Ear piercing--where to go for it?

[EFmom]

My dd turns 11 today, and she has expressed some interest in getting her ears pierced. She hasn't firmly made up her mind yet, but I think she probably will in a few weeks, and she's sufficiently responsible that I'm fine with it.

I don't know where to go to get it done safely. I think I've read somewhere about the ear piercing places in the mall being unsafe? If that's true, where should you go to have it done. I'm sure our pediatrician will NOT do it.

[mamalisa]

Find a piercer. We took dd to a piercing shop to have hers done. The guy was fast, professional and the place was operating room clean. Call around and talk to the people in the shops, find out who they think is a good piercer, ask them their policies and procedures.

The first place I called asked me why I didn't just take her to Claire's because she thought is was ridiculous to take her to a piercer. She acted like I was crazy. The second guy explained how they do little kids, that he wouldn't do a child that changed their mind and was appalled that the first lady brushed off my concerns about using a gun rather than a needle so easily.

[SleepyMamaBear]

go here to find a good piercer/shop in your area, then call them.

[kama'aina mama]

You need to go to a piercing place... a body piercing place. They use surgical equipment, they are very mindful of good placement of the jewelry. You will have a cleaner wound, a shorter healing time and a better exerience. Piercing needles are very sharp and quickly cut a small hole in the flesh. The piercing gun at the mall shoves a blunt ended piece of metal through and simply crushes the flesh out of the way. It is also really unsanitary... it's impossible to sterilise it.

[hottmama]

You should go to a real piercing parlor. They'll gladly show you how they sterilize their needles if you ask.
Some places won't pierce kids but most would do ears at 11.

[mata]

I would not recommend getting it done with a gun. We went to our pediatrician who did it with one, and the aftercare was such a PITA. It didn't seal up and form a hole very well for the longest time.

[MomToKandE]

FWIW I looked high and low for a "real" piercer in my area to do dd's ears. I could not find anyone who would do any work (even ears) on someone under 18 even with parental permission.

Maybe that's a local law... I don't know.

Our doctor doesn't do them so finally we ended up at the mall. I checked out the sanitation, etc. and everything seemed good. In the end dd did have some issues with healing but I think that had more to do with the fact that she wouldn't quit fiddling with them and less to do with having them where she did.

Just sharing to say that if you do end up with the mall as your only option you're not a bad mom.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by SleepyMamaBear

go here to find a good piercer/shop in your area, then call them.

Alas, no listing within 400 miles of my house.

I am so not into piercing. I have no idea how to find somebody trustworthy. Nobody I know has body piercings, and everyone I know who has had their kids ears done has just gone to the mall.

Thanks everyone for the info. I guess I need to just look for piercers in the phone book and check them out. Is this something that is typically associated with tattoo places or are they separate?

[Melaine]

Be SURE SURE SURE that you get nickel-free tools for all piercings. Apparently many piercing guns have nickel and can contribute to a nickel allergy down the road. I have one now and it is a huge PITA.
I can't even wear my wedding ring or any earrings at all anymore.

[eleven]

Originally Posted by EFmom

Alas, no listing within 400 miles of my house.

I'm in NY and there were only 4 listings in the whole state--2 from the same shop. There are a lot more piercing salons around, though, for sure.

Thanks everyone for the info. I guess I need to just look for piercers in the phone book and check them out. Is this something that is typically associated with tattoo places or are they separate?

Around here they do tend to be associated with tattoo shops. You could call tattoo places and ask for recommendations.

[kama'aina mama]

Originally Posted by eleven

You could call tattoo places and ask for recommendations.

Yup. Or ask people you see with piercings.

[Maeve]

Here are some good things to look for/ask about:
http://www.safepiercing.org/choosePiercer.html


Also, check if you can bring in your own jewelry and have them autoclave it. Get some good implant grade stainless steel or titanium (preferable). Many piercing shops do not carry a wide range of jewelry, so you might have to order online. www.bodyartforms.com is a great place to order from (I get almost all my jewelry there) and there prices are good and shipping is very fast.


