Daughter has pierced her own ears

[howliscream]

My 15 year old DD came home last night and I noticed that she had 3 earrings in each ear. We have previously allowed her to have her ears pierced and took her to a proper piercing studio. When questioned it transpires that her and her friends did it a week ago using “needles and alcohol”. I’m horrified of course and she’s in a lot of trouble but from a health perspective, is there anything I need to do to help prevent infection? I’m terrified that they’ve used the same needles and only cleaned them basically. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nothing you can do but keep it clean. Follow usual aftercare. What does she have in it? You'll need to watch out for swelling and make sure the posts don't push into the ear.

Good quality sea salt rinses

My dd has done most of her piercings herself this way. She’s just used the normal salt spray and not had any issues.

Kids have been doing this forever, I remember punk teens doing it in the park with safety pins, when I was a child in the 70s! Not saying it’s ok or safe of course but it will probably be ok. Look out for swelling, redness or feeling ill and if that happens take her to GP. Clean with special aftercare liquid that you can get at Superdrug, or as pp says salt water.

She'll be fine, we all did DIY piercing back in the day

Haven't you seen the film "Grease"? Will be fine, cooled boiled salt water to bathe it, advise her not to be so daft next time. Think this warrants a wry smile and an eye roll rather than a bollocking over H&S.

I did mine at school in between lessons in the 90’s. Used a lighter to sterilise the pin, let it cool down and cracked on 🤦🏻‍♀️

Glad to hear that teenagers aren't all wusses these days!

Yeah, I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. It’s not ideal, especially if they all used the same needle with a quick wipe, but I doubt she will have caught anything and I would just tell her that she’s silly to have done it and she’ll need to make sure it doesn’t become infected.

I did one of mine during a Biology lesson with a compass and while sterilisation would have been minimal at least I knew it hadn’t pierced anyone else’s ears 🤣

Normal post piercing hygiene is fine. It’s a teenage right of passage for more than a few

Why is she in a lot of trouble?

There are so many ways that teenagers can go off the rails. But this isn’t one of them. It’s daft, but also typical and age-appropriate behaviour, in terms of her asserting her independence.

i would certainly feel upset if my DD did this, but taking the long view, I think it’s best to minimise any drama and just tell her to keep it clean, and that she has to adhere to any school uniform policy with respect to piercings.

I’d talk to her about exactly what’s as involved in the alcohol bitHow many needles did they have. How long in alcohol and what alcohol? Did they wash their hands between each piercing, did they wipe their ears? Alcohol won’t sterilise alone. It sanitises, it won’t kill all viruses or even bacteria spores if they simply dipped needle in and out of say a 20% alcohol content drink. Isopropanol at 99% would need content for a few minutes to get close to sterile, but even then it’s not full sterilisation. There’s a reason we have autoclaves.

if in any doubt I’d drag her to GP to discuss possible blood tests to be done to check for viruses.

Common bacterial infection treat as others have said…get some antiseptic wipes and cream and keep an eye open for redness.

the Hassle of go will probably teach her lesson that it’s better to save a few pounds and go to professional.

She needs to keep them clean with the same aftercare products you use in a proper piercing.

Other than that you just have to tell her it's foolish.

She could've just gone to a shop like superdrug or accessorize and it doesn't cost much.

If they scar or go wrong she's only got herself to blame.

But ultimately they are her ears. I had loads of piercings at that age. From a professional only though!

Yeah, I think I’d just roll my eyes at this. I pierced my own ears, nose, eyebrow, bellybutton etc all from about 12 and then started on my friends. My DH is actually still walking around with the ear piercing I gave him when I was 15.

My mothers strategy was to eventually give permission for me to get pierced at the tattoo studio when I wanted, so I didn’t have to do it myself and risk infection (which none of us ever got!), and I still ended up doing more myself!

I did this at her age too. It got quite infected as I took no care of it. It also got better.

‘A lot of trouble’ is an over reaction.

It sounds as if they did clean the needle with alcohol.

My Ds and friends did this after school one day. An earring does not suit my Ds, it looks dreadful (IMO) but that’s the teen years for you. At some stage they take dominion over their own bodies.

Invest time in equipping them to make safe choices in the context of the age of consent.

Thanks for all the replies. Genuinely surprised at lots of people saying not to worry too much. I think I was very much a “goody two shoes” at school so never entered my head to do anything like this so something for me to reflect on and consider. Was just a bit shocked and worried about infections. One of the holes does look a bit weepy so will do the salt water rinsing and keep an eye on it.

I did this when I was 17. Numbed my earlobe with an ice cube and stuck a needle through it, then pushed in a post earring. I followed the usual aftercare routine (which in the US at that time was hydrogen peroxide!). It was fine. And wow, I felt so cool strolling into school that morning and saying casually, 'Look what I just did.'

Would i be disappointed if my daughter didnt go to a reputable place? Yes.
However
Loads of us did this when we were her age. We all survived.
Just tell her to keep them clean and keep an eye on them.

She’s not the first
she won’t be the last

I dont think this is a problem

Obviously as with anything, if she gets ill you deal with it. You'll know and she'll know but its not very likely

Why is she in trouble?

Why is she in “big trouble”? They’re her ears.

If they get infected then that’s the consequence for not getting them done by a professional and “punishment” enough.

I agree with PPs that it’s not a huge deal, though I can totally relate to you OP as a goody two shoes myself, with the kind of teen DD who would do this (she hasn’t AFAIK but her friend has and DD was super impressed ). As 15yo girl problems go it could be a lot worse. As I often tell myself when tearing my hair out over mine’s antics.

Teens have been doing this dumb shit for years. Me and my friend pierced our own one day when we bunked off school. 😂Thank god she didn't try to give herself a DIY tattoo as well.

On a serious note, as other PP have said, keep it clean, clean it well with salt water or with some proper stuff that you can buy to keep piercings clean and she should be okay.

I get you are a bit disappointed with her, but its the norm really. Both my DD's did it too when they were in their teens. Tell her its stupid and why but then leave it there and just nag her to make sure she is keeping it nice and clean.