved - true
There is microscopic blood splatter - also true

Autoclave is not the only way to sterilize equipment, the actual gun doesn't need to be sterile, only the earring needs to be.

There is microscopic blood splatter from any piercing method that can be transferred to the next person.

Nothing wrong with guns to pierce ears.

4 months, after their injections both mine got theirs done, meh it's only MN that seems to care about this in RL I have not had any looks or nagative comments.

The reason is that MNers tie themselves up in knots because the real reason they get their faffs in such a froth is because they think it's common but they obviously can't say it out loud. Except for the nasty sneery comments from the charmers such as "chavtastic"....nice.

There are other reasons not to use a gun, to do with the actual way they make the hole.

Forcing a blunt earring through the lobe at high pressure/speed is more damaging than using a very sharp hollow needle. Guns also have a set 'size' so you may find the earing is on too tight or too loose.

The hollow needle is a hollow piercing tube. The needle, rather than just ramming through the skin to make a puncture wound, makes a cut in the skin. The hole created houses piercing jewelry properly and heals faster with fewer problems, including a much lower risk of keloid scarring.

Most professional body piercers want the guns banned, especially as (using Claires as an example), less than 2 weeks "training" is required.

Also, the reason that you have to turn earrings that have been done with a gin is because the tissue has been 'torn' or 'traumatised' and so it tries to heal over. I don't trust little kids to wash their hands before turning them. A good needle piercing doesn't need touching at all.

When DD has hers done it will be by a professional, and she will have sleepers for 6 weeks rather than studs (with bacteria ridden butterfly backs).

Ok, piercings AREN'T done with gin.. and bloody hell, I can spell 'earring' and 'jewellery'

Piercings would be much more fun if they were done with gin.

I took DD to Claires and they didn't offer me gin

Daily Mail face

LtEveDallas when I had mine done at 14 (and I'm 47 now) I was told sleepers weren't recommended way back then because they could tear the ear/ I would have preferred sleepers myself.

I think they should be.

I'm wondering how my re-piercing was done. I went to a piercing parlour (not claires or someone), and she repierced using an earring, so I don't know if that is the gun or needle or what was going on. She also advised - saline solution only, no turning.

I re-pierced my belly button myself with a hollow needle and plenty of Smirnoff on board - but I don't recommend it

Anybody else noticed that all the DNA tested babies on JK have pierced ears? Oh they look soooooo cute.

Permanent body modification should be for adults only.

I wouldn't know. I'm not chavvy enough to watch JK

Im not bothered if people want to have their childrens ears pierced as the babys head is being delivered. I wanted dd's to wait until they were older so they can make their own informed decision. I think secondary school would be a good time. However dd1 has pleaded nearly every day since she could speak for her bloody ears to be done (i never wear earring) and nobody in class has them either. Now dh has told her that she can have them done next month for her 7th birthday.

I didnt know about the argument between a gun and needle. Maybe if i tell her that it will be a hole bored out with a needle one ear at a time - it will put her off.

Earrings in the lobes are not necessarily permanent body modifications though Tiggy.