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There’s nothing cuter than a little girl with pierced ears. Getting one’s ears pierced is a rite of passage and tradition for many young girls. For Americans, it’s usually an aesthetic preference. If you’ve made the decision to have your daughter’s ears pierced, or are considering it, this is the essential guide for you. Here are some helpful tips for a relaxed ear piercing experience.
Tip 1: Decide When to Pierce
Many parents pierce their daughter’s ears when they are still a baby. Ear piercing for babies ensures that the baby doesn’t remember the pain, is less likely to touch the earrings (causing problems) and is more likely to allow piercing after-care and cleaning. However, some parents prefer to wait until their daughter is a little older and ready. The process is easier if your daughter is excited about getting her ears pierced.
With my kids, I had my first girls ears pierced when she was a baby but, I waited to have my middle girls ears pierced until she was four.
Tip 2: Research Piercing Options
Before you decide on a piercing location, ask around for recommendations. Choose a clean and safe place— choose a place where a sterile needle or a no-touch cassette system is used instead of a piercing gun. Ensure the technicians have a good deal of experience with piercing children’s ears. Also, try to find a place where two technicians can pierce both ears simultaneously to speed up the process. Here are a few options.
Pediatricians office. Many moms don’t realize that some pediatricians offer ear piercing in their offices. If your child’s pediatrician doesn’t offer ear piercing, ask for a recommendation to another doctor who does.
Accessory shops. Found in malls, accessory stores offer ear piercing services using a piercing gun. Often these shops can pierce both ears at the same time.
Tattoo/piercing parlor. This is a lesser-known option. Most tattoo/piercing parlors are state-regulated, clean, use disposable needles, and sterilize all equipment in high-temperature autoclaves. A body piercer uses hypodermic needles versus a piercing gun, and some feel this is a more sterile method.
Tip 3: Know What to Expect Before You Go
On the big day, ensure your child is happy, healthy, and rested. Bring a favorite toy or book along for security and comfort. Choose a pair of earrings that are hypoallergenic, nickel-free, and made of high-quality medical-grade metal (like 14k gold), and are well proportioned for her little earlobe. When it’s time for the procedure, hold your baby or toddler on your lap (older children can sit alone if they feel comfortable) to ensure your little one doesn’t move.
Tip 4: Know How to Care for New Earrings
After the piercing session, you’ll be sent home with instructions and on how to care for the piercing and the earrings. Follow these instructions very carefully. The most common complications are caused by improperly cleaning the ears, and not from the actual procedure. Here are a few tips on caring for the new earrings.
- ALWAYS wash your hands before and after handling the newly-pierced ears.
- Use a clean Q-tip to apply a cleaning solution like Studex After Care and Maintenance Lotion—recommend for daily use for cleaning the ear and earrings. Push the earring lightly backward and forward, swabbing between the earring and the ear.
- After cleaning, turn the earring thoroughly to prevent it from sticking to the skin. Finally, check the earring back to ensure that it is secure. Follow these steps twice a day for six weeks.
- After the initial six weeks, change the earrings to a pair that are hypoallergenic and ideal for sensitive ears like Studex’s Sensitive Earrings Collection.
- Always watch for signs of infection: redness, tenderness, and discharge. Call your pediatrician if you suspect an infection.
Tip 5: Watch for Metal Allergies
Watch for any indication of a metal allergy or sensitivity with your little one. If you have a metal allergy, your child may also have one too. Did you know more than a third of all women and almost 15-percent of all men have metal allergies? That’s A LOT!
Metal allergies are your body’s auto-immune response to inferior, cheaper metals found in most fashion jewelry like earrings. These symptoms can start before age 18 and can last a lifetime.
Tip 6: Use Products for Sensitive Ears
For the best results, use products for sensitive ears from the beginning. Studex—the world’s leader and largest manufacturer of ear piercing instruments, earring studs, and piercing after-care products—offers products for children and adults with sensitive ears.
