Piercing children’s ears

[Hannah1984]

I personally think it is awful for babies and young children to be pierced.
In my opinion it is along the same lines as toddlers wearing thongs, young girls wearing mini skirts and knee high boots and kids plastered in make up and wearing t shirts with sexual slogans.

Children are children for such a short length of time - so let them be kids! Why do we have this culture of making children look like mini-adults?
Let them make their own decisions when they are old enough and responsible enough.

I totally agree! Kids dont stay kids for long enough nowadays!

 

[Hannah1984]

Oh yes I had mine done when I was 12

 

[Apex73]

:biggrin: HI, aswell as being a nail tek, i'm an experienced ear & body piercer. I've pierced the ears of a one year old (using the gun, not the body piercing method). It felt a bit wrong cos she had'nt actually chosen it herself. but the way i saw it was that if i didn't pierce her, then plenty of other places would, and being as i was at a reputable piercing studio, this was a better option than going down the market for them done! Anyway, most girls will want their ears pierced at some point, so better to do it when the pain will be forgotten.

 

[Sal]

My mum wouldn't let me get my ears pierced until I was 16 - at nearly 29 I still haven't had them done! or any parts of my body.

I didn't get them done cos by 16 I'd seen and heard about all the problems my friends had with their pierced earings.

I really dont like seeing babies or toddlers with their ears pierced - it looks tacky and has only been done cos the parents want it doing, not the child.

No way would I get my child's ears pierced (especially because I thought it would be good to get it "over and done with").

 

[nincompoop]

just interested to see what people's thoughts are in regards to using piercing guns over body piercing needles........

http://poly-morph.com.au/piercing2.htm

 

[nemotail]

Hi there,
Just had a quick skim on the info on your link - EEK! Never gave it much thought before but thats scary Mate....

 

[yogacat]

just interested to see what people's thoughts are in regards to using piercing guns over body piercing needles........

http://poly-morph.com.au/piercing2.htm

I have heard some bad things about piercing guns, but this really lays it out clearly. A bit of an eye opener.

So basically if you pierce your tiny infant's ears, not only are you inflicting unecessary pain on them, making them look cheap and tacky, marking out them as your property to treat however it pleases you, you could also be infecting them with Hep B or worse! Great!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Katelisa printed a similar article a while ago. I think this is why it is better to go to a reputable piercing studio where they are licensed by the council and their premises and procedures inspected. I know this is no guarantee, but it's better than sitting in a busy shop where the surroundings cannot be properly sanitised.

It also raises the hygiene point a little further, could all the items for sale in Clare's Accesories get contaminated as they are not in closed displays?

 

[Apex73]

So basically if you pierce your tiny infant's ears, not only are you inflicting unecessary pain on them, making them look cheap and tacky, marking out them as your property to treat however it pleases you, you could also be infecting them with Hep B or worse! Great!

Hi again. a gun is safe to use in the right hands, nobody should use any form of piercing eqpt if they are'nt properly trained. As for the Hep B side of things, a gun & all piercing eqpt should be STERILISED! its much the same as with sharp or potentially invasive instruments used in nails. The gun should be soaked in barbicide (or other high grade steriliser). Sterile pre-packed needles are the cleanest possible method, but if someone just wants their earlobes done, then the gun is fine. All else should be the needle method.
If a piercing is properly administered, with the appropriate jewellery & all aftercare instructions are adhered to, then nobody should be havin any problems.

 

[Apex73]

It also raises the hygiene point a little further, could all the items for sale in Clare's Accesories get contaminated as they are not in closed displays?

By what? The stuff in the shop could only be contaminated if the piercer wipes the gun on the it(!) or of he/she has any kind of piercing related body fluids on their hands, & goes on to touch stuff.
If the piercer is serious about hygeine, the should be wearing surgical gloves, washing their hands regularly, and sterilising the gun.

 

[*JOANNE*]

i had my ears peirced when i was under 1 it was early 70's and was the norm for it to be done at an early stage.
i dont have a daughter so have never had to make that disision but...i dont think i would have had their ears done at an early stage i think alot has to do with what era you where brought up in and the changing crazes.
as reguards to guns or needles i had the top of my ear done with a gun...the swelling was terrible.
i had my nose first done with a gun and then a needle as the gun hurt me so much i felt like i had been punched. i had my eye brow done with a needle and although the thourght was scary it didnt hurt as much and i had no swelling i then went and had my lip done with a needle (that bloody hurt) but i think with a gun the trauma would have caused no end of problems.
i think guns have their place for non cartalage piercings maybe just for the ear lobes but not for others due to the trauma.
changing from little girls to little boys of which i have 3...having their ear peirced....NO WAY

 

[yogacat]

By what? The stuff in the shop could only be contaminated if the piercer wipes the gun on the it(!) or of he/she has any kind of piercing related body fluids on their hands, & goes on to touch stuff.
If the piercer is serious about hygeine, the should be wearing surgical gloves, washing their hands regularly, and sterilising the gun.

