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Original poster

Piercing DD ears

20 replies

Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 10:40

7 year old DD has decided she would like to get her ears pierced. We are reasonably new to the UK and I have no idea where a good place to take her is, and more so where to avoid; do you just go to any chemist? I don't necessarily need specific shops (not sure if that's allowed) just a point in the right direction so I was hoping mumsnet could help. We live in SW London if that helps.

OP posts:
sausagesandwich34 · 21/11/2012 10:42

you are best to go to a piercing studio where they pierce with a needle rather than the guns that they use in places like Claire's

you won't find a chemist that does them and even jewellers don't tend to anymore

LadyMargolotta · 21/11/2012 10:45

We went to Claire's. They used the guns (one use, sterile guns), just like I had my ears pierced 30 years ago. No problems at all. Fairly expensive.

You do need to check with your child's school about earring policy, it's possible she may need to take them out for gym class. At the start of the school summer holidays is usually the best time to get them done, so they have time to heal.

LadyMargolotta · 21/11/2012 10:47

It's a good idea to ask for personal recommendations for where to go from parents in your area - that's what I did.

Nagoo · 21/11/2012 10:51

Having had my ears pierced with a gun and a needle, a needle hurts WAY less, and doesn't bruise the ear like hammering a bluntish stud through it.

Original poster
Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 10:52

Why is a needle better than a gun sausages?

And thanks for that lady I'll definitely check on it

OP posts:
sausagesandwich34 · 21/11/2012 11:13

it hurts less
it's more accurate (and if you are going to be wearing earings for the next 60 years you want them to be even)
the guns can't be sterilised, they use blister packs of sterilised earings but the guns themselves are not sterile -I worry about that
the needles they use are much finer than than the earings that are forced through your child's ears at a million miles an hour
the guns work at a fixed distance and are often too tight, they cannot be adjusted as they are specific earings so can cause a lot of dicomfort

the after care advice at a piercing studio is much better -Claires are still telling people to turn their earings several times a day, this actually aggrivates the wound and leaves it open to infection

lots of people get it done with guns and have no issues, however every case I know where ears haven't healed, back have got stuck in ears, infections have set in -have been done with a gun

daisydoodoo · 21/11/2012 11:44

dd had hers done at Claires accessories. she had them done last christmas when she was 5. She'd been nagging to have them done for months. We were in Claires buying christmassy hair clips and a little girl of about 2 or 3 was having hers done, dd watched in fascination and i asked if dd still wanted them done she said yes, so we did.
Shes been really good with them, cleaning them, and she let me change them to plainer ones and shes changed them for parties. I only let her wear studs, but shes excited about wearing christmassy studs this christmas. We've not had any issues with them at all.
They have to be taped for pe at school, i brought a roll of micropore tape which dd can put over her earrings herself.

daisydoodoo · 21/11/2012 11:46

we did adjust the backs so they were comfortable for dd. they had lots of choice of earring, but they were expensive.

Ive had mine pierced both with a needle and with a gun, i found the gun less painful and much quicker. (id let my holes heal over so had them re-pierced but with gun as was cheaper Blush)

TeaBrick · 21/11/2012 11:49

I had mine re-pierced with a needle and found it slightly less painful. The problem with the needle for a little girl's ears is that they can't put a stud in as far as I am aware, it has to be a sleeper (may be wrong though).

Fairylea · 21/11/2012 11:57

They should be done with a needle. A guncan cause blowback which is scar tissue behind the lobe. This can lead to impacted earrings. A gun is never sterile. They can only sterilise the areas that are visible and the parts that come in contact with the ear are very fiddly.

My dh has lots and lots of piercings and tattoos and the place he goes to sees lots of people who have had their ears done at Claire's and need reconstructive surgery to correct them.

My dd age 9 had hers done with a needle. She didn't even flinch and was smiling from ear to ear the whole time. We cleaned them twice a day with salt water and now out of her friends that got them done she is the only one without problems - and they all had it done with a gun.

homebythesea · 21/11/2012 12:42

our local place where all the girls go is a beauty salon. I'm afraid I would not touch Claires with a bargepole - a shop window cannot be the cleanest place for a slightly gormless Saturday girl to conduct body piercings

homebythesea · 21/11/2012 12:43

And the school will not thank you for doing it mid year - some will prevent your DD participating in PE till they are healed. Do it on day one of the summer holidays and they will probably be OK bythe time you go backin September

Original poster
Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 12:51

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, I appreciate it Smile I'll look into a piercing studio, but also ask some of the school mums local places. I'll also find out the schools policy, but to be honest I'm not letting them tell me when she can get her ears pierced.

OP posts:
LadyMargolotta · 21/11/2012 12:54

'but to be honest I'm not letting them tell me when she can get her ears pierced. '

The problem is that she may not be allowed to do gym/swimming with earrings in. You should not remove earrings from newly pierced ears for at least six weeks. This means that she may have to miss gym etc if you cannot remove the earrings. It depends on the school's policy and how important you consider gym class.

Fairylea · 21/11/2012 13:01

They may not let her do pe with her earrings in. Some don't let them cover them with tape. I'd check first otherwise your dd could be left out for 6 weeks.

imnotmymum · 21/11/2012 13:04

My DD had her ears pieced beginning of October half term, school put plasters on.

Original poster
Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 13:13

I'm pretty sure they don't take them out- but I wouldn't know for sure. She's finished swimming lessons so she won't miss out there. But of course PE is very important, I'll find out their policy, and then if she will be excluded discuss it with her, she's quite sensitive so I don't think she'll take very well to being excluded for 6weeks. I've been googling and have seen a few recommendations that they shouldn't be done till 12 can't see that ending well in our house though

I'm going to ring the local piercing studio and chat to them

OP posts:
Original poster
Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 13:26

Just rang a local place and they don't do children under ten, and they are not licences for it. He strongly advised me not to go to Claire's. Feeling bad and guilty because I promised she could get it done (without looking into it- didnt think it was that much of a deal) but now finding out all this stuff is putting me off. She has a bit of a cold at the moment so I'll buy some time till she's over that?

my eyes have been opened!

OP posts:
Fairylea · 21/11/2012 13:43

How about some clip on earrings or magnetic ones from Claire's to keep her happy in the meantime ?

Original poster
Idocrazythings · 21/11/2012 14:11

We have tried clip ons but they are a bit 'snappy' and don't seem to stay on. I'll check out the Claire's range though as they may be better than the ones we had previously. Might keep the peace a little?

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