We will preface this article by acknowledging that ear piercing for children is quite a personal topic, with some people having strong views on when children should or shouldn’t get piercing done. For this article all judgement is reserved, with only facts and information presented.
Ear piercing can be an exciting time for a child. To make it a special and safe experience, here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind.
1. Only go to a qualified, experienced piercer.
Gone are the days when ear piercing used to happen at the hairdressers or at booths in the mall. These days specialised piercing studios are more common and are a good option for kids. Ensure the piercer you use is experienced and has pierced children before. There are also qualified piercers at some chemists and beauticians, as well as tattoo studios. Obviously, you want to ensure they use modern, sterile equipment. Some use old-style guns, while others use gun-free piercing, which is more hygienic and isn’t as noisy. Do your research and get recommendations from people you trust.
2. Opt for double operator.
Many piercing studios have the option of double operator piercing for children, which means both ears will be pierced at the same time. This obviously speeds up the process and eliminates the risk of the child refusing to get the second ear done.
3. Preparing for the pain factor.
If you or your child are worried about the pain, using a numbing cream can help eliminate that. Numbing creams are available from chemists and usually need to be applied an hour before to take effect. Follow the directions fully to ensure the product is effective.
It is also a good idea not to make too much of an issue about the fact it might hurt as this can cause more anxiety for your child. Prepare them much the same way as you would for a vaccination, but mainly focus on the sparkly reward at the end!
4. Be aware of after care.
To ensure your child has the best experience possible, it is important to maintain aftercare of their piercing to avoid infection. Follow the instructions of the piercer closely as things may be different to when you got your ears pierced!
5. Time it right.
To allow time to heal and avoid infection, piercers generally recommend no swimming for at least 2 weeks after the piercing. This means getting a piercing at the beginning of summer holidays or when your child has just signed up for swim squad isn’t a great idea.
By following these tips and the instructions of your qualified piercer, your child should have a great piercing experience and the only difficult part will be choosing the right earrings!
