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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

5 nearly 6 year old wants her ears pierced. Would you?

255 replies

Charsy01 · 23/04/2021 10:48

My only daughter so this is all new to me. She’s mentioned she wants her ears pierced (she’s 6 soon). Would you let her or wait? I was about 7 I think!

A few of her friends in her class have but some will be 7 in the new year school. Dd is one of the youngest. I’m just worried she’ll fiddle with it all the time which totally puts me off as don’t want any infections.

Advice on this please? What’s a good age?

OP posts:
Angeldust747 · 23/04/2021 10:54

Watching as my little girl wants them done and I'm thinking summer holidays. The first thing I thought was she's not going to Claires like I did as I have little lumps because of the gun they use!

NameChangedForThisFeb21 · 23/04/2021 10:57

I was that age when mine got done. My Mum did all of the work with cleaning them and was especially fiddly when swimming (I had lessons twice a week) but this might not be an issue for you.

My main problem is that because my earlobes were so small and also because I jumped, they ended up squint! So one is lower than the other. Very annoying. I got them redone as an adult but they aren’t in the position I wanted them in.

crosstalk · 23/04/2021 10:57

No - not until 13 at earliest

NameChangedForThisFeb21 · 23/04/2021 10:58

Oh and at school there was a playground accident and my ear got caught on another girls cardigan and my earring got ripped right through the piercing.

Nonmaquillee · 23/04/2021 10:58

Nope.
Start of secondary school at the earliest.

seensome · 23/04/2021 10:59

My DD was 6 or 7 but I wish i had waited until she was older, they only lasted less than a year because they kept getting knocked at school at least twice which made them bleed and one hospital trip, then she was terrified to let me change them, they are now closed up so she can decide if she wants them re pierced when she's older.

MargaretThursday · 23/04/2021 11:00

People here will say no at that age.

However both my girls had theirs done in the summer holiday between year 1 and year 2. It worked out well for them, because they were young enough that they were happy for me to check and watch out for infections.
Knew a not insignificant number of their friends who had it done older "because they can look after it better" who then ended up with major infections because they didn't say anything when it started getting infected because they didn't want their parents to take the earring out and lose the hole. Instead they ended up at A&E needing antibiotics-and losing the hole anyway.

It worked well for us, although it helped that they weren't especially into doing things that could have caused issues.

Aprilshowersandhail · 23/04/2021 11:00

My dd's were 5 +6 after bugging me for a year... They cleaned and turned them themselves under supervision.. 14 +15 now and never had any trouble.
They have younger siblings and never had any incidents..

bootlebum · 23/04/2021 11:00

No way. Keeping them clean, the pain etc. Just no.

Original poster
Charsy01 · 23/04/2021 11:01

@Angeldust747

Watching as my little girl wants them done and I'm thinking summer holidays. The first thing I thought was she's not going to Claires like I did as I have little lumps because of the gun they use!
Interesting. I had mine done at the local jewellers at the time and had no issue but I was guilty of fiddling with them - thankfully didn’t cause any issues. I’ve never heard good things about Claire’s! 😒
OP posts:
murbblurb · 23/04/2021 11:01

extra work for you to do the cleaning/turning. 'no' sounds a good answer.

Planningobjection · 23/04/2021 11:01

When they’re old enough to keep them clean. 6 is too young.

00100001 · 23/04/2021 11:02

no.

easy as that.

Original poster
Charsy01 · 23/04/2021 11:02

I was 7 I think and around 10 when I had my second set. I never had any issues myself.

I’m just not sure Dd will cope with the pain. I know it won’t last long but she might change her mind and refuse the second one. I think I’ll wait a while longer. Maybe when she’s in year 2!

OP posts:
onthinice · 23/04/2021 11:03

I was 11 myself when mine were done. My DD wanted hers done at age 6 so she had them done as a birthday present. There was 3 weeks of cleaning them and then we left the original earrings in for 6 months and after that only used gold or platinum earrings as I have had many reactions to cheap earrings myself so didn't want to risk it. She hasn't worn earrings now for about 6 months and there have been no problems with holes closing over etc, I think because we left the original earrings in for longer than the minimum.

My elder daughter never mentioned ear piercing until recently, so she got hers done at aged 12. At 6 your daughter would not be the only one in the class, so if you're happy for her to have it done and she has asked then there is no reason not to do it.

Soubriquet · 23/04/2021 11:03

Mine wanted her done at that age (she’s 8 now) purely because all of her friends have them.

So I explained the process to her, and that it would hurt. She suddenly didn’t want them and hasn’t mentioned it since

I would wait until the summer holidays though if she really is keen. That way they have time to heal

TokyoSushi · 23/04/2021 11:03

My DD is almost 8 and I'm thinking about 10 will be the right age for her (if she wants them done, obvs)

MessedOfTimes · 23/04/2021 11:04

My eldest had hers done at 5. She took the cleaning and care of them very seriously. As ever, it may just depend on the child. 😊

GoodbyePorpoiseSpit · 23/04/2021 11:04

Too young in my opinion as they also change their minds - there are quite a few in one of my DD’s year (year 7) that had them pierced in Year1 then let them close as the hassle of pe etc was a pain and then wanted to get them repierced in summer for high school

ConstanceGracy · 23/04/2021 11:04

Dd was around that age , didn’t fiddle with them, cleaned them daily with warm salt water.
No issues .

Don’t use Claire’s !

24GinDrinkingOnceTheKidsInBed · 23/04/2021 11:04

Buy stickers, stick them to her ears and tell her not to touch them.

If she touches them a lot; she’s not ready.

Soubriquet · 23/04/2021 11:05

I was 3/4 when I had mine done. I haven’t wore earrings in years but the holes are still open

GrumpyHoonMain · 23/04/2021 11:05

@Charsy01

My only daughter so this is all new to me. She’s mentioned she wants her ears pierced (she’s 6 soon). Would you let her or wait? I was about 7 I think!

A few of her friends in her class have but some will be 7 in the new year school. Dd is one of the youngest. I’m just worried she’ll fiddle with it all the time which totally puts me off as don’t want any infections.

Advice on this please? What’s a good age?

The best age in terms of preventing infection is much younger or older. I wouldn’t personally allow a 5/6 year old to get them done unless she had very good personal hygiene, washed hands after the loo, etc
idontlikealdi · 23/04/2021 11:06

No - Dts had theirs done at Christmas at 9 1/2, they've been absolutely fine but any younger I don't think they would have been able to keep them clean.

There have been some horror stories with girls in their class having ripped lobes and stuck earrings when they were younger.

We went to a piercer and they were absolutely fantastic which helped too.

ThereWasThisBoy · 23/04/2021 11:06

My daughter wanted her ears piercing when she was 6 and I told her she had to wait and see if she still wanted them done in a year or so. When the time came, she’d changed her mind so I’m glad I didn’t let her. She’s 12 now and isn’t interested at all.