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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think ear lobe piercing with a gun really isn't that bad?

183 replies

AngryAtYouTube · 07/02/2020 13:48

Been asking around for local recommendations as my daughter has been begging for years.

And get lots of the "don't go anywhere that uses a gun" replies.

Which I get - I have numerous tattoos and piercings. But my ear lobes were all gun and were all fine (have 6). As are anyone else I've met who has ear lobe piercing.

It's pretty hard to find a piercer who'd needle pierce someone under 13 anyway.

OP posts:
smashstore · 07/02/2020 15:10

oh ok. I don’t really understand what you are asking. What’s the answer then?

Well you won't understand as it was another poster who made the statement I was asking about.

LuvSmallDogs · 07/02/2020 15:13

My local piercing parlour offers them for a few quid cheaper than Claires I believe so I don't know why people still go there.

kenandbarbie · 07/02/2020 15:14

My Spanish friend has a baby of two. They have the ears pierced in the hospital before they go home. Earrings are a traditional new baby present. She was wondering to me what people buy for presents for new babies if they don't have their ears pierced!

Tfoot75 · 07/02/2020 15:14

My 6yo had hers pierced with a needle in a tattoo studio, quite a common thing where I am. They haven't healed that well 6 months later, but it's probably a mild nickel allergy as I have one too and can't tolerate most earrings for long. My second piercing was at claires about 16 years ago and the piercing has a hard lump behind the whole, I think that's the blunt force trauma.

dayowl · 07/02/2020 15:14

I think it’s fine for lobe piercings

Ladyratterley · 07/02/2020 15:16

If you're anywhere near London I'd recommend Astrid & Miyu.
They will pierce ears from the age of 10 with parental permission. They are proper piercing professionals and use a needle. And it's a nicer environment than a slightly scary/intimidating tattoo shop. They seem to have sprung up because of that gap in the market.
www.astridandmiyu.com/pages/piercing

Brabble · 07/02/2020 15:19

i would never get a piercing with a gun, needle only, thats how i get all my piercings done

Letsallcountsheep · 07/02/2020 15:20

I have 9 piercings in 1 ear, all done with a gun, never had any problems. Had my eyebrow done with a needle, grew out after a month

Deadringer · 07/02/2020 15:21

My Dd got her ears pierced last year at age 10. She was desperate to have them done, but no way would she let anyone near her with a needle. They were done in a jewellers and the lady who did them has been piercing ears for 30 years. She hasn't had any problems at all. All my dd's got theirs done with a gun, so did my sisters and so did I. No issues.

Seventyone72seventy3 · 07/02/2020 15:25

I had mine done with a gun 30byearscago and they never healed. Ended up taking the bout. If I had them redone with ity a needle would that work do you think?

marvellousnightforamooncup · 07/02/2020 15:27

Mine were done with a gun and the hole on one side is wonky. Hoop earrings look weird.

dunnyplop · 07/02/2020 15:32

I had the gun at 14 & apart from being a little wonky, no issues. I had 3 further piercings with a needle, cartilage & lobe. It's over in seconds & you can be more accurate with placement imo.

katewhinesalot · 07/02/2020 15:33

I was that 17 year old saturday girl who pierced ears 30 years ago. Grin
1/2 a days training isn't correct though, There was no training apart from being shown a couple of times and perhaps being supervised for the first couple.

I did hundreds. Only cocked up once though.

Hingeandbracket · 07/02/2020 15:36

To think ear lobe piercing with a gun really isn't that bad?

Depends on the type of gun Grin

sashh · 07/02/2020 15:38

A gun is fucking horrendous. Do proper research and find somewhere that doesnt use a gun. Dont just do the easy option!!!

Yes do proper research, that way you will find that guns are designed to pierce ear lobes, the newer ones just use pressure and anything that touches the ear is sterile.

Do not believe anyone who talks about,'blunt force trauma', it isn't because it leaves a hole in your ear.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 07/02/2020 15:39

@smashstore ok, sorry I was trying to help you re licenses. No need to be snappy. Are you a tattoo artist?

statetrooperstacey · 07/02/2020 15:39

We go to the local salon. They do all sorts of piercing and still use a gun for ears. On the younger ones they have 2 people and 2 guns and do both ears at the same time. their books are full at the start of the summer holidays.

TheWildWoods · 07/02/2020 15:39

My sister and I had out lobes done with a gun and unfortunately we're one of those where it went wrong.
Mine are horrendously wonky and the one in my right ear went in at a weird angle and I have a lump in it almost like a spot which flares up every so often.
My sister had hers done twice and both times they got seriously infected, the second time it happened her ear closed around the earring.
These weren't done at Clairs either.

smashstore · 07/02/2020 15:41

ok, sorry I was trying to help you re licenses. No need to be snappy. Are you a tattoo artist?

I'm not being snappy nor am I a tattoo artist.

JoyceTempleSavage · 07/02/2020 15:42

I’m not understanding the relevance of the gun. It holds and fires the earring through it’s not piercing the skin itself is it? What needs to be sterile is the earring. I had mine done recently in claires and the earring was fresh out of the packet, then sterilsed and the bit going through my ears did not touch the gun 🤷‍♀️

JacquesHammer · 07/02/2020 15:43

Do not believe anyone who talks about,'blunt force trauma', it isn't because it leaves a hole in your ear

The issue is how the hole is made. The earrings used in guns are not sharp enough to make as clean a wound as a specifically designed and much finer needle.

JacquesHammer · 07/02/2020 15:44

Joyce the gun cannot be sterilised. As soon as they touch the gun their gloves are no longer sterile. They then touch your ear.

smashstore · 07/02/2020 15:46

On the younger ones they have 2 people and 2 guns and do both ears at the same time.

This is actually an awful method. There is always going to be a difference in timing and the first piece can make a child jump/startle/move and then the second piecing ends up out of place or worse still; at a ridiculous angle.

MAFIL · 07/02/2020 15:47

Obviously lots of people had/have their ears pierced with a gun and have no problems. But most professional piercers recommend that using a needle is safer and more hygenic. Personally, given the choice I would pick the safer option, even if the less safe option isn't overtly dangerous. It just makes sense to minimise risks as much as possible doesn't it?
If a child is too young to understand and agree to the safer option then I would argue that they are too young to have their ears pierced.

AnotherMonthAnotherName · 07/02/2020 15:49

I ad lobe piercings done with gun when I was 12. They healed fine. Knowing what I know now, though, I would take my children for a needle piercing if they asked for it to be done.
Gun is a blunt force trauma. Needle is a quick and clean break.
Guns may be OK, but needle is much better.