Daughter wants ears pierced!!!

[Miranda]

DH and the boys are going *camping* soon. DD (4 yrs. old in Jan.) and I are NOT going as I''m not a camper and she is too young to get a lot out of the hiking trip. We''ve been talking about all of the fun girl stuff we are going to do while the guys are gone. She said she wants to have her ears pierced. We''ve talked about it forever and she knows it is going to hurt. In the past I''ve told her to tell me when she is ready and we''ll go do it. I figured she''d be 6ish or school age before she really wanted to have it done. Does anyone have experience in this arena??? What to expect? Where to go? How long it hurts after the fact (I don''t remember - it was so long ago)? How old were your little girls when they got it done? I''m kind of excited about this. She is a total girly girl (read, she has to repaint when she gets a toe polish chip

) so I know she''ll love the world of earrings. I''m just nervous about it hurting for a long time. Thanks guys! I know there is not a better place to come for advice and help than Pricescope!

 

[poptart]

I had mine done when I was ten and I don''t remember it hurting very much at all (of course, I have my nose pierced too and that didn''t hurt at all.. so I might not be the best judge). I remember it hurt for maybe the rest of the night. But if you give her children''s tylenol or something that helps with the pain. They can have that when they are four right? (Clearly I don''t have children yet!)

My mom took me to claire''s to have them done, haha. They are actually really good, and they just have a plethera of jewelry for little girls to drool over. The piercing guns they use are so fast and the gauge of the hole is so small it probably won''t hurt her too bad. I would only worry about her being able to keep still, I was ancy when I was little. And you have to remember to clean out the piercings, too. Since she is four I assume you would have to do it, or at least remind her everyday to do it. I remember that got really tedious since I had to clean them twice a day every day. And be sure to get her sterling silver so it''s hypoallergenic... I think lots of kids need that for their piercings, especially when they are little. But anyway, Claire''s was quite nice. They are really clean and work with kids all the time, so they know what they are doing. Sorry this post was so scrambled... too many thoughts.

Good luck!

Marisa

 

[Erin]

I was six - I had to be reminded to ''twirl'' them for however long right after you get them done. I wasn''t given any earings to change into and looking back I think that''s the smartest thing. Just leave these in and get used to the idea for at least a year until she is more responsible and COULD change them and not lose them.

 

[anchor31]

I was five, I think. I had them done at my mom''s beautician. I remember more clearly having a second hole done at 14, and it doesn''t hurt for very long. A couple of hours at most?

 

[Kaleigh]

I got my daughter''s done when she was 5. Took her to our pediatician. She was dying to get them done. My mom made me wait till I was 13 to get them pierced.

Funny thing was right afterwards she liked mine so much, that she went the next day to get hers done.

 

[robbie3982]

I was 7. I don''t remember it hurting very much, though I think it depends on the person. I remember my best friend at the time got hers done before me and she thought it hurt so badly that she wouldn''t let them pierce her other ear. Her mother had to take her back another time after she''d worked up some courage. Personally, I remember it as a little nothing pinch. Try giving her some children''s tylenol before she goes so that she won''t have to wait for it to kick in.

Definitely make sure she turns and cleans those earring properly. I''m sure I didn''t, and I had no problems, but my cousin didn''t and her piercing healed over the earring and she had to go to a doctor to have them get it out

 

[monarch64]

I was 7...I had begged and begged my mother to let me get them pierced (everyone else''s were, lol). We went to a kiosk in the mall and had them done--didn''t hurt too much, just a lot of pressure/pinching feeling. I was fine for a few weeks, then out of nowhere I developed very enlarged lymph nodes in my neck and the back of my head!

My ears were not infected, nothing looked like the ear piercing had caused it, so I went to the doctor who ran all kinds of tests on me to figure out if I might have Hodgkins disease or cancer or the lymph nodes!!! The earrings came out, and I did not re-pierce them until I was 14. Turns out I''m allergic to nickel

. I have to be really careful about what I put in my ears/wear on my skin in general.