No, if you read the article she (nincompoop) linked to, there is an issue with blood microspray. This means that a very fine mist of blood (not necessarily visible with the naked eye) is sprayed over the surrounding area.

Also, if you read the article there is no way of STERILISING the gun only to SANITISE. and unlike nail tech work, the skin IS broken, so items should be STERILISED not just sanitised. Do you want to catch HIV?

 

[ADiva1]

After care is very important with ear piercing. I think alot of places, people and gadgets are blamed for improper or piercings that have gone horribly wrong.

BUT do people do the aftercare that they were told to do? Like turning the earring twice daily and applying the steralising solution that was given to them?

Whenever I do ear piercings, I insist and do follow up checks to ensure that people are turning the earrings and also applying the steralising solution that was given to them.

In this day and age, people are doing all sorts to their bodies, belly button, nose, ear piercing you name it. However, its the preparation, experience and also the aftercare that is mainly important.

If I were to have a another child and be it a girl; yes, I would pierce her ears, but at a very young age. She would only be wearing studs, no hoops.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

When Nats had her ears done they said NOT to turn them, or fiddle with them. I think this is cos most kids don't wash their hands before doing so and so add the risk of infection. She didn't turn them and they were fine, just bathed them daily as requested.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

No, if you read the article she (nincompoop) linked to, there is an issue with blood microspray. This means that a very fine mist of blood (not necessarily visible with the naked eye) is sprayed over the surrounding area.

Also, if you read the article there is no way of STERILISING the gun only to SANITISE. and unlike nail tech work, the skin IS broken, so items should be STERILISED not just sanitised. Do you want to catch HIV?

Thanks hun, it was the microspray that I was referring to. It was mentioned by my Local Environmental Officer when I registered for permanent makeup. I have to spray the whole area within 2 feet of the treatment, including the wall!

 

[Katelisa]

When Nats had her ears done they said NOT to turn them, or fiddle with them. I think this is cos most kids don't wash their hands before doing so and so add the risk of infection. She didn't turn them and they were fine, just bathed them daily as requested.

also, you shouldnt turn them because it will 'irritate' the healing skin. kinda like picking a scab.

 

[nincompoop]

in regards to the guns - (besides the cleanliness issues) i think that they add unnessecary truama by basically forcing a somewhat "blunt" (compared to a chemically sharpened, sterilised, single use peircing needle) piece of metal through your flesh. i have numerous body piercings (done by needle) and numerous ear and cartliage peircings (done by guns). i have never had a problem with my "gunned" piercings, so i think a lot of problems are also due to after care. (turning jewellery through fresh piercings is not very good for healing) i mean you can be the most clean and experienced peircer but if someone isn't going to look after a piercing correctly then its not your fault if things go bad.
the other thing i find with using a gun to pierce ears is the sound it makes. i think that sound is more than enough to freak out a small child considering it goes off right next to your ear!
personally i wouldn't like to go to a tattooist who only soaks their needles in a "sanitiser" i think i would prefer to see a peicer or tattooist who uses single use items and autoclaved jewellery.
personally i like seeing earrings on little girls but i think if you're going to do it, do it safely and with a less truama as possible. and make sure that its kept clean! (very hard for children!)

 

[bell]

my my girls age 8 1/2 and 3 1/2 had their ears done at 6 months i had no prolems they didnt play with them when i showed them in the mirror the were pretties i think the law has changed they have to be at least aged 1 andup but it all comes down to personal preference we all have different opinions but my oldest has asked me if she is allowed to body piercings and tattoos i smy reply was when ur 18 u can have them done as long as u dont go over board i had them got rid of piercings i just have tattos so i cant be a hippercrite
but it all comes down to personal pref some like some dont:green:

 

[Zuise.e]

I had my daughter's ears pireced at 6 months old - and got told off by my mum !!- but she never messed with them and by the time she started school - she was able to take them out for school and for long periods without the holes closing up.

 

[lilliewhite]

I know it is customary in other cultures and I personally would not, but whether we like it or not this and many other factors is what makes us all individuals. LW