Is Claire's no good for ear piercing. I've heard both meh stories and horror stories. Also your general advice.

[lavenderdoilly]

Dd is 9. I was 14 about 30 years ago when I had mine done. I've heard neutral and negative stories about Claire's so your comments on going there for her to have it done would be most welcome. Your gener tips and advice also welcome.
I can't remember how long mine took to heal although I do remember "turning" them and using surgical spirit. I spoke to one of her pals who said she used saltwater. Ouch generally. Dd is a bit squeamish. Also, how about sport while they are healing ? Take em out (more ow) or tape em up. Is this doable for swimming?

[amysmummy12345]

They "doubled up" and two staff pierced mine at the same time, one went in at an angle so earrings never quite laid flat IYSWIM?

[motherinferior]

I assumed most under-16s with those piercings had had them done (ouch) with a gun. Glad to see I was wrong; it was what two excellent local piercers had told me. (Before piercing my nose with a needle.)

[bigTillyMint]

DD has had 2 lots of earlobe piercings at Claires - absolutely no problems - one at Bluewater, the other very local.

She has had 2 cartilage piercings both done with needle. She had to be 14 even with me present and consenting for the first one.

[Andrewofgg]

I had a professional trainee who had had a summer job there. Her "training" consisted of watching a DVD at home; having a go on a cuddly toy with floppy ears, and I only hope they kept a separate gun for the purpose; and watching one piercing being done. Then she was "qualified".

Luckily she never had to do one. Luckily also the week before she had had hers done with a needle - otherwise they would have insisted on doing here on Day One. If I had had a daughter it would have been Needle or Nothing by a professional piercer.

[FreeFromHarm]

Andrewoffgg Oh my Lordy !!! seriously .... makes sense

[AugustRose]

I mentioned up thread that DD1 went to Claire's with no problems.

I am a little surprised at the amount of people saying guns are bad. I had my own ears pierced over 30 years ago at a local jeweller and I'm sure they used a gun then BUT I think I remember the back of the earring being quite sharp so maybe that's the difference to Claire's?

How quick is it if they use a needle? DD2 (9) mentioned having her ears pierced a few months ago but I'd like her to wait a bit as I don't think she'd be good at keeping them clean.

[MadisonAvenue]

AugustRose, the ones that Claire's use are sharp too. I still wear the ones that were used to pierce my ears so I just checked.

I actually had a 'bad' experience with a professional piercer when having a nose stud about 20 years ago. At that time there was one tattoo shop here and no others for miles around and there was also a lady located there who did piercings so I went there to get my nose done. She used a gun, back then (pre-Internet days in our house) I wasn't aware that this was apparently wrong for the nose. The piercing went in at an angle and it was so difficult to get a stud in. It never healed properly so I had to give up on it. I'd have loved to have had it done again but the actual procedure felt like being kicked in the face and it felt constantly sore until I finally removed the stud.

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

A sharp earring will never be as sharp as a piercing needle.

I've been piercing professionally for 16 years and I'm astounded that people still willingly have their ears pierced with guns, especially as information regarding the risks and the sheer unhygienic nature of it all is widely available these days.

A piercing performed by a professional using a needle will take seconds - it's just as quick as it would be with a gun, and a lot less uncomfortable. PPs on this thread have already done a good job of illustrating the risks associated with piercing guns, and the poor quality of the 'training' Claire's offers its employees, so I won't rehash it. But what I will say is: would you be happy for a doctor or other medical professional to use equipment to puncture your skin, that hadn't been properly sterilised after use on the person before you? If not, why would you be happy for Claire's to do that?

[spankhurst]

I got mine done in November, no problems.

[RaeSkywalker]

I had my ears pierced aged 12 and 18- once at a jewellers and once at Claire's. Both used the gun method and both got horribly infected despite meticulous after care. I've been left with a lot of scar tissue on my ear lobes. I would never, ever have anything pierced again.

I'm really interested to hear about the downsides of guns- I wasn't aware of this bit it makes sense. I wish I'd gone to a proper piercer now, but I thought Claire's was the right training.

A year after my last piercing, my best friend got a job at Claire's. I was stunned by how little training she had before she was able to do piercings. She was very upset when she was piercing the ears of a 5 year old and the gun jammed.

[StillRabbit]

My daughter had her ears pierced on the last day of term at the end of year seven, earrings weren't allowed at school under any circumstances so we needed the long holiday for them to heal.

