klmama Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Where did you have your dd's ears pierced? Would you have it done differently if you could do it over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I know there is a trend in my area to go to a doctor to get kids ear piercings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in MA Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 We asked our doctor and she certainly wasn't going to do it. . . she said "go to the mall!" We went to a small local shop, rather than the mall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 At a local mall at Claire's. They were great - no complaints. I'd go there again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweiss Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 When my girls get their ears pierced, it will be at the dermatologist's office. I know that some pediatricians do it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 We took our daughter to Piercing Pagoda in the mall, they were very professional about it, and you could tell they'd been well trained in hygiene and making sure the procedure was done cleanly and safely. If I had another daughter that wanted her ears pierced, I wouldn't think twice about going back, and would recommend them to friends and family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 We took our daughter to Piercing Pagoda in the mall, they were very professional about it, and you could tell they'd been well trained in hygiene and making sure the procedure was done cleanly and safely. . That is where I went a few weeks ago when I got my ears done again. I am likely going back there for a 3rd hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I went with my god daughter in December to Claire's at the mall. That is what all my FB friends suggested. It went fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm37 Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 We ended up at Claire's for my daughter's lobe piercings. I had been reading online how awful it all was, etc., but didn't really have a lot of alternatives. One thing I did notice was that online it said surgical steel was the very best and at Claire's they were pushing gold as best. I persisted with the steel (it was cheaper, too) and it was so simple, my daughter didn't feel a thing! She had been scared and was so surprised when the first one was done and she didn't even know! :) No problems after. Blessings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 We went to a reputable tattoo and piercing studio. I absolutely one hundred percent would do it again. A clean sterilized hollow needle heals a million times faster than a piercing gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I had my daughter's done at Claire's. If I had it to do over again I would go to a piercing studio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 I had my daughter's done at Claire's. If I had it to do over again I would go to a piercing studio. When you say "piercing studio" do you mean something like Piercing Pagoda (I'm not sure if it's like Claire's or different), or do you mean a tattoo/piercing business? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didadeewiththree Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We went to Walmart; it was a great experience. Good prices and they had two ladies; one for each ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 When you say "piercing studio" do you mean something like Piercing Pagoda (I'm not sure if it's like Claire's or different), or do you mean a tattoo/piercing business? I think they mean business. I believe all the mall places use the gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Where did you have your dd's ears pierced? Would you have it done differently if you could do it over? Can I play even though I'm talking about my son's ears? We took my son to a professional piercer. I would not have done it differently. Professional piercers know what they are doing and have immaculately clean equipment. No way would I let someone at a mall kiosk with an unhygienic "gun" pierce my kid. (My SIL took my oldest dd to the mall store where she worked and got her ears pierced without my permission. I didn't care that she got her ears pierced; I cared that it was done in such an unsanitary environment.) I got my eyebrow pierced, my dd got her nose pierced, and my dh got his ears pierced at the same piercer who did my ds's ears. We've all been very pleased. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'm 31 and never had my ears (or anything for that matter) pierced. Just never wanted it. I suppose I'll cross that bridge with my dds when the time comes. I'm not against it just never liked it personally. To each their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlylocks Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My 19 yo dd went to a local Wal*Mart a few months ago to get a third piercing in her ears. The "technician" was HORRIBLE...she marked w/ a marker first and asked me what I thought. It was not even close to being even and in line with the other two and I told her so. She huffed, wiped off the marker and tried again. We went through this 3x before she had the two spots marked properly. The first piercing went well, but the second piercing she had to redo TWICE. :glare: The first time the gun jammed with the earring half way through my daughter's earlobe. The second time she missed the mark and had to take the earring out and redo it. I would NEVER go back to Wal*Mart for piercing EVER again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We did the mall thing. :( To do it over, now that I know better, I'd go to a tattoo shop and have them use a needle instead of a gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We went to a reputable tattoo and piercing studio. I absolutely one hundred percent would do it again. A clean sterilized hollow needle heals a million times faster than a piercing gun. Do only tattootype places have these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Tattoo/piercing studio only, never a mall boutique with a gun. Search old threads if you want more responses, this topic comes up every year or so. There are many reasons to choose a piercing studio that uses a needle over a gun, I just don't have time to type a long response... