when is it fair to pierce a baby/child's ears?

Snake

There's a huge argument over this on a Facebook page to do with parenting about when is a fair age to get a child's ear pierced. Some say it's fine when you're okay with it, others like myself think it's not right until their old enough to ask for and understand what that it WILL hurt as well as keep it clean etc. So what does boards think? I also find it sickening when people recommend Claires and chemists to get it done.. For so many reasons, the biggest being, the people in Claires have no training at all they're literally sat down they watch a 30 minute video and handed a gun and cheap studs which can cause severe reactions and pain for the child... There's very little EU legislation on piercing but the main one is that the only steel that can be used is TITANIUM and Guns are not to be used. Should parents be allowed peirce kids at any age or should there be stricter rules on it? I have 17 piercings, btw so I'm not just someone who thinks they should be banned outright, I'm all for them. But not at any age you like.

The Dagda

When the child can decide for themselves.

GarIT

16 minimum if the child is mature, otherwise 18.

Lisha

I'm not a fan of it at all. Will be holding out for communion age before I allow my daughter to get hers done.
One advantage to getting them done as a baby is that they won't know why or remember rhe pain I suppose.

Genuine question: if a gun is not used how are ears pierced? And who should pierce them ?

Snake

I also had this argument thrown at me.. Opinions?

The argument was that a baby can't decide if they want to be christened or not.. But parents decide for them.. Which is true, usually. But christening a baby doesn't hurt or leave scars?

GreeBo

what if your child doesnt want holes in their ears as an adult?

Molester Stallone II

Lets get the opinion of some women.......oh....its AH.....my bad, carry on dude

Snake

Molester Stallone II wrote: »

Lets get the opinion of some women.......oh....its AH.....my bad, carry on dude

This isn't after hours

Aimeee

Same question from me, who and how should it be done properly.
Not in favour baby ear piercing myself, unnecessary pain imo.

Snake

Aimeee wrote: »

Same question from me, who and how should it be done properly.
Not in favour baby ear piercing myself, unnecessary pain imo.

With a sterilised needle and titanium labret bar. Like if my son wants to be pierced, no problem. But if he even hints it before he's 16-17 the hell it's happening.

Gatling

It's child abuse in the most public way.

Sticking a needle followed by a foreign body in a childs ear in the name of vanity of the parents and beautification .

Why not allow tattoo's .

We chastise parents who smack kids as abusers and been out of touch.
But yet in the name of beauty body modification is fine .

My post isn't meant to inflame or cause but as a father I'm personally very against the idea

triple nipple

when they're 16

pwurple

Secondary school at the earliest. Mine were pierced when I asked for it for my 12th birthday... I can't see my eldest daughter asking for a good long while, if ever. She's nearly 4, but no interest in dresses or princessy stuff so far. All dinosaurs and robots. Who knows for the younger one.

Babies with pierced ears, not my thing. What would a baby need earrings for?

I did bring the small baby swimming recently, just wearing a swim nappy and a generic baby wetsuit, and a guy in the pool came over with his baby to chat. He assumed she was a boy because her ears were not pierced. He was european, not sure from where, but I guess they use it as a gender cue for small babies?

Lisha

pwurple wrote: »

Secondary school at the earliest. Mine were pierced when I asked for it for my 12th birthday... I can't see my eldest daughter asking for a good long while, if ever. She's nearly 4, but no interest in dresses or princessy stuff so far. All dinosaurs and robots. Who knows for the younger one.

Babies with pierced ears, not my thing. What would a baby need earrings for?

I did bring the small baby swimming recently, just wearing a swim nappy and a generic baby wetsuit, and a guy in the pool came over with his baby to chat. He assumed she was a boy because her ears were not pierced. He was european, not sure from where, but I guess they use it as a gender cue for small babies?

Apparently in Spain they pierce baby girls ears in the hospital. It is just normal to them and I assume other countries do the same.

It's just not for me. I'd be afraid baby would take our earrings and swallow them or worse they'd get caught on something and tear the ear.

GarIT

I think it should just be outright illegal to peirce, tattoo, wax or pluck anyone under 16.

GalwayGirl26

I had mine done when I was 5.
It was a treat because I had been prescribed glasses and an eye patch and I guess my mother (who would be otherwise quite old fashioned/strict) wanted me to focus on my ears as opposed to my eyes! So the cleaning/rotating earring was done at the same time as changing my eye patch.

I wouldn't judge a child/parent who had earrings at a young age; it's just jewellery.

