What's your stance on piercing babies/young children's ears?

[maru8888777]

I'm not sure my opinions on this issue are super strong, especially given the cultural differences that may impact how people make decisions regarding their bodies and those of their children. I do think tattoo artists/professional piercing studios are better options to minimize chances of infection, and many will pierce babies' ears. However, I recently learned about the history of the word Caucasian, and given how many people identify as such, I thought I'd share it in case someone is interested:

Too Many Scientists Still Say Caucasian

Racist ideas of categories for human identity continue to warp research and medicine

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[kenny]

I'd say just follow your heart.

... unless it leads you here ...
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[chere]

Yikes!

I’m surprised about all the infections mentioned in this thread. Mine were home done in three places and no infections at all. I didn’t realize it was a common problem.

Do you all think it’s from improper after care or using an earring metal besides 14k gold or from a piercing gun instead of a sterile needle? Or just luck? Or maybe it’s not so common over all?

I think it’s a metal allergy. They were gold plated piercing studs.

 

[fussykiki]

I didn't want to do it when my daughter was very young. I asked her a couple times when she was around 5 or 6 yo and she said she will think about it. One Sunday she asked me if she can have her ear pierced, so I brought her to the shop and have it done. They do both ears at the same time very quickly and my daughter didn't even have time to regret. Now after two years, she is still very happy about it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

she will forget
but you might get the stink eye for a few weeks

and now she has the sleepers in the healing will be faster

when i got mine done the 2nd time after the awful first time, i went to a respected local jewler in my home town (the first time was at a chemist although the bi*chy nurse at the after hours doctors said "that will teach you for doing them your self" - i was about 22 not 12)
anyway the jewler did a great job and a week latter under the advice of a much older friend i wiped out the studs and put in the keepesr

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

me and my friend Deborah were the only ones in our whole year at high school without pierced ears
i knew to pick my battles with my mother
Deb just wasnt interested
also neither of us had fringes, everyone in 1985 at Bayfield high school had a fringe

 

[sledge]

Here’s how I envision conversations with babies going in that baby jitterish none of us understand:

Baby Girl: Can you believe my mom pierced my ears!? It hurt for like 5 whole minutes and I got no choice!

Baby Boy: *Pointing at his winkie*. Let me tell you what my mom did to me!

Other Baby Girl: *Looking awkwardly at boy baby* So, what do you think of my new ear rings, aren’t they just gorgeous!?

PS Baby Girl: *Pointing at other baby girl*. So I told my mom to go with WF or some other super ideal vendor because they have the best upgrade policies and these 1/8th carats aren’t going to be forever. I tried explaining how my ears will grow and I will need more bling. But she just woo’d me and fed me some apple sauce and then I fell asleep. *Pointing at baby boy*. Maybe if you pierced your winkie and had some bling bling it would make you feel better.

Baby Boy: *Covers his face and starts crying*

 

[monarch64]

Ohhh this used to be a super touchy subject for me. Short version: wanted my ears pierced so bad around 7-8, mom said no, grandmother took me anyway. Things were ok for several weeks, piercings themselves never got infected. But then I started getting all these lumps in my neck and back of my head. My immune system was fighting the earrings from the inside out rather than the point of puncture, as it turned out, but not before I had to see a specialist to find out if it was Hodgkins. A lot of drama.

My ex and I decided we would let our daughter get to the age of asking to have hers pierced and go from there. She was wholly uninterested until last year when she was about to turn 10, so I took her to have them pierced AT CLAIRE’S (unclench!) and everything was fine until we walked up to pay and I watched the color drain from her face and she started to list left. Do you know how much a 4’8” child weighs? I don’t remember, but it was more than I could pick up and carry: I dragged her back over to the piercing chair and sort of tried my best to get her butt up into the chair while this couple stood at the door and gawked at us. She came to and we went over to our intended lunch spot and she was just fine.

Things can go well or not, just like anything in life. It’s a basic body mod that’s pretty benign in comparison to circumcision—now there is something I never wanted to deal with. At any rate, my personal opinion on the matter is that I didn’t want to put extra holes in my kid that she didn’t ask for. I also think earrings on anyone from infancy to 100+ are so becoming! They just light up the face.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Caucasian American here. I had my daughters ears pierced for her first birthday. I asked her pediatrician his thoughts and he said she was up to date on her immunizations so go for it. She did fine, I even have a picture of her smiling afterwards with her “I had my ears pierced today” sticker. She will be 19 years old in 2 weeks, never had any issues with infection, and had her second lobe piecing a year ago, her choice.

 

[autumngems]

I think I would wait until they are old enough to choose. I got mine when I was about 6, my mom took all us girls (4) as we all wanted our ears peirced. I tool my daughter at 10 when she wanted them. I see babies with earrings and it hurts my heart I think it's too young and it's just my opinion.