Moral of the story: just something you might want to watch out for when piercing little ones'' ears.

 

[njc]

I was made to count down the days until my 10th birthday, although I do not recall at what age I started asking for them to be peirced. My story is a carbon copy of Poptarts as far as where we went and my impressions!

My neice, who is a few months shy of 9 (God that kills me!), just got hers done. I was asking her about them the other day and she seems to be doing good about taking care of them... the cleaning, being careful, although she didnt know about the twisting!!! Her daddy isnt all too happy though (but hes that kind that thinks she is still 5!

I agree that you will have to be the one that cleans them and I wouldnt allow her to change them out either... maybe for special occasions and that YOU have to do it for her, or else she is going to loose them and when you just get them done the holes start closing up without anything in them and THAT hurts!

 

[Miranda]

Thanks for all of the tips guys! Great ideas! And yes, I will totally be the one taking care of them. I was thinking of going someplace where they could do them both at once so I don''t have the trouble (like Robbie said) of getting one done and her not wanting the other. Goodness Monarch...I''ll be watching for swelling of the surrounding areas...And no nickel!

On the scary news front...I just asked her what kind of earrings she would like and she said, "Something really sparkly. Like your ring!" Great now she wants diamonds!!!!!! I called DH and told him. He says NO WAY!!! Hmmmmm, maybe .20 ctw! Hehe! Ok, ok, maybe when she''s 5.

 

[Mara]

hehehe my mom had mine done when i was 6 months old. so i don''t remember a thing!! the piercings are so much more precise now, in the ''old days'' they used the needle, owie. so one of mine is a tiny bit closer to my head than the other. it only makes a tiny diff but they are not totally symmetrical!

 

[FireGoddess]

In my baby pictures I have pierced ears. As early as 2 years old and before that. So I think it's perfectly fine!!

The guns they use are super fast and it's sore for a few days (gotta keep it clean and apply the cleaning solution every morning and night) but otherwise no big deal.

As for where, I don't know - I'm sure my mom didn't have mine done at the mall.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I was around 10-11 years old when I got mine done. I begged my parents for years. Finally my dad said if I got a good check-up at the dentist I could get them done. My dad (a doctor) didn''t trust the mall places so I got mine done at the doctor''s office. He actually gave me a shot in each ear so I couldn''t feel the gun. I did feel the shot but I was so excited I didn''t care.

 

[KimberlyH]

My sister and I had to wait until we were 10. I was so jealous of her, because I was 2 years younger. I''ll never forget that day, actually. My mom was driving us to the mall, it was raining, and she spun out on the freeway. We still went and got Patty''s ears pierced, she insisted.

I''m in a credential program and spend a lot of time observing at elementary schools, most of the little girls have pierced ears, I say go for it.

 

[JCJD]

Date: 11/3/2006 2:45:36 PM
Author: Starset Princess
I was six - I had to be reminded to ''twirl'' them for however long right after you get them done. I wasn''t given any earings to change into and looking back I think that''s the smartest thing. Just leave these in and get used to the idea for at least a year until she is more responsible and COULD change them and not lose them.

Starset - you are so right!
Miranda - don''t buy her or give her access to any other earrings until the piercings have FULLY healed! And add on another week if she''s bad about cleaning them! Those piercings need to be completely healed before she should be allowed to change the earrings at all. And you should probably wait to introduce her to WF''s martini studs until she''s in double digits.

 

[Miranda]

Date: 11/3/2006 6:09:36 PM
Author: JCJD

Date: 11/3/2006 2:45:36 PM
Author: Starset Princess
I was six - I had to be reminded to ''twirl'' them for however long right after you get them done. I wasn''t given any earings to change into and looking back I think that''s the smartest thing. Just leave these in and get used to the idea for at least a year until she is more responsible and COULD change them and not lose them.

