Tell me about ear piercing please

[Dancergirl]

Dd is getting interested in having her ears pierced. She's 9. We haven't said yes yet, want to have a think about it, but in the meantime I want to do some research.

Are there different methods of ear piercing? How can I be sure I am going somewhere reputable? I would prefer real gold or silver ear-rings rather than cheap metal. Would sleeper rings be better than ear-rings?

I had a very bad experience with ear-piercing myself as a child - first time they got infected and I had to take them out and the holes closed up. Second time - even worse - the butterflies ended up trapped inside the holes and I had to have them removed under a general. Third time was fine. This was all a long time ago so things have changed. What do I need to know?

My dd had hers pierced when she finished year 1 so that her ears would heel during the 6 week break, but this only happened because she had got a good report and had asked everyday for 6 months.
I asked my friends where their daughters had been pierced. Claire's seemed to have a good reputation but in the end I took her to the local hairdresser's (two of them did it at the same time).
Dd choose from a selection of gold plated surgical steele ones and had absolutely no problems, they gave use a little bottle of ointment to apply everyday when you turn the earings.
One has to keep the initial earings in for a month as the shaft is wider than standard earings.
Four years on she hardly ever wears earings which is a tad frustrating as she owns enough to set up her own shop .

Dd 9 had her's done about 2 years ago using a piercing gun and they never healed so after 9 weeks she gave up and they healed over.

Since then I have learn that the gun is a brutal method and can often lead to problems. The best way is with a piecing needle. 5 weeks ago I rang around all the local tattoos and found out if any would pierce dd ears with a needle. Most wouldn't do it till she was 13+ or even one was 16. Took dd and so far things have been so much better. With a gun her ears were red and very tender she couldn't sleep on them for about 3 nights afterwards, the needle no redness, pierced in the afternoon and within hours she could lie on them.

If can possible find anyone who would use the needle method I would highly recommemed it. If in doubt google piecing guns verses needle and you will be shocked.

My DD had hers done when she was six. She had been pestering us (because her best friend's were done) and we agreed she could have them done while we were in Australia. Every day we went to the bloody shop and every day she backed out. Two days before we left she decided today was the day. We had to say no because we were going back to Bangkok and the whole reason for Aus was it was cooler. Anyway, roll on another year and we were in the UK. As we walked past Claires, she decided she'd like them done. We went in, she chose plain gold studs and voila, twas done. She was absolutely fine. IMO, I would steer clear of sleepers, they are much easier to snag on something.