Ear Piercing - Sterling Heights,MI

My daughter got her first ones at 20 months.
When she was 5 she asked for second holes, so I did them for her.
She later decided she didn't want the second holes so she now just has one hole in each.
She claims she wants other piercings (she is 6 going on 7).
I told her if she still wants body piercings as a teen I will take her.
13 for nostril or belly button or eyebrow.
16 for anything else.

When she got her ears done the first time she loved it, she danced to music int he store right after :)

Never had any infections.

ETA: She may not want more when she is older. Right now she wants to be like mommy and daddy. I have 7 piercings and daddy has his ears pierced. I used to have 35 piercings when I was in my late teens/early 20s. No sign of them at all now in my 30s :)

I was in college when I had mine done. I went with my mom - she had hers done at the same time. We went together a few years later for a third hole for each of us. I will let my son have his done in high school if he wants it. I would do the same for a daughter.

She's too young. She's not good with pain, she can't take care of her ears... don't put her through this. Lots of girly-girls like jewelry, but that doesn't mean they have to have holes in their ears at this age.

Wait until she is a teenager. If you let her do all this stuff early on, what will she have to look forward to?

Dawn

If she's not good with pain I'd wait. It's not just the initial piercing, it's all the cleanings while they are still tender, and god help you if she gets an infection!

We just let our daughter get hers done, just before turning six. Ugh ... I would have waited if I'd known all of the drama. It's not just the piercing itself, but the cleanings. You have to do it three times a day and any time I'd go near our daughter with the cotton with the cleaning fluid, she'd start screaming. It was one happy, happy day when we were done with cleanings.

If your daughter can't handle pain, definitely wait. Mine's a drama queen and boy, this whole experience was full of drama. I really thought she was ready, but was mistaken.

I have a baby girl and while I love the look of little babies with earrings, I decided I'm going to wait to take her for her piercings until she is about 12 or 13 so we can make it a fun birthday date together for her growing into a "young lady".

I had my ears pierced as an infant, but I always wished that my parents hadn't made that choice for me.

It doesn't hurt any worse for an older child or an infant.. our nerves are the same. Infants just can't complain about it as much as an older kid can.

I was not allowed to get them done until 14, my mother made an exception because I had my first Military Ball (JROTC) the month of my birthday and we found earrings to go with my gown that were peirced. So they got done 8 weeks early so I could wear the earrings and the healing process would be over. I agree that it was a good age to have it done, early teens. With that said, I do not think a young girl should have peirced ears until she is old enough to decide if she wants them in and is old enough to handle the responisbility of getting it done, and maintaining the health of her ears/body afterwards. You say you already know she will not be able to clean them herself ... then she is not old enough in my book.

If it were me, I'd wait a while.

I had my ears pierced when I was four--my mom said I wanted them, too!:)-- at a nicer jewelry shop. I still remember it. She took care of them while they were healing, but frankly, I was too young for the responsibility that comes with earrings, keeping them organized and clean, etc. When I was about seven or so, the holes grew in and I had them re-pierced when I was eleven. Much better the second time around.

Having had that experience, I'm also a little wary of letting children decide to modify their body at such a young age. It certainly wasn't as simple as a funky haircut, and if she has a hard time with pain, you may end up with only one ear pierced. Yikes. Perhaps she could try out some cute sticker-type earrings until she's older. When she can go to the doctors and get shots without getting upset, then you'll know she can manage having her ears pierced.

This question always gets a lot of responses!

The "right age" is the age you, as her parent, decides will work for you. Girls get their ears pierced anywhere from babyhood to adulthood. No time is wrong unless it doesn't work for the girl or her parent.

I had mine pierced at 13 because that's when my mother decided I was old enough to take care of them. She did not have hers pierced and so was not used to the care of them.

My daughter had hers done right before Kindergarten because she really wanted it done (her younger niece had hers done already) and I was OK with helping her care for them.

