4 year old getting pierced ears at Superdrug

[Childpiercinggate]

I was browsing in Superdrug this lunchtime and saw a small child getting their ears pierced. It was awful, the mother was holding the child down and she was yelling at the top of her lungs. I was in the makeup section at the other end of the shop and stopped in my tracks as I’ve never heard anything like it.

I asked to speak to the manager as I was so shocked that they do this in store. The manager told me it was nothing to do with me and the mother had given consent.

Ive written to the head office although I know nothing will be done.

Yes you were unreasonable - mind your own business
No you’re not unreasonable - you’re right, children of that age shouldn’t be getting piercings

Its a weird thing to do altogether, isn't it when you think about it? Put holes through our ear lobes to wear jewellery in them. I had mine done in 1979 age 10, I've only known one woman without pierced ears, and it still seems to be something young girls expect to do. Yet it seems like something that should have died out years ago.

When I was 3 my mum took me and my ds to get our ears pierced. They did them one ear at a time in those days. After the 1st ear I screamed the jewellers down and I wouldn’t let them near my other ear. Thankfully I wasn’t pinned down and my mum took the earring out when it had healed.

i did decide on my own to get them done at 7 and they did both ears at the same time.

God I hated having to get my kids vaccinated and seeing them in pain, Same with blood tests etc. To willingly put them through pain for cosmetic purposes at that age is just shit parenting, don't care who it is. And it looks awful.

I personally don't like it.

But it isn't child abuse. Ffs.

Respectable European countries allow this in hospital before the baby goes home. It cannot be that bad

I think it's worse on a child of 4 like in the OP, they psychologically have to build up to it. Plus the tissue isn't as soft

If you just get them done as a small child, just do it as a baby when they don't know what's coming and it won't really hurt

I don't understand why this isn't restricted to over 18s only. An adult can make this choice - a child cannot. There is no medical benefit (which might justify it) and it's just adult preference and vanity. Horrible.

My daughter asked for hers to be pierced. She was four because everyone in her class was getting them done.

We showed her some videos, she knew it would hurt. She still wanted it done. I took her and got mine pierced for a second time before hers to make sure I was happy with the piercer.

I have to say, Claire's were great. She didn't even flinch.

Yes. Glad you wrote to Head Office. Perhaps a letter in your local paper too.

This IS abuse.

Born 1965 - never had pierced ears. My mother would never have allowed it when I was a child. As an adult, I couldn't see the point. But at least I made my own decision, which is the crucial factor.

Forgot to add also, mine were done at 3 months, all fine. It was done by a pharmacist, as in her country, that's who does them

But then again my mum did put me under her at home sun bed from about 12 months 💀 she told me for years it was very normal in the 90s

YANBU OP 4 is way too young and if the child isn’t fully in cooperation with the procedure it should not be done. It’s just dangerous. I do have a friend who was eventually convinced by her DD8 to let her have her ears pierced but after one ear was done she completely freaked out and wouldn’t let them near the other ear, my friend said it was so embarrassing as there was a queue of people waiting to have it done after all looking at them and her daughter was freaking out about not wanting the other one done but equally upset about the thought of only have one done and it looking silly! I’m just glad my DD isn’t fussed about having it done. I’ve explained how painful it is and put her off thankfully.

I am of the belief that there should be an age restriction put on ear piercing. The child needs to be able to meaningfully consent, with a proper and full understanding of of what they are consenting to.

They also need to be able to withdraw their consent at any time during the process.

Can you imagine the furore if an adult was being held down and forced to have their second ear pierced after deciding the first was too painful?

Children should have autonomy over their bodies, with age restrictions in place to allow informed consent.

She got a second set of studs in Claire's about six months ago. She saved her pocket money. She's ten now.

They were great second time round also.

If my DDs want their ears piercing they will have to make the appointment, take themselves there and pay for it themselves, I'm having nothing to do with it. I'm 47 and don't have pierced ears. I remember watching my friend when we were 14 putting an earring in and saying 'ouch, it hasn't found the exit'. Sounds really painful.

I was in Claires one day and heard a woman say to her partner,”You’ll have to stay with her while they do her ears, I can’t watch.” I really wanted to say to her “ If you can’t even bear to watch how do you think your child feels having it done to her ?”

But I didnt. The child was about 2, happy and smiling in her pushchair, looking at all the pretty shiny things they have in Claires, completely unaware.

That's good to hear. It would never have occurred within my circle that we wouldn't be allowed, just what age our mums would allow it, with the consensus being when we were old enough to bathe them properly with methylated spirits. There would be a rush on at the end of the school year so we had 6 weeks before we had to remove for PE.

There was one that was widely shared on media of a child being held down and screaming at Louvisa a similar shop to Claire’s. Maybe if more people film and report to council they will lose licence - they do it so publicly in shop window.
My mum just said not until 16, I had done in my 40s (not at Claire’s!)

Friend of mine worked it a pharmacy chain that did piercing when we were uni students. Her manager was very clear that she could refuse to pierce the ears of anyone if she didn't feel comfortable doing it. She flatly refused to do children younger than teenagers and even then she'd only do it for the ones who were clearly keen and excited.

It's policy in places like Claire's to do both ears simultaneously :/

My friend just got her 4 and 6 old DDs ears pierced at Claire's and both girls had an infection within a month.

4 is an odd age IMO.

I'm not actually against piercing babies' ears as this is culturally normal in lots of countries (including mine). But to wait until they're old enough to be upset by it, but not old enough to choose for themselves just seems really bizarre to me.

I have had to leave Claire's stores for the same reason. Barbaric.

@viques that's heartbreaking, that poor little child, totally unaware of what they were about to do to her. Why couldn't they just buy her some pretty hair accessories!

My parents wouldn't let me pierce my ears (despite much pestering) until I was 14 and I had ti save up myself to pay for it.

Despite my teen strops at the time I think they were right.

Old enough not only to consent but also do the aftercare. Gold studs again to minimise reactions.

My were done by a gun (normal at the time) and were fine but I'd never use this method now.

I can't fathom non health procedures on babies/very young children and frankly find the cultural/religious reasons as hard to swallow.

Babies/toddlers with pierced ears don't look cute. They look damaged.

Babies and toddlers with pierced ears don’t look cute, they look damaged.

I saw a sitting up age baby in the tube, she had earrings, a gold chain around her neck, , a tight looking bangle and nail varnish. I though it would have been so much easier to buy a doll.

I had mine done at age 11, by my aunt's father in law, a GP, at their dining room table. He was known as Grandad B. He obviously did it absolutely correctly, everything sterile and it wasn't painful but unfortunately he was in the early stages of Parkinson's so the piercings are not quite even...
When i was telling my cousins (his grandsons) about this a few years ago when we were all adults and the doctor was long gone, the eldest, DGS1, said 'that's nothing, Grandad B actually circumcised DGS2 at that table. '
Luckily that was several years before the onset of the Parkinson's.