Anyone pierce their toddlers ears?

[Christina]

Dd is 3 and asking for pierced ears. I'm not sure this is a good age. How fast do they heal? I'd go to a tattoo/piercing shop right?

[SJ]

Mine were pierced at 11 months at the pediatrician's office.

I would probably not be inclined to take my toddler to a tattoo/piercing shop to have it done, although I'm sure it is perfectly safe.

[Dumbledork]

If you do it, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place. Your pedi might still want to use a gun to do it, which is no bueno. Piercing place should use a needle, and, I would think, be much more experienced with the whole thing.

I wouldn't do a toddler because they won't be responsible enough to care for them like an older kid might, and won't leave them alone to heal like an infant might. I'd wait.

[hermione]

May 14, 2014 13:41:01 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

If you do it, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place. Your pedi might still want to use a gun to do it, which is no bueno. Piercing place should use a needle, and, I would think, be much more experienced with the whole thing.

I wouldn't do a toddler because they won't be responsible enough to care for them like an older kid might, and won't leave them alone to heal like an infant might. I'd wait.

This sounds horrifying. I'm not disputing you are correct but why is a needle better than a gun? It sounds so much...slower?

[hocus2]

May 14, 2014 13:45:39 GMT -5 hermione said:

May 14, 2014 13:41:01 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

If you do it, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place. Your pedi might still want to use a gun to do it, which is no bueno. Piercing place should use a needle, and, I would think, be much more experienced with the whole thing.

I wouldn't do a toddler because they won't be responsible enough to care for them like an older kid might, and won't leave them alone to heal like an infant might. I'd wait.

This sounds horrifying. I'm not disputing you are correct but why is a needle better than a gun? It sounds so much...slower?

   Below long answer to that question. The short answers is that "guns" are not sterile or particularly sharp. A needle is less dangerous and less painful.

www.safepiercing.org/piercing/faq/#guns

 FWIW I think 3 is a tough time to this. I think my daughter would have flipped out at 3. Even now I think she's too young.

[Dumbledork]

Piercings done with guns are more likely to get infected, guns damage the ear (think blunt force trauma), and there are some crazy stories about guns getting jammed mid-procedure and doing a lot of damage to the ear when they're wrenched away. Plus, you're more likely to get them even with a needle and the steady hands of a professional piercer than the teen at the mall with a gun.

There was a big thread on ML the other day with others backing this up. Let me see if I can find it.

ETA: For clarity and as promised- 
pandce.proboards.com/thread/321048/got-dds-ears-pierced-psa 
pandce.proboards.com/thread/324244/all-earring-haters-feel-smug

[Brie]

May 14, 2014 13:45:39 GMT -5 hermione said:

May 14, 2014 13:41:01 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

If you do it, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place. Your pedi might still want to use a gun to do it, which is no bueno. Piercing place should use a needle, and, I would think, be much more experienced with the whole thing.

I wouldn't do a toddler because they won't be responsible enough to care for them like an older kid might, and won't leave them alone to heal like an infant might. I'd wait.

This sounds horrifying. I'm not disputing you are correct but why is a needle better than a gun? It sounds so much...slower?

Needles can be fully sterilized.  The guns they use at Claire's and such cannot be.

[Deleted]

I would wait and buy stick-on "earrings" in the meantime. And yes, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place for sure when you decide to go for it.

[SJ]

WOW, I learned something new! Research has changed since 1984

I had no idea that needles were preferable/safer than guns.

However, I have no idea whether my pediatrician used a needle or a gun.

[ryry]

May 14, 2014 14:16:39 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

I would wait and buy stick-on "earrings" in the meantime. And yes, I'd go to a tattoo/piercing place for sure when you decide to go for it.

I would do this. I'm willing to let DD1 get her ears pierced when she wants, but I'd hold off as long as possible at this age with stick on earrings. At 3, she's just a bit too emotional/dramatic, I think, for it to end well. And definitely a real piercing place. 

[Deleted]

I'd let her get them done at 3. That was the age that I asked for them, and my parents let me get them. DH and I agreed that when DD asks, we'll take her to get them done. I don't really care if she is responsible enough to clean them, since I'd want to do the cleaning anyways.

[Marmee]

I took my girls to the mall & pierced with a gun when they asked. I think DD2 was 4yrs old. We've had zero issue ever with them. The girls barely flinched.  To me ear piercing is not a big deal or milestone.  I had my own done in Kindergarten in 1980.