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davsand

(13,445 posts)

56. YES! Avoid any piercing that is done with a gun!

Fri Apr 26, 2013, 11:56 PM

Apr 2013

My daughter wanted her ears pierced starting at about the age of 11 or 12. I got mine done at about age 13 so I was ok with it. WAY back in the dark ages when I had mine pierced there were no Piercing Pagodas or Claire's so I actually had my ears pierced in a doctor's office. My experience was nothing like what my kid was gonna face.

Once my kid started saying she wanted her ears pierced I started reading and talking to people and I soon realized that the guns they use in the malls are just not sterile. Yes, they get wiped down with something, but they are not autoclaved like the needles are that piercing artists use. An additional attraction was the apprenticeship that piercing artists have. Seems a bit better to me than a 30 minute training video in the back room of a mall store.

In talking to the piercing artist I learned that the type of hole made with their needles is different that the one made by the piercing guns. I'd always figured a hole is a hole, but as it was explained to me, the holes made with piercing guns are more force/mashing as opposed to the ones made by the needles which are more of a slice. One heals faster than the other...

My kid healed right up after her piercing and she's never had issues with infections or anything else.

Laura

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Women of DU (Or parents of daughters) [View all] ok_cpu Apr 2013 OP

I think I was 15 union_maid Apr 2013 #1

I think that probably sounds about "average" ok_cpu Apr 2013 #2

About that age for my daughter. Let her make the decision. But personally... trof Apr 2013 #15

I came late to it; I think I was around 40. CaliforniaPeggy Apr 2013 #3

Seems risky when they're that young ok_cpu Apr 2013 #7

I agree. CaliforniaPeggy Apr 2013 #10

I've never heard of a baby getting an infection sammytko Apr 2013 #48

I was 12 tabbycat31 Apr 2013 #4

That doesn't sound like fun at all. ok_cpu Apr 2013 #13

more in one than another tabbycat31 Apr 2013 #16

Age 10 distantearlywarning Apr 2013 #5

Being neither a parent or a woman, I'd hazard to weigh in. Chan790 Apr 2013 #6

Now see, I thought the right way ok_cpu Apr 2013 #11

YES! Avoid any piercing that is done with a gun! davsand Apr 2013 #56

12 or 13. Because earlier isn't really safe, and they have to take care of them. lindysalsagal Apr 2013 #8

I wanted my ears pierced when I was nine. Mother was OK with it but, Father made me wait until I Tuesday Afternoon Apr 2013 #9

I did it as soon as I escaped to college LiberalEsto Apr 2013 #12

I was in my 20's when I had my ears pierced, my daughter was 9 or 10. Arkansas Granny Apr 2013 #14

Good for her at that age. Sounds like a responsible kid! ok_cpu Apr 2013 #17

LOL. I've had dogs like that, too. Arkansas Granny Apr 2013 #19

i think i was 12. not quite a teen and i think htat is why my mom did it. make up at 13. seabeyond Apr 2013 #18

my parents wouldn't let me until I was mid-teens and then my Mom took me to the DOCTORS office Kali Apr 2013 #20

I would have never thought about the Dr. doing it ok_cpu Apr 2013 #64

In 1965, my first year in college, When I came home Raven Apr 2013 #21

Had mine pierced at 17...a long, long time ago.... Sekhmets Daughter Apr 2013 #22

I was 11 n/t LadyHawkAZ Apr 2013 #23

You raise a sore issue with me. elleng Apr 2013 #24

That's what happened with my daughter: i made the mistake of DebJ Apr 2013 #60

I was about 12 or 13 on a trip to my Grandmother's hometown in Germany R B Garr Apr 2013 #25

Keeps getting earlier pipi_k Apr 2013 #26

Nobody grows up anymore olddots Apr 2013 #27

I was 15, but my daughter was 13. Lone_Star_Dem Apr 2013 #28

My daughter and I were both 10. /nt Sweet Freedom Apr 2013 #29

I was 8. Lady Freedom Returns Apr 2013 #30

I did my own at 16. Well, I did the left ear... vanlassie Apr 2013 #31

lol, never underestimate the eagerness of a sibling to poke holes in you! OriginalGeek Apr 2013 #35

Yeah. She seemed a little OVER eager! vanlassie Apr 2013 #36

I finally did it at 16; my daughter was 11, I think. Arugula Latte Apr 2013 #32

Sixteen. My mom would not allow me to do it until I was 16. The first earing I bought was a applegrove Apr 2013 #33

I would have had no problem with earlier OriginalGeek Apr 2013 #34

Myself mzteris Apr 2013 #37

OK - Inquiring minds want to hear the funny story. avebury Apr 2013 #50

My older son mzteris Apr 2013 #58

Poor guy. I'm no fan of needles either. ok_cpu Apr 2013 #63

I agree with your wife. Should be your daughter's decision. sarge43 Apr 2013 #38

I was 7 Maine-ah Apr 2013 #39

My daughter was almost 9 when she got her ears pierced NewJeffCT Apr 2013 #40

That's been the big surprise for me ok_cpu Apr 2013 #65

I had mine done when I was 12, my mom was with me ... Myrina Apr 2013 #41

Had one done in my teens with a needle, and a lot of shaking. Loryn Apr 2013 #42

15. Wait Wut Apr 2013 #43

I was 20 and married. Still Blue in PDX Apr 2013 #44

That's funny my mom was the same way. Loryn Apr 2013 #47

We let our daughters decide when they wanted them,,, benld74 Apr 2013 #45

Most hispanic girls ears are pierced at infancy. I didn't get mine done til I was 15? And never wear sammytko Apr 2013 #46

My father refused to allow either my sister or myself get our avebury Apr 2013 #49

His wife was Alma GONZALES, did he have a choice - lol? sammytko Apr 2013 #52

My understanding was that the girls were identical avebury Apr 2013 #53

they didn't consider bracelets? RILib Apr 2013 #74

You think you have a choice? hunter Apr 2013 #51

Me too! kurtzapril4 Apr 2013 #69

On my 11th birthday. IrishEyes Apr 2013 #54

i was five years old fizzgig Apr 2013 #55

I was 15. I didn't really care that much about it one way or the other, winter is coming Apr 2013 #57

i got mine done when I was 18. Early 1970s. Manifestor_of_Light Apr 2013 #59

I was 7 years old... Jasana Apr 2013 #61

my daughter was about 10 womanofthehills Apr 2013 #62

how old is your daughter? n/t MrsBrady Apr 2013 #66

Kindergarten ok_cpu Apr 2013 #67

be prepared for your daughter mentioning NewJeffCT Apr 2013 #80

Yep. She already has. ok_cpu Apr 2013 #81

Back in the mid-sixties I was DESPERATE to annabanana Apr 2013 #68

I was 11, but my mother insisted that alsame Apr 2013 #70

It's weird and totally unlike me to say so, but Quantess Apr 2013 #71

I can't imagine RILib Apr 2013 #72

My daughter was in kindergarten or first grade. noamnety Apr 2013 #73

I got my ears pierced when I was 12. LWolf Apr 2013 #75

I was 4, but have permanent holes even though I stopped wearing them when I was 8 Nikia Apr 2013 #76

My Dad ordered me to wait until I was 16. My Mom felt that was unreasonable since GreenPartyVoter Apr 2013 #77

18 and gone to college in 1969. Didn't have any daughters. mnhtnbb Apr 2013 #78

I got mine done at 9. Raffi Ella Apr 2013 #79

My wife and I agreed to let our daughter decide. ileus Apr 2013 #82