Starset - you are so right!
Miranda - don''t buy her or give her access to any other earrings until the piercings have FULLY healed! And add on another week if she''s bad about cleaning them! Those piercings need to be completely healed before she should be allowed to change the earrings at all. And you should probably wait to introduce her to WF''s martini studs until she''s in double digits.

Oh come on JCJD! Some cute little ACA .10...

If I remember correctly the healing time is at least 6 weeks. I know she won''t be messing with them. The understanding is that she let me clean them, twist them, change them, etc.

Thanks to everyone for the tips and advice. Keep it coming!

 

[sumbride]

I had mine done on my 6th birthday but I didn''t take care of them and I got an infection when we went to the beach, so I had to let them grow in. I went back when I was 8 to get them done again. I think the noise of the gun scared me more than the pain of the piercing. I don''t really remember it hurting much. Glad that you''ll be the one taking care of them. and yes, be sure to get her gold posts!!!

 

[njc]

And kinda along the lines of Maras not so even holes, I remember they took a marker and planned out my holes and let me and my mom approve before they did it... not a bad idea!

I cant imagine it would be a problem to have them do both holes at the same time. I think you can get "diamond" studs for them to use too... im sure those would satisfy her sparkle craving for now!

 

[WTNLVR]

I was an old lady of 12 when I got mine done. Maybe I''m a wimp, but it hurt like crazy. Then we had to put alcohol on them 3 times a day to prevent infection and twirl them all the time. I left my original studs in for the time they said- I think it was 4 weeks. I remembr it being really hard to take them out because the gun jammed the backs on so hard. I refuse to get anymore piercings due to the discomfort. But, at 4 yo I doubt she''ll remembr any pain later in life so go for it. Maybe at a doctors they could numb her lobes to make it easier?

 

[moremoremore]

LOL...I just had a flash back....I wanted them so badly and then chickened out the first time....I THINK I was 5 or 6....I think they used to do them in Macys believe it or not...But I could be way off.....I specifically remember the day and that it didn''t hurt at all...i just remember the itch after...and I remember the little flat gold butterly earrings I bought as my first real pair LOL...I still have them somewhere!

 

[ladykemma]

i had second holes put in recently to accomodate (sp) a second pair of diamond studs. they don''t use a gun anymore, it''s more like a stapler - didn''t hurt at all.

the noise makes you jump though.

i would get yellow gold studs in case she is allergic to white gold. they had nifty diamond starter earrings too.

 

[JCJD]

Date: 11/3/2006 6:27:19 PM
Author: Miranda

Date: 11/3/2006 6:09:36 PM

Author: JCJD

Date: 11/3/2006 2:45:36 PM

Author: Starset Princess

I was six - I had to be reminded to ''twirl'' them for however long right after you get them done. I wasn''t given any earings to change into and looking back I think that''s the smartest thing. Just leave these in and get used to the idea for at least a year until she is more responsible and COULD change them and not lose them.

Starset - you are so right!

Miranda - don''t buy her or give her access to any other earrings until the piercings have FULLY healed! And add on another week if she''s bad about cleaning them! Those piercings need to be completely healed before she should be allowed to change the earrings at all. And you should probably wait to introduce her to WF''s martini studs until she''s in double digits.

Oh come on JCJD! Some cute little ACA .10...


If I remember correctly the healing time is at least 6 weeks. I know she won''t be messing with them. The understanding is that she let me clean them, twist them, change them, etc.


Thanks to everyone for the tips and advice. Keep it coming!

Honey, I got my first pair of diamond studs, .10, not ACA, for my first wedding anniversary this summer! I''m 24 for pete''s sake!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 11/4/2006 10:31:36 AM
Author: WTNLVR
Maybe at a doctors they could numb her lobes to make it easier?

Thats what my doctor did. Also now I am glad we went to him instead of some 15 year old at the mall. My holes are even.

 

[poptart]

Hey! I had mine done at the mall and mine are perfectly even!

