My daughter’s sixth birthday included another exciting milestone: getting her ears pierced! The process began a couple of months earlier when she first expressed interest, and then the piercings happened just before her actual birthday (her choice). Weeks later, it’s now as if she’s always had them.
Where to Go
Our pediatrician offers the service and was an obvious choice for us. Not only do we know and trust them, but they’re also the first place I’d call with any complications (hopefully never!). If your pediatrician doesn’t offer ear piercing, you might be able to find another local pediatrician and/or ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) that accepts non-patients.
Another option is to find a jewelry store, including both small local businesses and chains like Claire’s and Piercing Pagoda. They both offer ear piercing for “free” with the purchase of a starter kit/piercing earrings.
Questions to Ask
Some of the questions you might want to ask before making an appointment include:
- What do you use to pierce ears (piercing gun vs. disposable ear piercer vs. needle)?
- Do you pierce both ears at the same time, or one at a time?
- Do you offer numbing?
My pediatrician pierced my daughter’s ears one at a time using a disposable ear piercer, without any numbing offered. The process was quick, and I’m pretty sure the fear of the unknown was more overwhelming than the piercing pain. That night, I offered my daughter Motrin before bed, just in case.
Post-Piercing Care
This is stressed as the most important part of the piercing process. Our pediatrician encouraged us to keep this first pair of earrings in for as long as we can (months). We are diligent about cleaning the holes with rubbing alcohol and then applying antibiotic ointment. I opt to use Q-Tips for both of these steps. My daughter knows that an infection will not only be painful, but may also mean that she can no longer have her ears pierced. The fear is real!
