Getting your first ear piercing is often a big event in a child's life, think back to how it felt when you saw it sparkle in your earlobe for the first time, how proud you were when you dared to do it! Maybe it's the longing for that feeling and to feel "big" that makes some children start nagging about ear piercings long before you as a parent are ready for the child to take that step :)
Here are some thoughts on how to think as a parent when your child wants to get their ears pierced.
We recommend waiting until the child is at least 6 years old or older. Any piercing made in the body can cause an infection, even if it is "just" a hole in the earlobe, so it is important that the child has a level of maturity so that they understand how the piercing should be cleaned & cared for so that it can heal well.
Children often have more difficulty taking care of their piercings, they also do not have the maturity and patience to understand that aftercare is an important part of the healing process and the healing time for children can be extra long because they do not have the same sense of consequences as we adults do.
For example: The earrings can get caught in clothes or hair when they play, the piercing can come into contact with dirty hands (both the child's and their friends') or objects and this can lead to so-called irritation bumps or, in the worst case, infection. During physical activity & play, the earring can get caught in clothes or hair and it can pull the earlobe which in the next step leads to irritation. The irritation often manifests itself in the form of swelling, redness or a bump. The piercing can move or slide down when piercing children at an early age. This can be caused by the child growing (in length) or the child wearing a dangling earring.
It is important that you as a parent talk thoroughly with your child about how the healing process itself works and what you should and should NOT do during the first 8 weeks after a new piercing. Just because the child is 6 years old does not mean that they have the maturity to have their ears pierced, it is you as a parent who must decide whether you think your child will be able to handle it.
How do you pierce a child?
The piercing itself is performed in the same way as it is done on adults, a piercing needle/cannula is used. The environment in the piercing studio can be perceived as sterile and a bit hospital-like for a child, it is a hospital bed, the piercer has gloves and maybe a face mask on, he/she cleans the area and shows which placement is best. The piercing itself is very quick, the prick doesn't even take 1 second, then you insert the jewelry and the piercing is in place. The whole situation can seem scary to children, especially if they are already nervous beforehand. It is you as a parent who must decide whether you think your child will "handle" it, whether the child is mature enough to understand what is going to happen and how it will be done.
But what if we pierce with a "gun"? It's easier when it's "just" a child's earlobe, right?
NO. That's the short and simple answer, piercing your ears (or anywhere else) with a piercing gun is not recommended for any piercing, anywhere, regardless of age. The gun method causes more "blunt force" (tissue damage) compared to a sharp needle, as you are pushing the blunt part of the earring straight through the earlobe! This can lead to longer healing times and significantly more swelling and difficulty healing. The scarring after a piercing with a gun is also much greater.