Sweet Rose

I have 3 piercings in each ear. I had them all done when I was about 16 and it really hurt at the time. I often stupidly put cheap earrings in them and developed infections as a result, which were really sore. I'd be damned if I'd put my daughter through that for the sake of vanity and what looks pretty.

I'm a fan of keeping children organic and natural for as long as possible.

Cienciano

I'd never do it, completely unnecessary and personally, I think it looks terrible on kids. When they're 16 they can do it

Xdancer

Lisha wrote: »

Apparently in Spain they pierce baby girls ears in the hospital. It is just normal to them and I assume other countries do the same.

It's just not for me. I'd be afraid baby would take our earrings and swallow them or worse they'd get caught on something and tear the ear.

They'll do it in the hospital if you ask them too. Thankfully it's not done automatically otherwise I would have killed them when my daughter was born. When she was tiny and all dressed in pink some people still asked if she was a boy or girl because her ears weren't pierced.

I'd let her get them done from about 4 or 5 years of age (like I was) if she wanted them done. I personally don't like to see little babies with earrings.

Rosy Posy

I've told my daughter she can have it done when she's old enough to take responsibility for cleaning and rotating them, and when she's mature enough to accept that they're sore and deal with it. In reality I'd say around 13? I kind of had the idea that it might be a nice thing to do when she gets her first period? If she wants to. Definitely piercing with a gun is a no no- I used to do it in a summer job and it is very easy to get wrong. A proper qualified piercer with a sterile needle is the way to go. Surgical steel seamless hoops are less likely to get infected also.

Oryx

My daughter asked at 6 to have her ears pierced. I brought her to Claires where they used a gun. It was fast, clean and painfree. Wee girl actually grinned and told me it didn't hurt. They were pierced with 9ct studs because thats all I can wear and I thought she might be the same. We had no issues with pain or infection afterwards. She was pleased with herself and was really good about aftercare.

The only other place that does piercing locally without a gun is a tattoo shop with a very nice but heavily pierced and tattooed owner. I cant be sure but I figured that whole process would have been more traumatic and alien to a 6 yo. So Claires it was.

Raminahobbin

I got my first pair done for my communion and a second pair done when I was about 13/14. Both were done by newbies in a chemist with a gun, and both are slightly off centre, which I really hate as I would have liked the get more done following up the ear, and with the off-centre placement they'd look pretty crap with more.

If I had a daughter, I'd be pretty strict on making her wait until she's old enough to get it done by a professional who knows their trade and won't make silly mistakes. And I can't imagine many reputable professionals would pierce someone before they're 16 years old.

Sligo1

I don't know why any parent would put their baby through that unnecessary pain! It really bewilders me. Fair enough if the child is older and requests it. But babies with earrings?? I saw 2 with earrings last week and I just can't comprehend why it would be done (if it wasnt a cultural thing).

Mine won't be getting their ears pierced before secondary school.

January

My little girl asked last year at 4. I showed her some videos on YouTube and she changed her mind hasn't asked since.

I won't let a gun near their ears so whenever they're old enough to be able to get it done with a needle but not until they ask and understand the care involved.

Calmsurrender

I got all 14 of mine done between 13-18
No regrets.

Lisha

I'm so glad I read this thread. Ive reassessed my communion age time frame for allowing my daughter to pierce her ears. The older the better.

eviltwin

When they are in their teens. I can't see the point of earrings on kids anyway, how is a tiny stud in each ear an improvement from non pierced ears?

Wellyd

Wow people are unbelievably judgemental about this. I came across what may have been the Facebook post the OP referred to and I was shocked by peoples opinions. When I saw this pop up I had a read to and I really can't believe how much people are overreacting. I asked to get mine pierced when I was about 4 and I got them done in a jewellers with a piercing gun. I have absolutely no memory of the unbelievable pain everyone is talking about. I have such fond memories of the day I got them pierced and the jeweller showing me a pair of gold studs with green stones in them and he told me they'd match my eyes the best. He gave me a pound to go get chocolate on the way home.

So if you think it's traumatising children then please get a grip. It's 2 holes in their ears. Children will have to deal with much worse than that. FWIW I went with my best friend to get hers pierced when she was 16 and she screamed like a baby and whinged for about a month about how sore and tender her ears were. In comparison to my little sister who got hers done at 6 and she barely batted an eyelid!