Studex Sensitive Earrings: Fashion Earrings – For Sensitive Ears/Metal Allergies
- Made in the USA
- Over 60 different styles
- 24K Gold Plated (Gold Styles)
- Hypoallergenic (Allergy Free)
- Medical Grade, Surgical Stainless Steel
- FDA Compliant Manufacturing and Sterilization Process
- Sterilized and sealed packaging
- Lifetime Guarantee
Tiny Tips Earrings: Fashion Earrings for babies and lil’ kids
- Made in the USA
- Over 40 different styles to choose from
- The perfect size for little ears
- Hypoallergenic (Allergy Free)
- Medical Grade, Surgical Stainless Steel
- FDA Compliant Manufacturing and Sterilization Process
- Sterilized and sealed packaging
- Lifetime Guarantee
Find Out More About Studex
Want to learn more about Studex? Check out them out online too!
Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram. Buy online on Amazon.
Giveaway
Be sure to check out Studex’s current giveaway! They’re offering FIVE lucky winners an American Express or Mastercard $100 Gift Card! You can enter HERE.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of BrandBacker and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. This post is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace medical advice from a healthcare professional. Always discuss your options and questions with your child’s pediatrician.
This post may contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.
I wasn’t allowed to have my ears pierced until 12 years of age so I could properly take care of them myself. Know tons kids who are babies that get them done. Up to the parent to decided and teach them proper way to care for their ears.
For my girls I waited until they were old enough to decide whether or not they actually wanted to have them pierced. I think that my oldest (almost 19) decided when she was about 6, and my youngest (almost 13) waited until she was 10.
This is all important to remember. We had our daughter’s done at Claire’s when she was one. She cried for like two seconds and then was fine. She’s 11 now and loves her earrings! I just remember cleaning them often when she first got the earrings and thankfully we didn’t have issues.
Amber Myers recently posted…Keep Moving With Vets Vites + A Giveaway
We pierced my daughter’s ears at the mall and were lucky not to have any problems, and I barely remember it. Studex is a great company and takes you through the whole process, so helpful and safe.
I have all boys in my house so I have not run into this as of yet. I do have a friend with a little girl that is thinking about doing it and I think they would do it at the piercing place. It does seem more sterile there than at the mall.
These are some great sounding tips, I have my ears pierced when I was 10 and they were a nightmare! You definitely have to be ready for the care.
Sarah Bailey recently posted…5 Ways to Save Money in 2018
Great guide for parents thinking about having their child’s war pierced. It’s really important to make sure the cold won’t be getting allergic reactions from the earrings!
I love that your found cute, sensitive earrings for her. My daughter got her ears pierced when she was 5.
Ashley recently posted…Plan The Perfect Mother’s Day Movie Night
So important to get the right earrings and take good care of their ears after they’re pierced. You can prevent a lot of common piercing issues before they start.
I got my ears pierced when I was 4 and most of my nieces got theirs pierced around the same age. I think that as long as a child knows what they want and can take care of them then they will do fine!!
My ears were pierced when I was a baby. I think that’s how it usually was in the past. These days though more parents choose to wait for their kids to be a bit older. I think this is a pretty great guide for parents who are thinking of having their children’s ears pierced.
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I got my ears pierced when I was a baby! I think that’s the best time to do it!
I had my daughters’ ears pierced when they were babies to make sure they don’t remember the pain. I also make them wear hypo-allergenic earrings.
We have 4 daughters and our two oldest didn’t get theirs done until 6 and 7 when they asked for them. Now 12 and 11 don’t and hvent worn earrings in many years. These are some great tips and information!
We had all three of our girls ears pierced when they were babies, at the pediatricians office.
Keeping a new piercing clean is the only way to go about it. Don’t get the cheap stuff either!
This is a very useful and important post about ear piercing. In India, ear piercing is a religious ritual in some religions. Both boys and girls have their ears pierced when quite young.
I really love this post and a perfect guides especially for the new mommies outhere. I have pierced when I am 5 years old.
Great information! My daughter recently asked to get hers pierced and we did so through our pediatrician’s office. It was a great experience because it was with someone we knew, liked and trusted.