What age for ear piercing?

[eternalscot]

Please do not compare ear piercing in young girls/babies to human sacrifice. Yes it is family tradition, I can honestly say that I have never given it much thought until now. All I know is that I took it for granted that I had them done, I don't remember it and have never thought that I wish they hadn't been done. It is an individual choice, I thought it would be interesting to give my thoughts on it as someone who did have my ears pierced at a very young age. Out of curiousity what age do you feel is appropriate to make an informed choice?

I'm actually not sure what age that's a difficult one isn't it? I suppose when they can chat helps maybe 12, but nowadays that is seen by many as too old. Oh I'm interested in your thoughts, but for some parents it's tradition to smack their kids with a belt when they step a foot out of line. Nanny state could come along and say NO kids done til 16 Anyway I have a piercing licensing and it stipulates 18 parent or no parent ( as remember nowadays child belongs to state not parent) doubt it will be long before they start enforcing either, but I guess some lefties are scared about upsetting a section of society. What do other people's piercing licences say?

 

[mrsd88]

I had my first set done when I was a baby didn't bother me, had the second set done at 16 & was so scared lol wouldn't go through it again the second set went horrible so I'm glad I had mine done when I was younger, I have two boys 5 & nearly 2 non of them have a piercing I'm not going to give them one either when their older if they want one then that's fine it's their choice.

 

[skingeek78]

I am going to try to sit on my hands now and resist the urge to enter any further into yet another relatively pointless debate where comments begin to both deviate from issue originally posted and become offensive (I admit that I find some personally offensive) I appreciate that piercing infants ears is a contentious issue in the UK, whether or not it is found by some to be acceptable to them, it is individual choice and in several 'sectors of society' or as I prefer to call it 'cultures' it is celebrated as a family tradition. A comparison between this and human sacrifice and forced marriages (there is a strong difference between arranged and forced) also bringing up the subject of beating with a belt???? is really just trying to antagonise. Surely there are plenty of more important things to debate, and far more important things to judge someone's parenting skills on than piercing ears. As a parent if you feel it is not for you or your child, great but perhaps it is best if you don't insult others who do and as a professional if you choose to not do it then thats great as ideally it should be done by a healthcare professional anyway, but my feelings on where it is done and how it is done are a whole different debate. I am surprised the subject of circumcision hasn't been thrown in there yet.

 

[skingeek78]

what do you advertise as your age restrictions for ear piercing?

youngest age?

age you dont need parent there?

Any other advise...

In answer to the original question, unless I was a healthcare provider and could offer the correct medical environment, sterile studs and support following treatment, including being able to offer treatment if any complication such as infection occurred, I personally would not treat young children/babies.
Age of treatment without parental consent would depend on law of country/region. I believe for tattoo and piercings it is 18 in the UK?

This does not reflect my feelings on pierced ears in babies as I have voiced in previous posts. My own ears were pierced as a baby by my aunt, but times change, I would take my own child to a pharmacy or medical environment to be pierced.

 

[sanilulu]

Hi all ...
I don't pierce ears of any child younger than 5 ... Even then I ask the child if they want it done, get them to look and play with gun to hear the sounds it makes. I also do tell them it hurts a little and for a few hrs later and that they have to help to keep them clean etc (home care advice)
Parents must sign under 16 and must be present also ...
I personally don't do children under 5 ( that's just my choice but I like another prev comment I say its due to insurance)
I think it's a parents choice to when they have their child's ears pierced ... And think its a bit naughty for ppl to judge as some comments have been quite harsh ... Ie .. council chic .. to name one .... (lol)
My mom whose Italian had hers pierced as a small baby ... (she's 84 now..) ... It was thought that children would mess less with them .... That was how it was back then ... I'm sure it was same here too if you ask grandparents etc ..
But she took me for mine when I was 11 ...
'It's a personal choice' ...
But just to add ... I know of 12-13yr old girls with belly bars and tongue piercing ... And girls of that age who want all sorts pierced ... Again i dont agree but it is up to their parents ...!!!








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[eternalscot]

He is it goes again ok to trivialises tots with earrings, but a slap with a belt is far worse? Again in uk anyone know the legalities of piercing I defo know I can't do it under 18, so presumably there is a lot of people who could end up in trouble of doing it.

 

[skingeek78]

He is it goes again ok to trivialises tots with earrings, but a slap with a belt is far worse? Again in uk anyone know the legalities of piercing I defo know I can't do it under 18, so presumably there is a lot of people who could end up in trouble of doing it.

A slap with a belt is not in the same category. It is however clearly a contentious issue and very obviously you disagree with it, but it would be preferable for you to refrain from using this topic to insult others with generalisations or making unfair comparisons that are offensive, please think about what you say before you say it. As for the legalities it is legal in the UK but which professionals can carry this out, I don't know.

