AIBU?
to think Claire’s shouldn’t be the go to place
TDL2016 · 24/11/2019 09:57
Why do so many parents take their kids to Claire’s to get their ears pierced? You’re surely more likely to get a better and more hygienic environment, better aftercare and a better trained piercer at a specialist shop.
EvaHarknessRose · 24/11/2019 10:08
I get your points, but ear piercing has always been a fairly straightforward process ime and its quick and easy non intimidating and familiar. I from previous mumsnet threads that needles are superior, but the gun method is intuitively more straightforward and manageable.
P1nkHeartLovesCake · 24/11/2019 10:29
Well Claire’s is a big national chain, a name people know. They have been piercing ears for many years
Independent bob and his tattoo/piercing parlour Sue taking her little dd for ears piercing doesn’t know, has never heard of
So I can see why you’d go for Claire’s 🤷🏻♀️
Don’t get me started on babies with pierced ears Where do all these babies with pierced ears hang out? In all my years I have never seen one yet on mumsnet they cause such anger in some of you
Trafalger · 24/11/2019 10:30
It's an American article but the info is still the same for over here.
www.liveabout.com/piercing-gun-vs-the-needle-3187318
Its shocking that guns are still allowed to be used.
StripyHorse · 24/11/2019 10:34
Totally due to lack of knowledge I think. The exact reason I had my ears pierced in our local jewellers when I was younger. Too much time spent on Mumsnet has meant that I knew to take DD1 to a professional piercing studio and will do the same with DD2. Otherwise, although I would have been unlikely to go to Claire's, I would still have ended up having it done with a gun but at the same local jewellers ( so not really any better).
Answerthequestion · 24/11/2019 10:43
I can’t get worked up about it. My DD has her ears pierced at Claire’s and it was perfectly fine. I wouldn’t have more complicated piercings there but it does what it needs to do for love piercings.
I’ve had my ears also pierced at a proper piercers, yes it was a needle but no aftercare to speak of.
LaMarschallin · 24/11/2019 10:44
I presume jewellers don't do them any more? That's where I got mine done (cough30cough odd years ago).
Took my daughters to a local gold-rated Clarins salon 15 years or so ago. Checked out the training they got before signing up.
Back then, I'd seen too many of their friends with slightly wonky piercings (ie not in exactly the same place on each ear) done at Claire's and two had ended up with infections.
I also wanted them to have gold earrings put in rather than plated because I knew I was a bit sentimental about my first sleepers and kept them and thought they might feel the same (they did 
).
IME, plated metal often peels (maybe I've only seen poor quality stuff though - thinking about it, my wedding present cutlery never peeled) and I was under the impression that, back then, Claire's only used plated.
I know there's the option of solid gold now.
Certainly professional body-piercers should have plenty of experience and expertise.
IamPickleRick · 24/11/2019 10:49
Is it possible to find a reputable piercer/tattoo artist who can come to your home?
I only have one DD and won’t be doing hers until she makes a clear choice and I then when she does, I might try that angle instead of going to Claire’s. A lot of our tattoo parlours are 18+ only just to go in.
happycamper11 · 24/11/2019 11:01
I looked in to this and the problem is a piercer with a needle will then insert a sleeper rather than a stud which isn't ideal. SIL is a body piercer and while the guns aren't great they also aren't awful for lobes but should just never be used on cartilage. We ended up picking the gun as hoop earring were not the right choice for dc - they've been fine
adaline · 24/11/2019 11:02
I from previous mumsnet threads that needles are superior, but the gun method is intuitively more straightforward and manageable.
Is it? Why?
I would argue needles are far less traumatic - both for the ear and for the person being pierced - there's no loud noise for starters, and needle piercings are much less painful afterwards too.
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