The experience is over pretty fast. My daughter was great with pain (but I cringed when hers were done!) and it was no big deal for her. Some girls might not like the pain, but I think you could describe it to her so she wasn't shocked and wasn't scared away. Some piercing places will get two people, do both ears at the exact same time, so that it is over in an instant (no second owie).

This is a way-open question, and you may get lots of different answers.

My older daughter first asked to have her ears pierced when she was four, because a preschool friend had pierced ears. But I decided to wait until most of the girls my daughters' ages had pierced ears, and then they could decide. One of my girls (the one who expressed an interest in preschool) went for it in seventh grade; the other waited until the end of her high school sophomore year. I got my ears pierced in my thirties (and it hurt!).

My DIL with the three girls has told them not to ask until they were ten years old. So the oldest one had it done the day before her tenth birthday (so she could wear earrings to school that day).

So it wouldn't hurt your girl to wait, and she may enjoy it more when she can take care of her own ears. But it would be good to talk to her about when she can make the commitment (not the impulse). Meanwhile, small stickers can be fun as substitutes.

In some cultures, a baby has their ears pierced already.

If you do not want to have her ears pierced, the don't. You are the Mom.
Why not just get her some kiddie clip-on earrings? The store "Claire's" has many. http://www.claires.com/store/

My daughter is 9, and she has clip-on earrings. And so do her classmates.
It is the perfect compromise, for a girl who does not have her ears pierced. And they can still be girly and wear earrings.
Ears do not have to be pierced, in order for a girl to wear earrings.

But yes for any young child, Mommy will have to clean it and take care of it, to prevent infection.

8th grade graduation.

Then they are able to care for them. You know they REALLY want them when they are still asking at 14. It gives them something huge to look forward too.
We build it up, In 8th grade, when you get your ears pierced you can wear these, or those.

My daughter is going Wednesday when my MIL is here. She doesn't know which day yet, she just knows it's near and it's all she talks about.

Waiting also teaches them to be patient. WHen you have a date, or time, they can look forward to that time. If I gave in every time they asked the kids would have everything already.

I was in 6th grade. It was like a rite of passge as I moved to Jr High school.

My daughter begged for them in 3rd grade. So, I allowed it and even with me helping take care of them, she had some allergies, etc and let them grow back together.

When she was about 13, she decided she wanted to try again and she did. She is 17 now and everything is fine.

I think it is great that you are being considerate of your daughter and letting her have a part of the decision instead of having taken her when she was a baby. I hate seeing little babies with pierced ears. What if they don't want them when they are older? I just believe in your body=your decision.

Good luck to you.

Both my girls. Got theirs done at 2 months, and when my new born turns 2 months she will hers done also. My sister waited till she was about 12 and she cried, went home took a tylenol, and acted like she just had some kind of surgery. My youngest cried for a second and then went back to sleep, no tears from the oldest... But I hear it hurts worse as rhey get older... My mother and I also took my youngest sister then 6 "now 8" to get hers don't, twice, both times she had a major breakdown, so make sure she is absolute ready

i dont really think theres a right age my parents pierced my ears before i was even a year old then when i was 11 i got my 1st cartilage piercing now i have a whole bunch lol .. i would just make sure shes fully aware that its gna hurt.. im not saying try to scare her out of it but make her aware that it will be a pinch but then after that they will throb for a while and she will have to clean them everyday til theyre heald, just make sure she knows what shes getting into and shes absolutley positive she wants them.. people that dont have piercings think that its just the pinch when they actually do the piercing n then thats it ... honestly i rhink the worst part is trying not to sleep on them

I was 2 weeks old when my mom did mine and I had my daughters done at 3 months old. I think it's worked well she doesn't mess with them and I know they are being cleaned properly:)

This is why I pierced all 3 of my daughter's ears at 6 months :o)

Give her a trial period. Tell her that if she still wants them done on July 1 (just for an example), then you'll do them. And yes, at her age it will be YOU that must be responsible for the cleanings.

IF you decide to have them done, numb the ear lobes with Emla first - it's available otc in most pharmacies and makes the actual piercing painless (NONE of my daughters made a peep when theirs were done!). Also, regardless of what solution they give you at the piercing salon, USE SALT WATER to clean them!!