ETA: Something like this would probably work well for lobes (I use them for my nose and love them):

http://www.bodyartforms.com/productd...ProductID=4330

And they have a good selection of ends (I would skip the prong set ends until they are healed):
http://www.bodyartforms.com/search_b...nyallexact=any


Or if you don't mind her wearing hoop type earing, you could always go with something like:
http://www.bodyartforms.com/productd...ProductID=1923

http://www.bodyartforms.com/productd...ProductID=1919

http://www.bodyartforms.com/productd...ProductID=1920

http://www.bodyartforms.com/productd...ProductID=2181

[teachma]

Originally Posted by MomToKandE

Just sharing to say that if you do end up with the mall as your only option you're not a bad mom.

My daughter had hers done at the mall in the beginning of July. They seem to be healing beautifully and haven't caused her any problems yet. 26 years ago, I had mine done at a mall, too.

[Autumn Breeze]

Use Google to find a shop, just put in something like "body piercing" and your zip.

And yes yes yes yes yes yes yes to a piercing shop. I've had my 2nd and 3rd holes close up every.single.time due to infection from that stupid gun.

My body piercings healed beautifully though


ETA - I called the place that did my belly, they would pierce a younger child w/ adult consent, and it was to be $30 including jewelery.

[Maeve]

Originally Posted by teachma

My daughter had hers done at the mall in the beginning of July. They seem to be healing beautifully and haven't caused her any problems yet. 26 years ago, I had mine done at a mall, too.

I understand and I'm so glad to hear that, but did you take a look at any of the links provided? Yes, many people don't have any apparent issues after getting pierced w/a gun, but it doesn't really make it the safest (or really even a safe) option.

[Autumn Breeze]

Originally Posted by teachma

My daughter had hers done at the mall in the beginning of July. They seem to be healing beautifully and haven't caused her any problems yet. 26 years ago, I had mine done at a mall, too.

I had my first done at a mall and got lucky. 2nd holes done 3 times at different malls...closed each time. 3rd holes at home w/ gun, closed up. Will never waste my $$ again

[avivaelona]

The best piercing I ever had in terms of healing was done by my friend when we were drunk using vodka, an apple and an old piercing earring. Its the only one that never gave me trouble. I wouldn't recommend that for your 11 year old though, plus I've lost touch with that friend.

Go to a good place, I've had three done with the gun at the mall, and all three have given me trouble and I had to let one close finally. But I also went to a cheap piercing place and that one gives me trouble too, I think its one of those things where you want the best place, not the cheapest. (unless the cheapest is run by my friend, bring your own apple or potato)

[SevenVeils]

Originally Posted by SleepyMamaBear

go here to find a good piercer/shop in your area, then call them.

Eh. I don't think that guarantees a good piercer. It does guarantee APP certification, but I'm not a huge believer in that anyway. There is no listing for anywhere within hundreds of miles of me, for instance, but one of my piercers is actually employed at the local hospital to do blood draws in house. I don't think she's a full fledged phlebotomist, but obviously she has tons of training in safe procedures. Yet she has chosen to forego APP certification (we've discussed this in the past).

Go into a couple of local piercing shops, if you can't easily find any just ask at a tattoo shop. Everything should be as clean as in a hospital. They should use an autoclave, just like a hospital does. Needles are single use (meaning NOBODY else's blood or diseases can be on them), you should see the piercer open a sealed packet and remove your brand-new needle just prior to piercing.

Gloves must be worn by the piercer, and are often or usually changed several times during a piercing.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by avivaelona

The best piercing I ever had in terms of healing was done by my friend when we were drunk using vodka, an apple and an old piercing earring. Its the only one that never gave me trouble. I wouldn't recommend that for your 11 year old though, plus I've lost touch with that friend.

:

Somehow, loading my 11 year old up with vodka wasn't quite what I had in mind.

My own ears were pierced at a place in the mall. But that was over 30 years ago, and I know that the whole disease thing, if not more prevalent, is at least more on the radar now than then.

The whole idea of setting foot in a tattoo parlor is unbelievably unsettling for me. The things we do for our kids.

[Autumn Breeze]

The one here in my town that I went too, it was very bright, the 'nudie' tat pictures were away from where children may be. I believe they're in a book. The owners son has been seen in there a lot, he was born in '04, and spent his first 2 years in the shop before his mom decided to stay home. And the tat room, and piercing room have doors that they shut when working ...most of the time.

I think it's perfectly acceptable that you visit more than a few before choosing one. There are 2 that I know of here, that I would go to for a tat/piercing, but would never take my kids into.