Infant ear piercing information....?

Question

Just wanted to post this information for parents with questions about infant ear piercing. I had my daughters ears pierced when she was 3 months old, I waited 4 weeks before changing her earrings, when I took the studs used to pierce her ears off, I noticed that they weren't done right. I contacted safepiercing.org about it, his is what they had to say: "They may or may not close up all the way. One of the reasons the APP doesn't suggest piercing younger children is that even if placed "correctly" now - as she grows and develops they may not stay in a position which is aesthetically pleasing/even. You can attempt to re-pierce them - but if the new holes are placed close to the first holes there is a chance that her body will "migrate" the jewelry to the old location. The longer you wait the less likely this will happen. Try massage and hydration in the area to assist in closing." This does NOT mean I'm against infant piercing or that I regret doing so, but it's good info to share.

Answer 1

That's why the doctors I work for don't like to do it to little kids - they refuse to pierce under six months old, and they actually prefer them to be kindergarten age....

Answer 2

I'd also like to share a bit of information about ear piercing. Specifically piercing guns which is usually the method of choice when parent's take their children to have their ears pierced. Piercing guns are dangerous, painful and most of all NOT sterile. The only way piercing equipment can be completely sterilized is by using an autoclave... something that cannot be done to a piercing gun because of it's plastic parts. This means a person will come into contact with blood and tissue from those pierced before them. Also, a piercing gun relies on a tremendous amount of force to push a dull earring through the lobe. This causes severe pain, high risk of infection and tissue damage. With piercing guns, there is also risks of improper placement. Partly because it can not exactly been seen where the earring is going and partly because the people who operate them have little or no training. When you and your child decide to have her ears pierced, please visit a professional piercer, or the pediatrician's office, not a place like Claire's or Wal-Mart.

Answer 3

thanx for the info. and i just wanted to point out that in mexico they pierce ears with in 3 days of birth and with the earing itself. I had it done the same day i was born, in a sterile environment by a nurse, and i didn't even feel a thing. My aunt, a nurse did it to my first when she was a week old and she didn't even cry...i have never had problems.but with my second i went to Claire's and a month later i took them off cuz the got infected....$40 dollars and two months later the hole closed??