to think Claire’s shouldn’t be the go to place

[TDL2016]

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.

Totally agree. Reputable tattoo parlor with piercing is the place to go. Strict hygiene and no guns, they do it right, with a needle.

I agree, but I think many people don't go to piercers because they're almost always attached to tattooists and they don't want to take their kids in there. Plus Claire's is very visible and well marketed, they just don't think to look into other options.

It's more convenient and probably cheaper to go to Claire's.

I agree, a needle is the best way to do it though.

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.

Because people don't know any better.

I think people don't know any better no.
And as above it's well known

I would not know that there was a better place/way if it's not for reading on here. And I still don't get what's different about getting it done in a tattoo place and why it's different

Don’t get me started on babies with pierced ears.

I didn’t know that tattoo parlours did piercings until I got my first tattoo. I had both my ears done at Claires, but has my nose and upper ear done at a tattooists.

I dont think Claire's is cheaper tbh

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

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.

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).

I agree but I live in a big city and called 5 piercing studios and no one would pierce my daughter. Claire's did it really well, I was actually very surprised and we had no problems afterwards

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.

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.

Claire's carries kudos amongst my dd's friends.
It's THE place to go for accessories so the obvious place they want to get pierced at.
I don't think many parents look into the piercing there and just go along with their DC

StripyHorse
but at the same local jewellers

Ah. Cross post - jewellers still do it then.

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.

Answerthequestion

does what it needs to do for love piercings

I know you mean lobe, but that does conjure up images of what Claire's provide in the way of piercings

Most 'proper' piercing/tattoo places won't pierce anyone under the age of 16, which, alongside Clare's being a well-known name, is probably why most people don't take their kids there for piercings.

I've had two dds pierced at proper tattooist/piercers at ages 8 & 9. She said they usually refuse under 8s but can use discretion for certain people. She wouldn't pierce anyone under 18 without an adult present and the guardians consent.

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

I couldn't find anywhere who would pierce my 15 year olds ears with a needle in two major cities. We ended up with a gun but in a tattoo studio.

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.

I got repierced recently at a tattoo place and it was a stud with a ball at the back that was put in, not a hoop. I'm not sure that's true that a hoop would be put in, you get whatever earring you choose