Beaners Guide to Ear Piercing
Our customers often ask us, “What age does Beaners pierce babies or children’s ears?” It’s up to you, the parents/guardians, but there are pros and cons to piercing a baby’s ears and waiting until they are older.
Piercing Ears While They Are A Baby
There are lots of advantages to piercing babies’ ears while they are little:
- Babies do not play with their ears, so there is less infection chance as they won’t be touching them.
- They can’t shake their head, so less chance of issues/mistakes when being pierced.
- Most babies can be nursed or given a bottle after the piercing, and the crying is over.
- They will not remember the discomfort.
Disadvantages of piercing a baby’s ears are:
- Their ears might be too small for piercing, depending on the lobes’ size or position. The technician will assess whether the ear lobes are big enough for piercing.
Ear Piercing for Toddlers and Children
PROS:
- They can decide to have their ears pierced on their own.
- Their ears are larger, so figuring out where to pierce the ears can be easier.
CONS:
- They can shake their head or jump, causing misplacement of the stud’s earring or incorrect angle.
- They seem more reluctant to get their ears pierced.
- You may end up holding them to get the second one done as some children won’t sit after the first ear. (We don’t recommend doing them at the same time as we have seen some un-ideal situations. Including incorrect placement, where the guns go off at slightly different times or the child jumps after the first one, putting the second one way off. It is safer to do one at a time. Two different people can never pierce at exactly the same time.)
- They may play with the earrings causing infection.
Almost Pain-Free Piercings
EMLA cream is an over-the-counter product that numbs the ear lobe, making ear-piercing a lot more pleasant than when we were kids. No prescription is needed, but you have to ask for it from your pharmacist and read about any possible adverse side effects. When placed on the ears at least 30 minutes prior, it makes piercing nearly painless.
Our new pressure technology guns are made without springs, cutting out all the spring release’s loud scary noise. There is less pain as the earrings are placed in the ear with steady, gradual pressure. Healing is quicker as the ear experiences less trauma with this process.
Quality and After Care Matters
Many children have allergies to different metals, such as nickel. It is very important to choose hypoallergenic earrings. Aftercare should include ear-piercing antiseptic and not hydrogen peroxide, which dries the piercing out and doesn’t allow it to heal correctly. Regular cleaning with turning one full turn to ensure the stud is not becoming crusty or healing in place is necessary.
Once the ears are fully healed, you can choose to put costume jewelry in for events or daytime use, but it is essential to always put non-irritating sleeping studs/ hoops back in at night to avoid infection. All ears can be sensitive to different metals, so it might take a little trial and error to find out what earring composition is best for your child’s ears.
Health Considerations
Of course, if your child is unwell or you have concerns about their health or infection, it is best to consult your doctor before getting their ears pierced.
Is Your Toddler Or Child Ready To Get Their Ears Pierced?
Sometimes waiting is best. Ask yourself:
- Have they been asking for their ear pierced consistently without wavering?
- Do they understand the aftercare, that they need to clean them daily?
- Have you explained that they can’t change them for six weeks after being pierced?
- Are they old enough to understand their hands are full of bacteria that can cause infection, and they cannot touch or play with them?
- Are they old enough to discuss that it will hurt for a few seconds when pierced (like a needle), but it’s fast, and when it’s over, it’s well worth it?
- They must get two piercings. They cannot stop after just one.
When they are ready, we can help make their wishes come true with a little up-front help from you!
Choosing The Right Place for Ear Piercing
When looking for a place that pierces babies’ and children’s ears, consider whether they are experienced with children and if the atmosphere is conducive to a pleasant experience. A good ear-piercing technician is patient, friendly and knows how to handle small children.
Are you wondering where to take your baby or child to get their ears pierced? All our Beaners Fun Cuts locations offer ear piercing for babies, toddlers and older children and teens. We have locations in Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert and Newmarket, Ontario.
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Jenny T.
First time we been to Beaners and honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect. My twin boys never really had a real hair cut before and knew it was going to be a task and a half. But the ladies there were awesome. The cuts look amazing and exceeded my expectations and then some. This will be my go to place for my boys now!
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