Good luck with your decision!

Whatever you decide, be sure to take her to someone trained and licsenced in piercing, not at the jewelery places in the mall. Go to a tatoo and piercing shop where they have been trained in sanitation. You could call ahead and ask for a woman or someone good with kids. Its unbelievable to me I have to have a license to cut hair, but you dont need one to pierce ears.

My mom had her three girls wait until we were 13. We all really wanted them done a lot sooner. I got mine done on my birthday, my younger sister decided she changed her mind and didn't want them pierced anymore and 10 yrs later she still has not done it. My other sister got hers when she was 13 as well. It was a good age, I took good care of mine and I was old enough to realize it's a real thing happening to my body. Also, if you do it, go to a real jewelry store or some pediatricians do it.

I had to wait till I was 16.
A lot of my friends had it done earlier, but then they were always losing earrings all over the place and they had quite a few infections.
Since I was older when I could have it done, I never had those problems.

I had my daughter's done at 2 months, no problems. My first granddaughter had hers done at 3 months, again no problems. My second granddaughter at 6 years and as much as we tried to keep them clean they both got infected, she hates and can't deal with pain, and the doctor took them out. She is almost 11 and doesn't want them re-done...yet.

Personally I would wait at least a few years until she can care for them properly herself. Yes, she wants them done, but no, she doesn't know what it will entail.

We did them at two because I had more control over the care.

I'd wait. It hurts & they always anticipate the 2nd piercing sometimes making for uneven holes.

My mom made me wait until I was 13. Now I see why.
I had to care for them myself.
It hurt.

I don't think it's a great idea to get them when they are infants because they point isn't that they don't remember but that it hurts.

I would wait then buy her a pretty pair for after the healing process.

The right age is different for everyone - it just depends on how okay your daughter will be with the initial pain and having them cleaned every day while they heal. If you don't think she'll be good about it, she will need to wait until she understands that there will be some discomfort involved and be willing to put up with it. Some pediatrician's offices will do it, and they can talk to her about it too and what to expect. Also look for a place that will pierce each ear at the same time, so she only feels it once.

when she's old enough to want it and take care of them herself. 13 or so is usually about right.
khairete
S.

Mine were done at age 6 and I took care of them by myself. My daughter finally asked to have them done at almost 8. Getting them pierced wasn't an issue. But we changed them out too soon and it hurt her a lot. After that she refused to take out the earrings until the dental technician made her take them out. Then she refused to put them back in again, saying that they hurt when she was sleeping. I told her she could pay for the next time she wants to get them pierced. I think it depends on the child. You will probably have to help her clean and care for them. My advice is to wait to take the starters out to at least 8 to 10 weeks.

When my girls asked is when they got them done. My 7 year old asked at age 3. My 10 year old asked at age 9. I had them done at the mall and made sure two people could pierce them at the same time. It worked out great for us.

I never had a set age for this kind of stuff. It was more "once you are mature enough to take care of it."
Same thing with both my girls' hair, I kept it shoulder length until they SHOWED me they could wash and brush it on their own. I wasn't about to have hair drama every day, lol!
Use your best judgement, you'll know when she's ready. My only advice is to NOT let her wear dangly earrings until she is older,like 10 or 11, just for playground safety reasons.

Well... does your daughter want to do it now? Is she aware of the pain at the time, and the turning and application of disinfectant solution as they heal? Does she understand that they can get sore later on? And her hair can get caught in them and pull and make them hurt/sore?

If she understands all of the above, and she is responsible about her personal hygiene, then take her to watch someone else having it done. Preferably someone of a similar age as herself.
Then ask her what she thinks.
When she is ready... she will let you know. And if you are ok with it, and with going behind her to help take care of them as needed (because no matter how meticulous she is about taking care of them, she is still only 6, and you WILL need to help).... then I don't see any reason not to, since she is asking.

If she is not worried and is good with it, then ok. If she has worries about the pain, then I would wait and let her decide she is ready to deal with it.