 

[eternalscot]

Hmm wonder if Prince George will be getting his ears punched!

 

[gillian w]

Interesting that Claire's will do any age with a disclaimer.Under 3 months babies just have to be inoculated.
I personally have only pierced children at 11 or 12 onwards.I don't do ear piercing anymore but if I were to start again I would still stick with that age and I would check with my insurers first.

 

[Victoriabar]

Hmm wonder if Prince George will be getting his ears punched!

When i trained we were never shown how to punch someone's ears, just pierce..
As for not being allowed to pierce I under 18's, this is a tattooing rule in the uk.
There is no legal age for ear piercing, even for without consent but down to the individual piercer. And of course common sense!!
There are only rules for under 16s having genital or nipple piercings.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Body-piercing/Pages/Introduction.aspx


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[eternalscot]

When i trained we were never shown how to punch someone's ears, just pierce..
As for not being allowed to pierce I under 18's, this is a tattooing rule in the uk.
There is no legal age for ear piercing, even for without consent but down to the individual piercer. And of course common sense!!
There are only rules for under 16s having genital or nipple piercings.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Body-piercing/Pages/Introduction.aspx


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So you can get your baby's ear pierced say twice (this is quite in vogue amongst some mothers who go to Claire's accessories, I have been reading) before its injections? And so this is where 12 13 year olds getting belly bars comes from too. Incidentally belly bars on children this age is horrible sexualisation of youngsters but I will probably be told I'm just being culturally insensitive there too. This is bonkers so I can't smack my child but I can pierce them?, just doesn't seem right. Oh well!

 

[AmyGreen]

what do you advertise as your age restrictions for ear piercing?

youngest age?

age you dont need parent there?

Any other advise...

I do ear piercing in a salon I work at part time, and also privately when I am not at the salon.

At the salon we have a minimum age of 4 years old for ear piercing, but if someone wants a younger child pierced they are given my card to contact me privately.

I don’t have a minimum age for ear piercing. Provided the parents want it done I am prepared to do it. With newborn babies I do try and persuade parents to wait a few weeks, but if they aren’t prepared to wait I will still do it rather than them go elsewhere, and I have pierced quite a number of tiny babies.
Anyone under 16 years old has to have parental permission, although the majority of my piercings are on babies and young children


Pricewise I charge £15 for a pair of jewelled studs and £12.50 for a pair of plain studs.
Single studs are £12.50 and £10 (jewelled/plain). I do have quite a demand for single studs for cartilage piercing and also boys, although a lot more parents are piercing both ears on baby and young boys.

One incentive I offer is a voucher giving 25% off a second piercing if used within 2 years of having the first holes pierced. Originally this was aimed at trying to build up trade in the tween market, but I now frequently get asked to pierce second holes on much younger children and babies. Provided there is enough room for the earrings and the parents want the baby/childs ears pierced again I will do the piercing.

Hope this info is of help. Ive got a busy weekend with a lot of bookings.

 

[Rinn]

I'm 23 years piercing ears and only do it on 5 + year olds simply because any younger and they won't get the 2nd ear done and I won't hold the child down to get it done as has been suggested to me in the past. After 5 they can be convinced to get the 2nd one done without any drama.

 

[Blue Rose]

I used to do ear piercing many moons ago & would pierce 5 yr olds upwards. Over time the minimum age increased as the younger ones were a complete nightmare to get the 2nd hole done. I used to get myself stressed about it & would stew all day if I had a piercing booked for the afternoon. In the end I took ear piercing off the menu.

On Saturday I was in Claire's & a very young baby (about 4 months old) was having her ears pierced. After screaming her head off from the 1st piercing, she finally calmed down, only to be hit with the 2nd one!

Was actually quite distressing to witness that & I could NEVER do that as part of my job. Isn't it our job though as parents to protect our children? Why would someone willingly want to inflict pain on their child?

I had my ears pierced when I was 7 & can't remember if it hurt that much or not. However, I had an injection on Thursday which really bloomin' hurt. That pain was still with me on Saturday seeing this poor little baby in Claire's!

 

[gillian w]

That's the way I felt Rinn and Blue Rose.I had to do all ages when I was employed and it was awful getting the second hole done on many of the young children I never did any babies I couldn't have inflicted the pain and would worry incase they moved.Also the younger they are they keep touching them.
Many schools now make them take them out or cover them for PE and this is not easy when very young.When they are a bit older they can understand it may hurt and they can look after them.