Snake

Wellyd wrote: »

Wow people are unbelievably judgemental about this. I came across what may have been the Facebook post the OP referred to and I was shocked by peoples opinions. When I saw this pop up I had a read to and I really can't believe how much people are overreacting. I asked to get mine pierced when I was about 4 and I got them done in a jewellers with a piercing gun. I have absolutely no memory of the unbelievable pain everyone is talking about. I have such fond memories of the day I got them pierced and the jeweller showing me a pair of gold studs with green stones in them and he told me they'd match my eyes the best. He gave me a pound to go get chocolate on the way home.

So if you think it's traumatising children then please get a grip. It's 2 holes in their ears. Children will have to deal with much worse than that. FWIW I went with my best friend to get hers pierced when she was 16 and she screamed like a baby and whinged for about a month about how sore and tender her ears were. In comparison to my little sister who got hers done at 6 and she barely batted an eyelid!

Well my 5 year old cousins ears hurt so much after my auntie let her have them pierced in Claires "twisting" the stud was like ripping the thing out... The fact you need to twist the stud is enough to show how dangerous the guns are...

Sligo1

Wellyd wrote: »

Wow people are unbelievably judgemental about this. I came across what may have been the Facebook post the OP referred to and I was shocked by peoples opinions. When I saw this pop up I had a read to and I really can't believe how much people are overreacting. I asked to get mine pierced when I was about 4 and I got them done in a jewellers with a piercing gun. I have absolutely no memory of the unbelievable pain everyone is talking about. I have such fond memories of the day I got them pierced and the jeweller showing me a pair of gold studs with green stones in them and he told me they'd match my eyes the best. He gave me a pound to go get chocolate on the way home.

So if you think it's traumatising children then please get a grip. It's 2 holes in their ears. Children will have to deal with much worse than that. FWIW I went with my best friend to get hers pierced when she was 16 and she screamed like a baby and whinged for about a month about how sore and tender her ears were. In comparison to my little sister who got hers done at 6 and she barely batted an eyelid!

Pain is a very subjective feeling and you are lucky you felt none. However, that is not to say other little kids won't.

Fwiw, I don't think posters are being overly judgemental. I think they are simply voicing their opinions on what they think is or was right for them and their own children. Not others children as such.

Also I must add, perhaps I am being slightly judgemental when in comes to babies having their ears pierced... But simply because I personally think this is unnecessary. Now I'm not talking about a 4 or 5 yo who asks to have it done. I'm talking about a small baby who can't talk. What good does this do? Ear piercing is an invasive procedure that has an infection risk associated it. I don't particularly care how small that risk is... Why would one take it? Also why would one take the risk of a tiny stud falling out when the baby is sleeping causing a choking hazard? I just don't understand it!?

You could liken the needle to a Vaccine. however, imo vaccines are a necessary pain for the Baby. The baby (usually) cries. Which would indicate the needle does in fact hurt them. However, the benefits are infinite and have reason to prevent illnesses. What benefits does piercing a small babies ears have other than the superficial aspect??

norabattie

Wellyd wrote: »

Wow people are unbelievably judgemental about this. I came across what may have been the Facebook post the OP referred to and I was shocked by peoples opinions. When I saw this pop up I had a read to and I really can't believe how much people are overreacting. I asked to get mine pierced when I was about 4 and I got them done in a jewellers with a piercing gun. I have absolutely no memory of the unbelievable pain everyone is talking about. I have such fond memories of the day I got them pierced and the jeweller showing me a pair of gold studs with green stones in them and he told me they'd match my eyes the best. He gave me a pound to go get chocolate on the way home.

So if you think it's traumatising children then please get a grip. It's 2 holes in their ears. Children will have to deal with much worse than that. FWIW I went with my best friend to get hers pierced when she was 16 and she screamed like a baby and whinged for about a month about how sore and tender her ears were. In comparison to my little sister who got hers done at 6 and she barely batted an eyelid!

Have to agree with you. I was 7 when I had mine done. Can't remember it being painful at all. Just remember being so happy to have them done.
I also got my daughters done for her communion in a chemist . The girls there were lovely, she didn't cry at all. It was a real treat for her.
Saying that I do think it looks terrible on a young child/baby.

GarIT wrote: »

I think it should just be outright illegal to peirce, tattoo, wax or pluck anyone under 16.

Can I also add, that unfortunately my daughter ( now 11) had a bit of a unibrow situation going on and was terribly conscious of it, so I (sometimes) wax it for her using a home kit. These kind of things can be extremely upsetting to a child going through puberty, so I didn't see the harm in it.