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We did the mall thing. :( To do it over, now that I know better, I'd go to a tattoo shop and have them use a needle instead of a gun. :iagree: My kids aren't interested but I had mine done at the mall when I was a young adult. Never again. I realize a lot of people have good experiences there. I'm not discounting them. If you are going to go to the mall (and I wouldn't), just as with any other place, just be careful and alert. If you have even the slightest hint that the person isn't as careful as he or she should be, just politely say, "I changed my mind" and walk away. Their hurt or irritated feelings are not as important as what they might do to mess with your ears. Don't just push aside a bad vibe or feeling about the person. I had doubts, told myself I was being paranoid, and went through with it. It didn't scar me for life but I will never wear earrings now. (And it's ok, I hardly remember to wear any kind of jewelry anyway.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My son's were recently done with a gun. The tattoo shops around here said that they can't touch him with a needle until he's 10. We went to Apple Day Spa and Salon. They used 2 new, sterile guns, and threw them away when used. I wish we could have done it at a tattoo shop. Last week we did stop at a tattoo shop for advice because his ears were not looking so great. The piercer took a look, said to stop everything I was told to do, only clean with Dial Gold soap. Ds's ears looked better in 2 two days and are now doing great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My son's were recently done with a gun. The tattoo shops around here said that they can't touch him with a needle until he's 10. The place we went has a policy of "not under 13," but we scheduled a meeting with the piercer and the owner and let them talk to ds and see what he was like and make their own decision about whether they felt comfortable piercing him. They were impressed with him and went ahead and did it! The piercer took a look, said to stop everything I was told to do, only clean with Dial Gold soap. All the grody stuff that mall stores and the like recommend for cleaning usually inhibit healing. It's much better to use salt water/saline or something like Dial, and tea tree oil in a pinch, than any of the commercial, bottled products. Oh, and NEVER "turn" your earrings!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 One nurse at the pediatrician does ear piercings. So, that's where we took DD. We had to actually have an appointment, so I piggybacked it on a camp physical or something... Happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 There is a fantastic piercing/tattoo studio here downtown, and it's an hour drive for us. There is a woman who is great with kids, and will do them at 5, provided the child is wanting them. If you cannot find a studio that will do this at a young age, try calling a few studios in your area and ask if they know of any that will. It takes a lot of patience to do this with little ones, and not everyone wants to. Also, we got to get small (and I do mean small) hoops with a captive ring bead which are comfy to sleep on. Even the post kind there, had little screw in round backs. DD's ears never showed any signs of swelling/redness etc. I was totally shocked how fast they healed. Also, since it is a small hollow needle, it pushes that little excess flesh OUTSIDE of the ear. A gun shoves an earing in, creating scar tissue INSIDE. That is why you get that little "knot" sometimes, like I have. Plenty of people get the gun piercing, I just wouldn't risk it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My older dd got hers done as a demonstration at a cosmetology school. The instructor I talked to originally said that she used a needle, but the instructor who actually did it had a senior student use a gun. My cousin is opening a tattoo shop in the next year or so, and is a certified piercer (has a LOT of piercings himself), he's 7-8 hours away, but I'll probably have him do younger dd's. She has decided in her own head that she has to be 8 to get it done, so we'll be waiting that long anyway, and then next time we're down visiting my family, I'll probably surprise her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueTx Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 dd (17) recently got a cartridge piercing done at a tattoo/piercing place. I admit, I went in with preconceived notions; but I found them to be professional, knowledgeable, and clean. I would definitely go back with any of my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 (edited) I'd do a tattoo/piercing place. Mine were done at the mall, so were DW's first ones. DW had a second set put in later by a pro and there's no comparison. I wouldn't let a piercing gun near my kids