1. There are two methods of Piercing….. Guns and Needles.
Needles is considered a safer way of piercing and is primarily done in tattoo and piercing studios. Many people are not comfortable taking their children into a tattoo parlour and therefore prefer to go to a beauty salon that offers piercings or to the piercers often offered in shopping malls.
2. Not all piercing guns are created equal, know which one is safe for your child.
There two forms of piercing guns, Spring and Pressure.
Spring guns are often seen in the shops in malls that offer piercing. These guns are perfectly safe for older children and adults and when piercing the LOBE but should not be used on children under the age of 8 as if used incorrectly they can shatter the cartilage. Spring guns should never be used on any other part of the ear besides the lobe. They are not designed to pierce cartilage.
Pressure guns do not use a load and spring action. They use pressure from the hand to push a needle like stud through the ear. This is a much gentler gun and it’s equivalent to piercing with a needle. This gun is perfectly suitable for tasks such as baby ear piercing and nose piercings. It is also suitable to pierce in other areas of the ear where cartilage is present.
3. If your child is afraid of the pain associated with ear piercing, find a clinic that uses numbing cream or get some from your doctor and apply it half an hour before following the directions on the package.
4. Infection is the biggest risk of ear piercing.
You should get a disinfectant solution when you have your child’s ears pierced with instructions on how to use it. Children are children and infected ear piercings are common. The ear is an area that does not easily fight infection. If it does get infected see a doctor for antibiotics. Don’t wait for it to clear up on it’s own. It probably won’t.
5. Baby ear piercing is cultural and acceptable in some cultures and not in others. If you are going to pierce your baby, it should be done by someone experienced in this field with the necessary equipment and ability to make your baby as comfortable as possible during the process. Expect to pay more to have your babies ears pierced as it can often take four times longer than to pierce an older child, especially if numbing cream is used.
6. Lobes grow from the time of piercing and even if you take great care to make sure the holes are even on both ears, as your child grows, the holes could grow unevenly.
7. Be prepared to find out that your child has an allergy to the metal or the lidocaine in the numbing cream. My view it’s better to find out your child is allergic to lidocaine when you can wipe off the cream than when a dentist has injected their gums. Allergies to metals is often another common problem that arises.
8. Many places will pierce an older child with two guns at the same time. This will save you chasing after your child to catch them to have the second ear pierced!
9. Trust your instincts. If you need to feel comfortable with the person doing the piercing. If at any point you are not happy with the process, it’s best to walk away. Find a practitioner that is right for you and for your child. Many beauty salons and skin clinics now offer this service. Ear piercing for many children is an important event so treat it as such!
Featured images:
License: Royalty Free or iStock source: www.caflon.com
License: Royalty Free or iStock source: www.inverness.com
Lorena Oberg owns Lorena Oberg Skin Clinics in London, England. She is the creator of DermaEraze stretch marks removal treatment and offers baby and children’s ear piercing in London and Surrey. She is regarded as an international skin expert and lectures all over the world.