Marisa

 

[robbie3982]

I had all 6 of my piercings done at the mall (I have 3 sets of holes, but usually only wear earrings in the bottom set) and only my first set aren''t quite even. It was my own fault though since they do mark them with a marker. I was just so excited to be getting my ears pierced that I didn''t check out the dots too carefully. Also, I didn''t even think about them being uneven seeing as how they were my first piercing and I was only 7

. They''re not so uneven, though, that people notice.

 

[isaku5]

I was a "late bloomer" when it came to having my ears pierced because I just didn''t like the idea of *holes* being punched in my ears until I saw a fab pair of diamond studs- can''t remember the size- and had to have them (a PS''er in the making

). The only person I trusted to do the piercing was my hairdresser who was very careful marking the point where the studs would go-very symmetrical. i felt nothing until about 15 minutes later when there was no pain- just a lot of pressure for a couple of hours. I looked after the piercings very carefully as directed and wore the original studs for 6 weeks. The moment the gold studs were pried off my ears, I tried on the diamond studs. Absolutely stunning!!! It was worth all the care and more.

OK, here''s the interesting part....My mom who had just turned 80 loved the look of mine so much she had hers done within a few weeks and persuaded my dad to buy her matching diamond earrings and a pendant. Mom wore very little jewellery all her life, but she was very proud of her set and wore the three pieces very proudly "on special occasions" which included her funeral at the age of 93. I am now the "keeper of the jewels", but can''t bring myself to wear them as every time I look at them, I think of her and start to cry. They will, when the time is right, be passed down to one of her great granddaughters (along with the story).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I had my ears pierced at a jewelry store when I was maybe 11 or 12, and both my girls had theirs done at 10-11 also at a jewelery store. The little one was just afraid to do it before then. But the pain is very brief and she did fine. I am unhappy that one is not centered as well as the other, and I''d like that ear to be redone, but she''s not fond of that idea! She did pick out tiny CZ''s for her first pair!

 

[qtiekiki]

I got mine when I was 8 at a mall. I remember hearing the click of the gun and feeling a pinch, then my ears felt warm and were kind of red. That lasted maybe an hour or so. No serious pain that I recall. I got all my ear pierces at the mall (3 sets in the lobes and 2 on my right cartilage that were done twice); I never had any problem with them and they are even. I got my navel pierce at a tattoo parlor and even that just felt like a pinch.

I don't think you will have any problem especially if you are going to be cleaning it for her. That's the most important thing.

She is one lucky girl to have some .10 ACA stud at age 4/5. I got my first diamond studs (~.50ctw) from my MOH as a wedding gift and I was 25.

 

[Ellen]

Dang, I was 13, and went behind my mothers back even then. My best friends neighbor did them, with a needle. I just pinched my lobes for several minutes and then she did it. Didn''t hurt.

I have all boys, so I never contemplated this. I think if I had a girl, I''d let her get them done when she was old enough to deal with them responsibly.

 

[MINE!!]

My mother waited till I was 5 and I made my daughters wait as well. I told them both that it was a big decision, and if they wanted to do it, then they had to be willing to let it hurt. I do not think that they would have realized how MUCh it was going to really hurt before then. I also made sure that I knew they could "take care" of their own ears as well.. i.e. putting the antiseptic on them. My oldest did it on her 5th B-day and she did fine, my youngest went when she turned 5 and backed out, I made it a no pressure, no big deal thing, she waited till a little after 6th B-day and then she did fine.

 

[reader]

My kid was 3 when she started asking,..I waited until she was four, and spent the whole year teaching her how to take care of them, discussing how much it hurts, and generally watching her maturity. We went to a tatoo place, because they can autoclave their equipment, the guns at the mall cannot be.
She screamed at the first one, and the girl asked if my kid only wanted one:"No, I need two, I''m not gonna be lopsided...Gimmie a Minute! " "Ok Ok, lets do it"

Her second holes she did herself about 2 months ago.

I got mine at 12, and broke out in a horrid infection/rash due to the solution the mall sold, and the backs were stuck from the gun...so I had to have them pried open with a set of needle nosed pliers.