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Original poster

what do i need to look out for, when getting dd's ears pierced?

27 replies

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 21:29

i dont want this to be a thread about the rightness, or wrongness about piercings. please.

i have decided to get dd's ears pierced. what should i be looking for? the thought of just walking up to the local saturday girl in claires accesories is stomach churning. is it better to go t o a piercings place? or is it better to get a qualified doctor to do it? what do i need to know about aftercare? what other questions do i need to ask?
tia

OP posts:

fishie · 17/03/2009 21:31

but it is going to be about that. particularly when you post that it is stomach churning. why on earth bother? she can choose to do it for herself and be really excited about it.

Feenie · 17/03/2009 21:34

"i have decided to get dd's ears pierced"

Oh really - did she get a say?

"what other questions do i need to ask?"

Erm...let's see - how about "why would I want to have a needle stuck into my dd's ears when it's totally unnecessary?"

UndertheBoredwalk · 17/03/2009 21:34

I seriously doubt you'd find a Dr who would do any kind of piercing tbh. A piercing place will probably do it for you, they are the professionals. But they will do it with a needle not a gun (which is much better btw) but it's not over in a second like when done with a gun.
How old is DD? It does hurt so whether she will sit still and let someone do it with a needle really depends on how old she is and how much she understands I think.
If she's still a baby, I think claire's is the only place i've ever known that will do it for you, I don't think piercers will.

hth

UndertheBoredwalk · 17/03/2009 21:35

Oh am not judging btw, my dd has her ears pierced

Original poster

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 21:35

she is really excited about. and i have made the decision to let her have it. now i want to find the safest possible method of having it done. and to that end, i would like some constructive advice on what to look for, ask questions about, and some general information.

the other thing i am thinking of , is to have another piercing in my own ears, to get some idea of how to care for dd, or at leat experience it myself.

OP posts:

missblythe · 17/03/2009 21:35

A piercings place would be better-they will use a needle, not a gun, which will hurt and bruise your DD's ears far less.

harleyd · 17/03/2009 21:37

go to a proper piercing studio

Original poster

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 21:37

thank you under. yes it does help

she is six, and really excited about it. particularly since she found out i was six when i had mine done. until now, i had fobbed her off with having to wait till she was sixteen. but now that she knows i was six, she sees no reason why she cant also have them done.
why is it better to do so with a needle, than a gun?

OP posts:

Ledodgy · 17/03/2009 21:38

Make sure the stud is gold or silver and not nickel. Make sure where you get it done is reputable. They tell you to turn them a couple of times a day iirc from when I had mine done and clean with surgical spirit.

hester · 17/03/2009 21:38

Uh-oh, here we go!

It wouldn't be my choice, stitch, but FWIW here's my advice: I can't see that a doctor would do this, so next best choice is probably a jeweller with a good reputation and lots of experience (rather than your Saturday girl down Claire's Accessories). You're supposed to keep turning the stud/ring each day, and bathe each day with a diluted antiseptic I think.

Is your dd old enough to take care of the health and safety aspects?

morningpaper · 17/03/2009 21:38

middle class parents

UndertheBoredwalk · 17/03/2009 21:38

Getting your own done is a V good idea if you haven't already.
If DD is excited about it and wants it done, that's good. But don't wash over it makes sure she really knows that it will hurt her or you have the problem where she'll have one done and refuse to have the other!
Aftercare is pretty straight forward, but if you go to a proper piercer they will have all of that information for you anyway.
Another thing to think about is that the initial studs need to stay in place for at least 6 weeks, preferably longer before taking them out/being able to change them etc.
So you will need to find out whether school would let her wear them. If not, it will have to wait for school holidays I imagine.

good luck

harleyd · 17/03/2009 21:39

with a gun, you are shooting a blunt earring thru the ear at force
its just stupid!
a needle causes far less trauma to the ear

Hulababy · 17/03/2009 21:39

How old is your child?

This site has some guidelines on piercing. Sadly there is no minimum age for piercing but proper piercing studios may choose not to pierce minors, and esp not babies and toddlers.

I can't imagine ANY doctor would even recommend or approve ear piercing for a little one, let alone do it themselves.

fishie · 17/03/2009 21:41

how old is she, can she look after the wound herself? it isn't actually that bad re healing unless it goes off. it's the irrevocability of it that worries me.

what if the holes are made wonkily by mistake? i've known a few people that happened to and they're stuck with it for life.

i wore very heavy earrings as a teenager and now have slits rather than little holes. in my earlobe where everyone can see them. it is rather grim.

Hulababy · 17/03/2009 21:41

Also, check school rules on ear piercing and earrings. If she cannot wear earrings for school then you need a period of time with at least 6 weeks free with no school.

onebatmother · 17/03/2009 21:42

If she's under the age of reason, I'm afraid there's no way on earth I would ever give her unnecessary pain.

UndertheBoredwalk · 17/03/2009 21:43

Agree with Hula that many piercers will not agree to pierce a child's ears at least under 13ish.
There will be some who will, but you may need to look around a bit. but DEF make sure they're reputable, have certs and registration visible in studio etc.
If you know anyone who's had piercings ask them where they had thiers done, recommendation always a good way to find a decent place.

onebatmother · 17/03/2009 21:44

LOL at MP.

supersalstrawberry · 17/03/2009 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 21:48

thank you for tha site hula, i will read it now
thank you all for your constructive replies. i thought it was three months the studds needed to be kept in. and i remember the twisting from when i had mine done as a six year old. but i dont remember the pain as such, which is why i was thinking of having a second hole put in, to see just how much it will hurt etc.
harley, that makes sense about th egun. i always just assumed that the stud they used in the gun hd a special pointy bit on it, that they then filed off or something like that....

i shall do some research. she will have to wait till the beginning of the summer holidys for the six week period then.

OP posts:

Original poster

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 21:49

under, i do know someone through work who has lots of piercings, and i mean lots. i could ask her i suppose.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 17/03/2009 21:52

I took DD with me when I had my ears pierced. She was 4 or 5 at the time. A couple of years on and she is still adament she will never have hers done. It did rally hurt when my were done, esp when the second earing didn't go all the way through and she had t start again. Ouch, ouch ouch.

Did have mine doen originally at 10y but they became infected, ina nasty way too, and healed over. Tried again at 13y and same happened. This time it still hurts to wear earings for very long and hurts to put them in, etc. Must have wierd ears.

harleyd · 17/03/2009 21:54

my girls are tortuting me for it
when i eventually let them they'll be going to the studio i got all mine done in

Original poster

stitchtime · 17/03/2009 22:06

hula, how horrible for you. mine were done in a fairly straightforward way when i was six. i dont really remember it much. and they healed well, never had any trouble. and i still havent wanted to get dd's ears pierced before.
harley, the decision to let them have their ears pierced is a hard one to make. i am going to let dd have hers done. but wont let the ds's have theirs done. i will be adamant about that.

OP posts:

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