Sorry to be naive, but why can't dd wear clip-on earrings? Why do they all want their ears pierced?

[famousblueraincoat]

I AM v naive on this score - I can honestly say that I've never knowingly worn an earring.

I was all set to let dd get her ears pierced like most of her peers (she's 12) but now am horrified at the health implications (described on t'internet).

What are the cons of clip-ons? Are they naff? Do they fall off?

There are, presumably, v good reasons for not wearing them?

(I was almost brave enough to post this on Style and Beauty, but then I thought, nah.)

but wouldn't she then have to wear very dangly pat butcher type ones? i don't think i've ever seen nice clip ons

health implications?

they hurt. they are naff. they do fall off.

what health implications? if it were a massive health hazard people simply wouldnt do it! i have my ears pierced, once, and so does DD. she had hers done at 10. no problems at all, just keep them clean and follow the advice for 6 weeks. i hardly ever wear ear rings but its nice to have the choice. dd loves her earings and has loads - (i just dont allow big dangly ones)

i cant see the problem with letting them have their ears pierced at 12 tbh if thats what they want.

because clip-ons are lame and for nanas I'm afraid.

health implications?

Well, I know not everybody has health problems afterwards, but I've just read a load about infected lobes, lumps, misshapen holes, you name it.

And the question of PAIN. She might get one done then refuse the other.

Why don't they make nice clip-ons? Is it a piercing conspiracy?

I was afraid it was about being lame and for nanas.

plus I think it's a bit of a rite of passage for many girls starting high school, going through puberty, losing control and recognition of their bodies. It's a way of reclaiming a bit of control, having a bit of a say about how at least on part of their body is going to look.
Maybe?

The mishapen holes thing tends to happen if you get them done when the child is very young, e.g. a baby. Infection is unlikely if the piercing equipment is clean and she follows the proper hygeine procedures while it heals.

If she gets one done and then chickens out she will look a bit silly until the hole closes up! No big deal, but I'd make her pay for it with her pocket money if she isn't going to go through with it properly.

Ask your DD what's wrong with clip-ons.

And nice clip ons are pretty much impossible because of the size they need to be. I had some nice looking magnet ones when I was at school but even they were painful after a while and the backs were even easier to lose than butterfly backs of earrings, and not as replaceable.

She's 12 - let her have it done!

12 a bit young I agree

OK, clearly I have to tell her about the hurting bit, and see if she'd rather have clip-ons.

I might be able to postpone it for a bit. I was all gung-ho to go for it last night; but then I googled.

vanity usually over rules the need to avoid the pain of the second one being done!

i was hell bent on having mine done come what may. i was 10. it was my coming of age!

I'm sure the fact that she'll be the first in our family to have a piercing [lame nana emoticon] will be spurring her on.

Try looking in Claires to see if they have the magnet ones if you want. That's where I got m,ine from - I don't know if they still do them, it was years ago.

Thanks, BB. I'll see if she knows about them.

Famousblueraincoat - love the name. Assume you're a Leonard Cohen fan?

I don't have pierced ears and have once worn clip ons and they were bloody agony. I'm sure having my ears pierced would have been painless in comparison...

My DDs had their ears pierced at 13. I was happy for them to have it done then because they were old enough to make sure they kept them clean.

Now would be a great time to go ahead because if she has them done at the start of the summer holidays she will be able to take them out for PE etc when she goes back to school in September.

I am a fan, MEA. There's also a Colm Toibin short story with the title - a fan there, too.

Clip ons are horrible, rare and you always lose one of them so they are a waste of money. I never wear earrings any more as eventually wearing pierced earrings made one ear a bit mucky (nothing at all dramatic, I just decided not to any more) and all clip ons I have ever seen (and worn) are just awful. Sorry to clip-on wearers. It doesn't look at all odd having closed-up holes, who seriously looks at other people's earlobes anyway!

People who pierce ears are much more forceful than doctors - they are like beauticians with waxing, they just do the other one anyway. It's really not that painful in the earlobe, which is why it's so often done there - much more painful in other areas. And if she wants to do it, the pain is her responsibility!

For me personally, 12 is a little bit young - I would want to know that she was able to manage the daily care in the first few weeks - but she may well be able to, does she have a pet or anything she looks after regularly?

My dd had hers done age 13, we went to claires in stratford upon avon and I was impressed with the hygiene and it was done by 2 girls, so both ears at the same time.
But she did get an infection about 4 weeks later which she managed to clear by cleaning regulary.
If you do get it done, do it over the holidays so they will have hopefully settled down by the time she goes back to school.

She does have a pet, which she doesn't look after.

What's the deal re swimming - she's about to spend all summer long in the water? The end of the summer hols would still be OK - her school is v lax re jewellery. Although I am still inclined to hold off for another year if I can.

I had mine done at 11. Was excellent with the hygiene, twisting them, etc.

Turns out I have super-fast healing skin (Keloid scarring) and the skin healed over the earring at the back.

I'd still let dd have hers done when the time comes, though.