My 4 year old wants her ears peirced, which is better? hollow needle, or the gun?

Question

My 4 year old daughter wants her ears peirced and I have been hearing a lot of talk, that they are finding its better to have it done by a hollow needle rather then by the gun, because of scar tissue. Is this true? One place we went to also did the hollow needle, but won't do it to her until she is 10.

Hey... actually this is something that I was considering doing when she was an infant.. My husband said to wait until she asks. Her cousin and some of her friends have their ears peirced and now she at that age of " looking" pretty and really wanting "real" earrings. She knows its going to be painful, She doesn't want the sticker ones because they fall off, and this is something that she has been talking about for the last 6 months... We waited 6 months to make sure this is/was something she really wanted to do.

Answer 1

i was not allowed to perce my ears till i was 12 and i hated my step mom for it. i wanted them when i was 5 why was i the only kindergarnder with out cool earings ...even worse why was i the only 5th grader that wore clipons? i resented her for it i moved in with my real mom and she let me have them done right away, i love my earings and sence then i have gotten several more in my ears probly just cuz i can and i wasnt allowed to as an adult. im guessing she is wanting them cuz a cousin or older sister or someone has them and sees them and wants them. i say do what you want , make sure she reallly wants them, have her practice cleaning her ears with cotton balls and water every day and if she can keep that up then how you get them pierced is your decision. i know of several infants toddlers and newborns that have thier ears pierced and have never had a problem with them. my grandmother, my aunt and all my cousins included in the newborn piercing. piercing ears to me is not a "grown up thing" and should not be viewed as one but more a can she take care of them thing, does she play in the dirt alot like some 4 yearolds does she rough house with an older brother or daddy, have a serouse conversation with her on why she wants them done. and to those that said.....she was deciding for her 4 year old bah....thats all i have to say for that....several 3 yearolds ask for things like that ....infact when i worked in a department store a lady was buying her 3 year old a bra cuz she wanted it....if you want to complain about making kids grow up to fast maybe you shoud be more conserned about those parents who put kids in pagents and buy 3 yearolds bras and put rings on newborn fingers when they can choke , and necklaces on infants that they wear every day that they can get tangled on...piercing is a christian believe yes but who cares socitiy doesnt maybe shes asking the wrong question board...the question wasnt ...is it ok to do it ...it was gun or needle...so stick with the question and stop making this parent feel horrible for wanting to do somthing that her child wants. i say do your research and ask refrences before you go anywhere ...good luck

Answer 2

I've had my ears pierced for like 12 years (gun) never had any problems. I'd say do the gun if she's scared. I dont know how the needle works. But you might be able to get two ppl each with a gun on an ear to do it at the same time so she only feels pain once.

Answer 3

PIERCING GUNS CANNOT BE STERILIZED!!! Some of the newer equipment uses a sterile, self-contained stud, which is all well and good, but the gun itself still can not be sterilized and can become contaminated with blood or bodily fluid when it comes in contact with the ear before or after the actual piercing. In a day and age where viruses like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C are reaching epidemic proportions no one should get pierced with anything that can’t be put in an autoclave. The really sickening thing about all this is that most of the places that use piercing guns market to younger children and the parents of children, who don’t know the dangers!

If you're going to have your 4-year-old's ears pierced - which I would strongly advise against - at least please educate yourself about why the GUN is a bad idea. The gun cannot be sterilized in the autoclave. There are several other reasons. Please read and learn. And also, please reconsider letting your child tell YOU what to do. You are the parent.

Answer 4

I am amazed at how many people do not know the dangers of using the gun for piercing. There are even petitions - in different states and also in the UK - to have them outlawed because of the sterilization issue. Even the tattoo artists have warnings on their websites about the dangers of the gun.

This is your child and your decision. My personal view is that a child shouldn't be pierced. I'm a nurse and I've seen my share of ripped earlobes on little children. Kids play rough and it's just not a smart thing to do...in my personal and professional opinion. In any case, please see the below websites of several tattoo artists for info regarding the serious health risks of using the gun.

Answer 5

As a mother who had her daughters ears peirced when she was 5, I woujld definately go for the gun. It is quick and will cause the least amount of trauma for such a little girl. The reason that they won't do it til she is 10 is most likely because the needle is very traumatic, slow and just not the best way to go. Im 41 and I would'nt get my ears pierced with the needle......the gun, it's over in a split second. You will get scar tissue regardless of which way you choose. Hope this helps. :)

Answer 6

Im sorry did you really just say Your 4 year old wants? If so it would be great if you could just say I WANT my childs ears peirced. Since its likley that your 4 year old wants to play in traffic too, I would say this would be your choice.

Go ahead just give the child some ice and a good old needle if thats what they really want.

Answer 7

I dont know anything about hte hollow needle thing, but I do know that they can do both at once with the gun~ dont let them!!! it may be faster, but if there is 2 different people doing each ear then one could go a little before the other and make your daughter jump then they will be off. I would do the gun thats what I had done when I was little and it didnt bother me much. if she is ok at the doctor then thats probably how she will act. so if she doesnt like needles go for the gun.

Answer 8

It's a 4 year old girl for Gods sake!!!! Why do you want to do such a young adult thing like ear piercing on a child?!?

Remember, adult behavior requires adult sensibilities. A nice ear infection should be all it takes to convince you that you shouldn't have done something so irresponsible with your own child.

Since you will discount my opinion and boldly proclaim "It's my child and MY choice." the least you can do while dragging her to the mall is to remember that she cannot adequately take care of the piercings after they are made, so YOU will have to...because it is YOUR child and it is YOUR choice.

Answer 9

The fact that you are ok with your 4 year old getting her ears pierced is the disturbing part. You must be Mother of the year. Good luck with the rest of the raising.

Answer 10

The gun is a lot better. It's louder, so it might scare her a little, but there's much less pain. It goes much faster than a hollow needle too.

I also agree with the younger the better. Instead of being a painful memory, it'll just be a story to tell. My ears were pierced at 9 months and I (of course) don't remember a thing.

An added bonus is that sometimes when you get them pierced young they don't close up as fast when you're not wearing earrings. I can go months without wearing any and my holes don't close.