We went to a local, very reputable, tattoo parlour and piercing specialist as I wanted it done with a needle for all the reasons already given by other posters. I had to provide proof of identity for both of us and sign a consent form. After the holes were made they put in titanium studs and told her to twist them and bathe them with salt water. They asked her to go back after two weeks and then four weeks when they gave her the all clear to switch to gold studs. They were absolutely brilliant and worth paying more than Claire's.

[RaspberryOverload]

DD will be having a helix piercing soon, she's 16 today, and my local tattooist has a piecer who doesn't do under 16s. It's a present for her birthday, but she wants it doing after her prom in a couple of weeks.

I'm hoping to get a tragus piercing and will go to the tattooist also.

[wheresthetea]

I never liked how Claire's just sit you in the shop window where passersby can see while they pierce your ears. I think as a youngster I tried to have my ears done there but everyone being able to see made me anxious and I refused to have it done.

[Welshmaenad]

No for all the reasons listed. I took my 9 year old to a professional piercer and had them done with a needle, she was fine (I had an eyebrow bar done on the same visit and the gruesome little toad was fascinated by the blood )

Also, not sure if this has been mentioned but proper pierced will tell you NEVER to turn a healing piercing. It tears the newly forming tissue and can create horrible scarring. Touch to clean with saline only and leave it the fuck alone.

If anyone in South Wales is looking for a quality piercer I highly recommend Ed at Chrome on Silver Street in Splott, Cardiff.

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

Welsh, you're quite right about not turning a healing piercing - any crust that forms on the jewellery can scratch and irritate the piercing channel/fistula. The jewellery won't stick or fuse to the skin if it's not twisted - that ancient piece of aftercare 'advice' needs to die now

[PepeLePew]

Can anyone in London point me in the direction of a piercer who will do a 12 year old's ear lobes with a needle? I've been into studios in Lambeth and Westminster and they've all said over 16s only because of council rules. But I really really don't want to take her to Claire's, or similar. We'll happily travel if need be.

[coconutpie]

No way would I go to Claire's. The equipment is not sterile and can never be sterilised so blood born diseases can be passed from customer to customer. Do not risk your child's health for the sake of a pair of earrings. Wait until they are old enough to get it done by a proper piercing professional in a piercing studio where they use a sterile needle.

[Mouikey]

Deffo go for a needle and not a gun.

[Crumblevision]

DD had hers done at Claires over a year ago and have had no issues. The earrings are extremely sharp. I did ask in our local tattoo parlour and the piercing lady in there said she doesn't pierce ears on anyone under 13/14.

[AugustRose]

Well I'm happy to be educated

Is the age just dependent on the individual piercer then, or are there new rules about age limits.

[Sukistjames]

I'd definitely go to a reputable piercer.

Also, for what it's worth, please wait until the beginning of the school holidays. As a teacher, it's a right pain when children come to school and can't take them out for 6 weeks. Most schools have a no earring policy for PE.

[HippyPottyMouth]

I've got 5 in each ear, some done with guns and some with needles. My third was done in Claire's and healed the quickest and easiest of all of them.

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

There isn't a legal age limit regarding ear piercings performed with a needle, it's entirely down to the individual shop's discretion, but ALL shops should require parental consent - given in person by the parent, not in a letter or over the phone - for those under the age of 16.

Suki also speaks a lot of sense about waiting til the holidays!

[lavenderdoilly]

Thanks to all. Recognise suki's point. I thought about that but i have a problem in that we are going abroad at start of summer hols. I am hoping that dd's pain threshold being so low will ward her off it. But her best pal has just had hers done. At Claire's. However already laid the non - Claire's ground work thanks to this thread.

[thelonelyhamster]

Worth bearing in mind that a proper piercing studio will have much better processes in general for keeping things clean... most of the piercings I've had done have involved a wash of my piercers hands and then a couple of glove changes between the different parts of the process (little ink dots to line up the piercings and make sure both ears are level, wee sterilizing wipe etc)... last time I walked past Claire's and saw someone getting their ears done the staff member was wearing gloves, but she was wearing them to handle the keys to the cabinet, and the same pair to touch the girls ears, to handle jewellery. The same pair of gloves used for the whole process.
There are plenty of people happy with their ears pierced at Claire's, but why go there when there are so many better options!