I got my dd's ears pierced at 8...but she had trouble handling the earrings and cleaning on her own. I probably should have waited till she's ten. A little tip...use polysporin ointment on the earring post when you change the first pair...it really helps keep the infections risk down.

The right age is when the child wants it done. My daughter asked to have hers done when she was four because she wanted to wear my earrings. She asked if it would hurt and I told her that it would hurt a little. She asked how much and I offered to show her. I gave her earlobe an short, sharp pinch. She yelped, rubbed her ear, then asked if that was all. I told her it was and asked if she still wanted it done. She did, and we had it done the next day.

Take her to a good clean place and keep her little ears nice a clean for the healing period.

My mom had me wait until I was 9 for my first ear piercing. I got my second ear piercing at 16. Got my nose done at 34 but that's another story LOL
I took care of my own ears at that time. My aunt got them done the same day I got mine done so we took care of them together. We were on a big family vacation when I got them done.
It is good to wait because they are growing and you can end up with uneven holes that started out even when they were done and you can end up having to get them redone. You can end up with the skin growoing over the earring backs.
Dr Sears advises waiting until at least 8 years old (though I did read an older artice that said 10) to give enough time for rapid growth and so they can help take care of them.

My daughter had her's done when she was 6, almost 7. She sounds a lot like your daughter and she is also not good with pain. She made it through the piercing process without any tears. She even made it the first two months with no tears. I did cleanings 2x's daily for the first 6 weeks.

When it was time to put new earrings in, that's when the nightmare began. She had 2 infections with the new (solid gold) earrings. Then, we took those out and put other larger post (again solid gold) earrings in and the infections continued. After two more weeks of infections we put the piercing studs back in and it took 4 more months for the infections to stop and for the ears to fully heal. The thing is, the infections would go away after a few days and we would think her ears were healing well. But then a few days later another blood blister full of puss and blood would appear. It was very painful for her and she wanted to have them removed. However my younger sister told me the she had the same issues with all of her piercings and that it just takes time for them to fully heal. Thankfully, my daughter was patient and allowed her ears to heal. It wasn't an easy process though. Personally, I think she was touching them with dirty fingers at school and during playtime outside and that was causing most of the problems.

The moral of the story, be prepared for 2x's daily on the cleanings and make sure she knows not to touch her pierced ears with her unclean hands.

I have 2 girls, when my oldest turned 5 she wanted her ears pierced so we took her, she got in the chair they put the dots on her ears and she chickened out. My youngest was 1. then we went back the following year with her friend for support and chickened out again. this time my youngest was 2 and asked to get hers done, i told her to wait till she was three. i had no problems cleaning or keeping cleaned her ears, my oldest who just turned 9 finally got hers pierced even though she wanted to chicken out again and her little sister has had hers done for 2 years now.

There's no "one"answer here. I prefer to let the permanent thing be their idea. Some think young because they won't remember the pain and will likely want it done later anyway.

Personally I got my daughters done when she decided it was something she wanted to do. And my youngest daughter doesn't want to yet.

I think given your daughters age and willingness , it makes her a good candidate

my 7 year old daughter has been asking also. I was 7 years old when I had mine done. I have talked to her about how to take care of them and how it feels when you get it done and she still wants to do it. I think I am more scared than she is for her to have it done, lol!

I think you daughter should be fine to have it done. Maybe just sit down and talk to her about how to take care of them first?

I had mine done when I was five... Because of the pain with the cleanings and the eventual infection (after the cleanings were officially finished), that didn't last--it was a nightmare every day, and finally, one day my mom threw her hands up (literally) and said "I'm done." So, my dad took me when I was ten, and I was so proud to take care of them myself! Even though I pretty much don't use them now, I was ready at 10.

Anyway, it's hard to imagine that this would be a pleasant experience for you or your daughter at this point, so I'd give it a few years and reassess. Good luck!

I think it depends on the kid, and whether or not the parent wants to be the one responsible for the initial care of the ears, or not.