Wellyd

Snake wrote: »

Well my 5 year old cousins ears hurt so much after my auntie let her have them pierced in Claires "twisting" the stud was like ripping the thing out... The fact you need to twist the stud is enough to show how dangerous the guns are...

I can't speak for Claire's and their policy on piercing ears. But they're getting a bad rap on this thread and the Facebook post I read which to me would suggest that they may not be the best place for younger children to get their ears pierced. I would suggest that if people are getting their kids ears pierced at a young age that they might perhaps ask locally for a recommendation. But even with this it still may hurt different children more. It depends on a child's pain barrier. There's no point in bringing a child that has a low pain threshold to get their ears pierced and then complaining about how it was barbaric and like torture by how painful they found it.

Parents know their own children and what pain they are able to cope with. I'm sure if I was a whingy child that cried everytime I fell and scraped a knee that my parents wouldn't have let me get mine pierced at such a young age.

Snake

Wellyd wrote: »

I can't speak for Claire's and their policy on piercing ears. But they're getting a bad rap on this thread and the Facebook post I read which to me would suggest that they may not be the best place for younger children to get their ears pierced. I would suggest that if people are getting their kids ears pierced at a young age that they might perhaps ask locally for a recommendation. But even with this it still may hurt different children more. It depends on a child's pain barrier. There's no point in bringing a child that has a low pain threshold to get their ears pierced and then complaining about how it was barbaric and like torture by how painful they found it.

Parents know their own children and what pain they are able to cope with. I'm sure if I was a whingy child that cried everytime I fell and scraped a knee that my parents wouldn't have let me get mine pierced at such a young age.

Claires earned their bad rep within the piercing industry... Any of the jewellers are just as bad... No you don't know what pain ANYONE is able for that's pure ****. I can't feel someone else's pain, nor can anyone else.. I can't decide if my son can handle an ear piercing but a tounge piercing would be too sore.. That's the biggest load of crap I've ever seen.

Wellyd

Snake wrote: »

No you don't know what pain ANYONE is able for that's pure ****. I can't feel someone else's pain, nor can anyone else.. I can't decide if my son can handle an ear piercing but a tounge piercing would be too sore.. That's the biggest load of crap I've ever seen.

I would never suggest that anyone can know the exact amount of physical pain a person whether adult or child can cope with. But there clearly are people that can deal with pain better than others.

Das Kitty

Getting my ears pierced is the only thing I can remember about being 6. It hurt like a mofo. I couldn't sleep for a week.

Awful.

Stepping Stone

I got mine done when I was 16. My mother allowed me to cut my hair, dye my hair crazy colours but nothing permanent until I was 16. It hurt.

Whatever about piercing a babies' ears, my friend who is a doctor came across worse. She was working in Glasgow and treated a month old baby girl with a nose piercing that was horribly infected. The parents had done a DIY job on the ears and nose. While the ears were accessible for cleaning, the child had a cold so the nose was not.

They wanted a 'rock' baby.

Lisha

Stepping Stone wrote: »

I got mine done when I was 16. My mother allowed me to cut my hair, dye my hair crazy colours but nothing permanent until I was 16. It hurt.

Whatever about piercing a babies' ears, my friend who is a doctor came across worse. She was working in Glasgow and treated a month old baby girl with a nose piercing that was horribly infected. The parents had done a DIY job on the ears and nose. While the ears were accessible for cleaning, the child had a cold so the nose was not.

They wanted a 'rock' baby.

That's shameful and horrific

I really hope social services got involved.

Stepping Stone

Lisha wrote: »

That's shameful and horrific

I really hope social services got involved.

Yes they did. She said that it was one of the worst cases of parental incompenence that she had seen. There were more issues than just the piercing.

GreeBo

Wellyd wrote: »

So if you think it's traumatising children then please get a grip. It's 2 holes in their ears. Children will have to deal with much worse than that. FWIW I went with my best friend to get hers pierced when she was 16 and she screamed like a baby and whinged for about a month about how sore and tender her ears were. In comparison to my little sister who got hers done at 6 and she barely batted an eyelid!

How about a nose stud so?
Maybe a bar here and there? If its just a hole, no problem right?

Why would you scar a child who may or may not want it later? Clearly you are getting it done for your own reasons and not the child's?
I doubt the baby cares if people think its a boy tbh

Rubberlegs

My girls would have been 6/7, getting their ears pierced. The eldest aged 21 now, has had a lot more piercings, whereas my other girl soon lost interest in earrings, and Iet the holes close up. I definitely would not get a child who is not old enough to want it themselves, or understand what's involved, get it done. I didn't get mine done till I was 18, but that was more to do with thinking that they actually shot the earrings at you out of the gun

Ericaa

I've had over 40 piercings so far. People always joke to me about getting my two year old son's ears pierced. I think it's disgusting to pierce a child's ears unless they have asked for it, and fully understand the responsibility of aftercare.

