Attention all girls? How old were you when you got you ears pierced?

Question

My little girl wants her ears pierced, but I think that she is too young....she is nine. My crazy mom pierced mine when I was about six, and I have a big slit it one of my ears from sleeping with on when I was little..and therefore, I can hardly wear dangling earrings which are my favorite. Also since I was so young...I do not remember how painful it is...do any of you?

Answer 1

I got mine when I was 3 because I kept begging my mom. I didn't cry or flinch at all. It was a small pinch. Nine is old enough.

Answer 2

I don't know how old you are, but when I was a teen the only way to have it done professionally was by a doctor and the 'patient' would have to wear string loops in her ears for weeks or months. Therefore I had a teenage friend do mine, and after some infection, they finally turned out ok. By the time my kids were 6 or 7 they had the new fast way of piercing at novelety jewelry stores. My 6 year old recently had hers done at Claire's and we've been very happy with the results. Just keep the original earrings in for the first 6 months and high quality metal posts after that. And NO danglies for little girls as they'll be more apt to get caught in the hair or hands or other objects.

Answer 3

I was 7 for my first ones, 12 for the second, 18 for the third, and 26 for the fourth. I have never had any trouble with the first two sets - I think because I was so young, they healed more completely than the third set ever has (fourth is still in the process of healing, and it's a cartilage one, so that's different).

I got my daughter's ears pierced at 5 months old, and we've never had any problems with hers. I just make sure that she has locking back earings that don't dangle, tangle, or catch on anything.

Also, if she is afraid of it being painful, ask to have both ears done at once. The amount of pain is different for everyone, but that way, by the time you've figured out what your pain tolerance is, it's over anyway!

Answer 4

I was really young, probably around 3 if not younger. Parents do it younger because you don't remember the pain, little kids get over it faster. I think your daughter is old enough to get her ears pierced, just watch what kind she wears so that the same thing doesn't happen to her that happened to you. You were probably too young and your earings may have been too heavy which would account for a slit rather than a hole.

Answer 5

Ha ha, I got mine pierced about a month ago, and I'm 33 years old. It's very painful, but the worst of the pain is the first six hours. After that it dulls to an ache unless it's irritated like after a night of tossing and turning. Bring some aspirin or acetomenaphin for the first day at least and she should be fine. I still treat my ears with hydrogen peroxide almost daily because it's not quite fully healed.

The piercing itself doesn't hurt, that is, the first 10-15 minutes I was fine. But it was into the next hour when the pain began, and it was probably the most intense in these first two hours. I think I should have taken the aspirin right before I got them pierced.


I personally don't think piercings are a matter of maturity; it's purely superficial, and at best a way to draw attention to someone's face as opposed to their body. I chose to get them pierced only recently to motivate myself to be more attentive about my appearance and possibly help me keep on my diet.

It's more important to talk to your little girl about how to stay confident about herself than to focus on how she looks, although it feels like they go hand in hand. It's like the difference between watching a movie and reading the book it was based on. There's a subtle relationship.

Answer 6

I was 19 when I got my ears pierced. Obviously that's really old for ear piercing, but I do think it's a good idea to wait until high school or in that area. All children are different, but a lot of elementary school kids don't have the maturity to take care of something like a piercing properly and since it's not necessary, why take any risks? By the time many kids are in high school, style is more important to them and they are more likely to care for themselves and their accessories properly.

Answer 7

I was three. My mom said that I told her, in a perfectly formed sentence, "I want diamond earrings for my birthday, mommy." My mom, a well-educated, rational, working woman agreed. Granted, I wasn't old enough to fully understand that I needed to take care of my ears - but she is a nurse so she had no problem cleaning them for me. I do not remember the pain - but DEFINATELY go to a place that will have two people pierce both ears at the same time. My cousin was 12 and left with one ear pierced...

I never had a problem with my earrings - except for when I try to wear a cheaper metal (I can only wear gold or titanium, silver will irritate my ears within a few days of wear).

Needless to say, I grew up to be as normal as one could expect - more normal than a childhood friend who was forbidden to get her ears pierced. Obviously, she didn't turn out to be nutty BECAUSE she wasn't allowed to get her ears pierced, but I do not feel there is necessarily a direct correlation b/w ear piercing children and how kids "turn out." (I say this b/c my friend's parents thought that children with piercings were trashy and trampy. She got kicked out of boarding school for threatening to kill her roomate...with a fork...).

Answer 8

That was a long time ago for me! LOL

I got a piercing in each ear when I was 14. I got a 2nd piercing in my left ear when I was 16.

The first piercing, the woman doing it hit a blood vessel and there was blood gushing everywhere! Some stranger watching me get them done almost passed out.

But there was no pain. I heard the "click" of the piercing gun and felt a slight pinch that was over so fast it barely registered.

Answer 9

My mom pierced my ears when I was a baby before I was even old enough to know what was going on. I'm glad she did because when I was a little girl, and we got dressed up to go somewhere, I was so proud of the little studs in my ears. Don't take your daughter to some crappy booth if you decide to get it done. Go somewhere clean that sells good quality jewelry. There's less risk that she'll get an infection or have a bad reaction to the earrings.

Answer 10

Oh this is so easy to answer. My mom FINALY let me get my ears pierced just before I turned 3. I wanted them so badly and it didn't really hurt. It REALLY doesn't. It feels like a pinch. I just got a 2nd pair of earing on my ears a few months ago. [I am now 12] I think you should let her. Tell her what ever happens tho, she's FULLY responsible. And if you want to, maybe even tell her that if she gets an infection, she's taking them out? But they are probably the least painful piercing ever. I could do it everyday. But let me warn you that the ears [or just one] does "burn" [like heat' for a while. It feels really warm and I put some ice on mine. Let her do it. I know how badly she wants it probably. What could it hurt?

Answer 11

You know that one day you are going to let your little girl get her ear pierced. Although I may not know you, I'm suggesting that you should let her get her ears pierced when she is ready.

For me, I got my ears pierced when I was still a little baby. Well that's what my mom told me. But for me, my ears pierced turned out looking fine. One suggestion if you are going to let your daughter get her ears pierced, you should use small strings or threads that will fit in her pierced ears and let her wears those until a couple years later. That way, her ears won't have big slits when she is sleeping. No offense. Also, it will help her ears get use to the hole. Because with regular earrings, you have to take them off every night and put them back on in the morning.

I'm Hmong and that's what most Hmong women do to their girls, is put a small piece of thread in their pierced ears and make a small loop out of it. They usually do this when their daughter is still young.