Ear Piercing.

[Bomper]

Dd1 (6.5years) wants her ears pierced during the summer holidays. I am considering it, and am as yet undecided. Just wondered how much it costs, where's the best place to have it done (was thinking Claire's Accessories) and if it is a big pain in the arse and best avoided!!

Don't go to Claire's, I'm not convinced by the amount of training their people have. It seems to be a case of plonk the person down in the window and fire away with the gun.

I'd go to a proper jewellers or department store to have it done. Dd1 had hers done for her 11th birthday, and we went to Debenhams, to the hair salon bit. You have to make an appointment, and it's done in a separate room. It was all very professional. The aftercare was fine, dd1 did it all herself. Wouldn't do it for a 6yo myself, but each to their own. It might restrict her ability to go swimming over the holidays, so you might want to consider that.

My tip is to ask wherever you decide to go if they can do both ears at once -our place offered and got two poeple. my friend's 6 yr old dd got 1 done then cried and fussed for a good half hour with much debate about whether the first one was coming out or the 2nd one going in. She flinched badly when they did the second and her holes are now in two very different places, not the jewellers fault, but after the fuss my friend said there was nothing to be done.

Definately what froggy said go to a real jewellers it's more expensive (£17-21) but it's worth it,I went to a jewellers that specialised in piercing young children and had both my dds done aged 4 and 2(not together)...they were both fine didn't cry at all and sweetened the deal with a trip to Maccy D's next door

They both really wanted it done and I was able to care for them properly.. personally I have no problem with your dds age (as you can tell!) I see it as an eventuality and I see no harm if they wear small studs so it's your call.

I had mine done almost 3 yrs ago in a Goldsmiths jeweller. It cost £21 but I wanted white gold earrings which happened to be the most expensive! I was really pleased with it as the holes seem to be in the centre of the lobe.

I think that if I was to take DD to have hers done it would be to a jewellers & I would pay a bit more to have a good quality earring. Touch wood I've had no problems with mine, but a friend who had hers done a few months before went to somewhere really cheap & paid about £6 and had lots of problems with hers.

Two of mine have had theirs done at clares at age four, and no probs. I liked it as there was someone each side to do both holes at the same time.

Eldest DD was done at hairdressers with a different method and also both sides done seperately, she cried, even tho it was her begging me to get them done! Mind you, she also had no probs either, so I am guessing that it is your preferance.

IMO, tis best to phone and find the method, and go with the one doing both sides at once!!

HTH

Thanks all. What a great idea doing both sides at once!! My sister has one hole really low down on one ear because when she had them done, she flinched on the second one too!!

I think I was just too frozen still & clinging on to the chair to flinch!

Earpiercing guns (that hold the sterile stud) can't actually be cleaned properly and the studs are very blunt for piercing efficiently. She'll have far fewer longterm problems getting them done with sterile needles by a professional bodypiercer. If that idea sounds too scary maybe she's too young (that's the plan I have to put my dd off the idea when it hits her )