If you take your child to somewhere like Claire's, then you're an idiot. Simple.

Snake

Ericaa wrote: »

I've had over 40 piercings so far. People always joke to me about getting my two year old son's ears pierced. I think it's disgusting to pierce a child's ears unless they have asked for it, and fully understand the responsibility of aftercare.

If you take your child to somewhere like Claire's, then you're an idiot. Simple.

Apparently you're the idiot because the girls there are great and they don't just watch a 30 minute video and pierce because my friend Helen worked there and she was told by the manager that's not what happens, and Helen doesn't lie.

Ericaa

Snake wrote:

Apparently you're the idiot because the girls there are great and they don't just watch a 30 minute video and pierce because my friend Helen worked there and she was told by the manager that's not what happens, and Helen doesn't lie.

Uhhh what? I haven't said anything about any video. I have no idea why you've called me an idiot.
Claire's use guns. That's enough reason to not go anywhere near there for a child's piercings. Educate yourself.

Sligo1

Ericaa wrote: »

Uhhh what? I haven't said anything about any video. I have no idea why you've called me an idiot.
Claire's use guns. That's enough reason to not go anywhere near there for a child's piercings. Educate yourself.

Think he's being sarcastic Ericaa. Lols

wandatowell

Saw a boy on the same plane as me yesterday he was about 2 years old and he had his ear pierced.

Tbh I don't like the idea of it and I think it looks slightly tacky.

lukesmom

I was 4 when I got mine done, just at the time I started school. I had blue studs and loved them. I'd love to get my daughters done but she's not keen so of course I won't. She is also four years old.

pwurple

I didn't get mine done till I was 18, but that was more to do with thinking that they actually shot the earrings at you out of the gun

Lmao... I think I may tell my girls that this is how they do it. Mwhahaha!

lazygal

I got mine done when I was 12 in a local salon. I've wondered about how clean everything was because I've had some issues with infections and let them close up for a few years. I got them repierced when I was getting married. I was recommended a place in Dublin which I wasn't terribly keen on from the outside as its a tattoo place as well but the guy who repierced my ears was unbelievably professional. He explained everything, everything was spotless and told me the 'rotation' advice isn't correct. I had small hoops put in, left them alone apart from cleaning around the area properly and everything was perfect after a couple of weeks. If and when my daughter wants to have them done I'll bring her to this place or somewhere that specializes in piercings rather than a local jewelers.

Ericaa

Sligo1 wrote: »

Think he's being sarcastic Ericaa. Lols

ahahahaha, that totally went over my head!

Murray007

My mam pierced my ears at 6 with two ice cubes and a sowing needle. She was a hairdresser and did it for loads of people at the time.

They constantly got infected or reacted to even gold stud earrings until at the age of 12 I made the decision to let them close up. I have as an adult looked into getting them reopened properly but there is a bar of scarring in the ear that would cause infection so can't get them redone.

CRAZY, but I suspect Botox and fillers will cause similar problems in the future.

Do you ever think that Botox is the new tobacco - like why didn't they know putting something toxic in your body wouldn't cause problems in later life.

Penny Tration

lazygal wrote: »

I got mine done when I was 12 in a local salon. I've wondered about how clean everything was because I've had some issues with infections and let them close up for a few years. I got them repierced when I was getting married. I was recommended a place in Dublin which I wasn't terribly keen on from the outside as its a tattoo place as well but the guy who repierced my ears was unbelievably professional. He explained everything, everything was spotless and told me the 'rotation' advice isn't correct. I had small hoops put in, left them alone apart from cleaning around the area properly and everything was perfect after a couple of weeks. If and when my daughter wants to have them done I'll bring her to this place or somewhere that specializes in piercings rather than a local jewelers.

Why wouldn't you be keen on a tattoo studio for piercings? You're much better off.

Think of it - go to the guy who sells jewelry, or go to the guy who does body modifications for a living?

On topic - I think it's disgusting to pierce a child. I would never punch holes into a child's skin. My ears were pierced as a child and it's left me with scarring bad enough that I can't get them re-pierced, even if I wanted to. I'd have much rather not have been left with scars on my earlobes.