Ear piercings in children

More and more parents and guardians are choosing to go to a professional piercing studio to get their children's ears pierced. Unlike hairdressers and others who use ear piercing guns, piercers work full-time doing piercings, and it is natural to go to an expert when little ones are going to be decorated. In addition, there is a big difference in the technique used when using a gun, and at a piercing studio where the hole is made with a needle. Some have a slightly strained relationship with the word "needle", but the fact is that because the needle is so extremely sharp, it damages fewer cells as it passes through the tissue, which causes less pain and swelling, and fewer problems during healing. When piercing with a gun, it is the barb itself that makes the hole by bursting through the tissue. This damages more cells, which makes it perceived as more painful both when the jewelry goes through and afterwards. It also often becomes more swollen and many have problems healing the hole.

In addition, gun jewelry is difficult to clean around, and the back often collects pus and bacteria. At a piercing studio, you get a small rod with either a ball or plate behind it. This jewelry is much easier to clean around, and is not painful to lie on.

Many gun systems are not disposable. Even if the jewelry itself is sterile, the gun that holds it is not sterile, and there could potentially be microdroplets of blood or bacteria on the gun that are transferred between clients. At Pinpoint, everything used for the piercing is always sterile.

threadless titanium jewelry from NeoMetal

A piece of jewelry that is inserted into the body cannot grow into the tissue, so it should not be twisted. In fact, you should not touch it at all except for cleaning, which you do 1-2 times a day during the healing period. It is common for the wound to ooze a light yellow wound fluid while it heals, and for this to solidify on the jewelry. As long as the wound is oozing, it means that the surface inside has not healed completely, and you should wait to change the jewelry. Even when it has stopped oozing and you can describe the piercing as "healed", the surface is very fragile and it is easy to get small tears when changing, moving the jewelry and the like. Therefore, we recommend that children in particular wait at least 6 months before changing their jewelry themselves, preferably even longer.

Mother and daughter with new ear piercings

After a piercing has healed, it still takes quite a while for the surface to be completely modeled to the skin, usually 12-18 months. This means that you must first be careful about what kind of jewelry you use. If you use materials that contain nickel, the metal can be more easily absorbed through the skin and you can develop an allergy. Silver is therefore not recommended both because it may contain nickel and because it tarnishes and turns black. While the surface is being modeled, this black coating can penetrate the tissue and give a permanent bluish shadow around the hole. You should stick to titanium, steel or gold for the first year (be aware that some white gold jewelry may contain nickel. White gold purchased in Norway today should be nickel-free, but if it is heirloom jewelry, you should wait to be sure).

The surface cannot withstand much weight in the first year, so you should avoid hanging jewelry. And the hole shrinks quickly if you have jewelry on, so it is important to wear jewelry at all times.

The piercings should be cleaned daily with sterile saline on a q-tip. Twice a day for the first month is fine, and then once a day for three months. If the piercing is not bleeding, you can then reduce the cleaning, but it is good to clean it weekly to keep the jewelry clean and inspect how it looks. Pay special attention to the back where it is most likely to grow bacteria due to moisture.

It is very important not to introduce bacteria, so it may be a good idea to explain to your child that they should not touch their earlobe. The piercing also does best when kept as dry as possible, so after your child has washed their hair, you should dry behind their ear with a clean q-tip (be extra careful in the crease at the earlobe), and either blow-dry their hair or hold it away from their ears while it is wet. It is recommended to continue keeping the back dry even after you finish cleaning your hair daily.

Bathing in bathtubs, pools and the sea should be avoided for at least a month after the piercings are done. It is better to use earplugs rather than headsets, both because of pressure and bacteria. Hats should not be tight, and should be washed often. Bed linen (especially pillowcases) and towels should be changed often. Animals in the bed are discouraged, and the child should be encouraged to wash hands after handling animals.

If you want to use Emlakrem beforehand to numb the area, this is the easiest way to use it: Buy the cream in a tube instead of a patch. Apply a thick layer to the front and back of the earlobe 1.5 hours before your appointment. Reapply the cream about every twenty minutes. It is not necessary to use the included patch.

We have pierced the ears of many children without anesthesia, and most of them cope just fine. The piercing itself only takes a few seconds to perform, and it doesn't hurt afterwards. But of course in some cases, courage can fail a little when it comes to getting the second piercing.

NB! We only have one permanent piercer who pierces children's ears, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. Some of our guests do this, but it is best if the child understands English.

threaded titanium flowers from Industrial Strength (We do not insert flowers when piercing, they can be used after 4 months.)