if I had any choice. If they are too young to be acceptable to a professional piercer, they will have to wait. FWIW, DW has a number of piercings and tattoos, and I've sat with her for several of them. A good body art business will be 100% sterile, completely professional, quick and as close to painless as possible. A needle-pierced hole will heal faster and cleaner than a gun-pierced hole. Obviously we will be sure to find a good reputable shop - a dirty back alley place with rusty needles doesn't count, lol. My mom will never be able to wear pierced earrings because the mall totally screwed up her piercing. Mine healed ok (eventually) but the holes are not straight which makes earring insertion...interesting. DW had no *actual* problems with her mall-pierced set (though they are not straight either) but found the experience of a needle piercing much less painful and faster healing. Edited March 29, 2012 by AdventureMoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillametteMom Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 (edited) I bought an "ear piercing kit" online and did my daughter's ears myself. I was a little nervous, but it turned out fine. Dd was 12 at the time. Editing to add: I acted as guinea pig first -- I had my dh pierce my ears the same way a year or so before I pierced my dd's. Edited March 29, 2012 by WillametteMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Where did you have your dd's ears pierced? Would you have it done differently if you could do it over? The only place here we could find was Claire's in the mall. I looked at several until I found someone who seemed old enough to know what she was doing and intelligent enough to discuss the possible side effects. I walked out with my daughter on one very rude manager first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 It's much better to use salt water/saline or something like Dial, and tea tree oil in a pinch, than any of the commercial, bottled products. Oh, and NEVER "turn" your earrings!! Now you tell us... And why not turn the earrings? What can happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esperella Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I would only take my kids or myself to a tattoo studio and see their piercer. The way guns work is damaging to ear lobes, but hollow needles arent. Not to mention I'd rather have someone quite used to piercing very, um, delicate? places do ears than someone who can only do ears. Not to mention piercing with a needle doesnt hurt nearly as much. It doesn't "shock" your body like a gun. I also think that its important to remember, at a reputable shop, piercers are usually always furthering education and technique. They also know which sizes of needles, types of jewelry, are better for each individual. Although they may not look it, to some people, most of them make really good money through this and take it seriously. I'd much rather have a professional in matters where permanent body modification (my ears have never closed up!!) is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We've done it at Claire's 3 times. No problems at all. equipment. No way would I let someone at a mall kiosk with an unhygienic "gun" pierce my kid. Just wanted to say that the guns at Claire's are sterile and disposable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 When you say "piercing studio" do you mean something like Piercing Pagoda (I'm not sure if it's like Claire's or different), or do you mean a tattoo/piercing business? Tattoo/piercing business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 We went to a reputable tattoo and piercing studio. I absolutely one hundred percent would do it again. A clean sterilized hollow needle heals a million times faster than a piercing gun. Agreed. While my kids don't have their ears pierced yet, this is my plan for when it does happen (or possibly a pediatrician/dermatologist who was experienced with piercings). My own ears were pierced with guns (At Claire's, back in the early 90s), and it was easy with no problems, so I certainly don't think gun-piercing has to end in a horror story. But I think that, on the whole, a reputable needle-piercer is the best option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Not to mention piercing with a needle doesnt hurt nearly as much. Getting my eyebrow pierced didn't hurt at all. Not at all. I also think that its important to remember, at a reputable shop, piercers are usually always furthering education and technique. They also know which sizes of needles, types of jewelry, are better for each individual. Yup. They get the kind of education and training that mall workers don't. And why not turn the earrings? What can happen? "They" say that turning earrings keeps the skin from adhering to the earring and prevents scabs, but in reality turning earrings (or any piercing jewelry) just irritates the surrounding tissue and increases healing time. In fact, you should not touch your piercing jewelry at all unless it's absolutely necessary, even after it's healed. Every touch is a chance to introduce germs. Just wanted to say that the guns at Claire's are sterile and disposable. It's good that they are disposable, but piercing guns are still not good for use on body tissue and can create scar tissue. A hollow piercing needle is healthier. For most people, it probably doesn't matter. Most people who get their ears pierced at a mall store are probably going to be ok. But there's always a risk, and imo the risk is decreased by seeing a professional piercer. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.