 

[Victoriabar]

So you can get your baby's ear pierced say twice (this is quite in vogue amongst some mothers who go to Claire's accessories, I have been reading) before its injections? And so this is where 12 13 year olds getting belly bars comes from too. Incidentally belly bars on children this age is horrible sexualisation of youngsters but I will probably be told I'm just being culturally insensitive there too. This is bonkers so I can't smack my child but I can pierce them?, just doesn't seem right. Oh well!

Your comments aren't about being culturally insensitive but coming across as only your way of thinking is THE way of thinking, and guess what? Its not.
we all have a qualified choice that is right for us, its all about individuality!

I've children ranging from 25 - 5 and grandkids from 3- newborn and all bar two of them have piercings.. And not just ears!
I've allowed my kids from their 12th birthday to have a piercing a year (if they were requesting it sooner than 12 - all had earings before 6) my eldest had belly, ears, ears, nose, tongue, tregus, labret then nothing until recently and had a nip done (I'm still cringing but she's 25)
My son 21 only ever wanted his ear done... At 5
My 16yro had ears at 5, ears at 10 and belly last month.. Again all her choice.
My 5yro had ears done 6mo ago
My 19mo granddaughter had ears done at 10mo

Does this make me a bad person for allowing my kids (once they'd had their initial ears done) to make their own decisions on their body?? No.. Its taught them to look after, clean, help heal and use safety with such items..

I won't even go into the tattooing side!

And for the record, you can smack your child within reason, you CANNOT beat them.. There is a difference!!


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[eternalscot]

Your comments aren't about being culturally insensitive but coming across as only your way of thinking is THE way of thinking, and guess what? Its not.
we all have a qualified choice that is right for us, its all about individuality!

I've children ranging from 25 - 5 and grandkids from 3- newborn and all bar two of them have piercings.. And not just ears!
I've allowed my kids from their 12th birthday to have a piercing a year (if they were requesting it sooner than 12 - all had earings before 6) my eldest had belly, ears, ears, nose, tongue, tregus, labret then nothing until recently and had a nip done (I'm still cringing but she's 25)
My son 21 only ever wanted his ear done... At 5
My 16yro had ears at 5, ears at 10 and belly last month.. Again all her choice.
My 5yro had ears done 6mo ago
My 19mo granddaughter had ears done at 10mo

Does this make me a bad person for allowing my kids (once they'd had their initial ears done) to make their own decisions on their body?? No.. Its taught them to look after, clean, help heal and use safety with such items..

I won't even go into the tattooing side!

And for the record, you can smack your child within reason, you CANNOT beat them.. There is a difference!!


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Seriously if you said your child got a smack in scotland to a social worker they would minimally say go on parenting course and probably put your kid at the at risk register. It's changed days I know a few social workers from work and they are insane. I have a good friend who work in the office and tells me all the stories, shocking! You even get in trouble if you are like me and choose not to give your child every injection going, for genuine reasons one of my brothers who is a medical dr so I take his advice not a load of socialists.

Anyway back to piercings fine indulge every pre teenage whim regardless of the risks. Have the boys and girls pierce when their tots, but be aware others do judge your children, if your boy attended a private school or your daughter had her ears pierced twice they would be told get it out and frankly not to lower the tone! You must know this yourself piercing babies is usually the reserve of a certain class, it's not stereotyping if they done a survey I bet not many older professional mothers take their baby son or daughter to Claire accessories for multiple piercings.

 

[x Fee x]

it's not stereotyping if they done a survey I bet not many older professional mothers take their baby son or daughter to Claire accessories for multiple piercings.

Well my mother did. And for the sake of the argument, my mother is an 'older' highly educated, extremely classy and professional woman that is Director of a company and holds a Doctorate and an MBE.
While she may not have had these achievements when I was born, she would be prepared to do the same for my own child, if I allowed it.

 

[AcidPerm]

Well my mother did. And for the sake of the argument, my mother is an 'older' highly educated, extremely classy and professional woman that is Director of a company and holds a Doctorate and an MBE.
While she may not have had these achievements when I was born, she would be prepared to do the same for my own child, if I allowed it.

To be fair, ES said 'not many' rather than 'none'. Your mum is probably in the minority in her social group.

Personally, I think it looks rather sad to see young children and babies with piercings. What's wrong with waiting until they're 13 plus?

 

[eternalscot]

Well my mother did. And for the sake of the argument, my mother is an 'older' highly educated, extremely classy and professional woman that is Director of a company and holds a Doctorate and an MBE.
While she may not have had these achievements when I was born, she would be prepared to do the same for my own child, if I allowed it.

Well I'm sorry I am have obviously missed all these PHDs in Claire's having their baby son or daughter ears pierced multiple times I stand corrected!!! They must be dressed down that day!