All About Kid’s Ear Piercing

My friend, who had a 6 month old baby, was thinking of getting her ears pierced; there were various doubts that arouse in her mind that was best answered by the tips the doctor whom she consulted gave her.

Here are a few tips worth considering regarding ear piercing:

 
Puncturing the ear for ear piercing exposes the skin to infection; it is best to wait for 6 months before piercing of the ear as the immune system of a newborn is still developing. If you want her to make her own decision it would be best to wait till 10 years when she could take a more responsible decision to maintain her ears and studs well.

Ear piercing could be less painful with using a prescribed numbing cream with lidocaine derivatives that can help anesthetize the earlobes; it should be applied 30 to 60 minutes before piercing. You could also use ice wrapped in a plastic wrap 15 to 30 minutes before piercing. All these interventions would diminish pain to some extent, but it would help in case of young children to prepare them for the quick procedure by asking them to breathe deeply.  

Some of the best metals that would suit for earrings include surgical stainless steel earrings, and those made of gold, platinum and titanium; most skins are allergic to nickel and any alloys. Your doctor could also give you certain safety tips.

It is best to get your child’s ear pierced by a dermatologist or pediatrician as they would use sterile equipment and follow basic safety procedures. If not you may ask for their advice and also consult trusted family and friends who may recommend a technician. Make sure the technician has at least one years experience with several piercings each day; make sure he/she follows the basic safety protocol like cleanliness and hygiene and uses an individual sterile ear piercer out of its previously unopened packaging in front of you for each ear.

Once the ears are pierced ensure the earrings are clean by cleaning the front and back of the earrings with a clean cotton ball dipped in alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or cleaning solution provided by the piercing locale. Gently rotate the earrings and slide them back and forth a few times. Wait till 6 weeks before replacing the earrings with another pair. Make sure your daughter wears it for 6 months continuously till the holes become permanent.

Some of the signs of infection are redness, swelling, drainage, pain, itching or tenderness; it could be an allergy to a metal or an infection that needs to be treated by antibiotics and removal of the earrings for 6 months before again piercing the ears. Repeatedly traumatizing the area greatly increases the chances that a person will develop a thick scar tissue.

Avoid piercing the cartilage because of  higher risk of infection and colloid formation; ensure that she does not irritate the newly pierced ears while changing clothes or brushing the ears. Put her hair back with a headband or up in a ponytail and keep hairspray, shampoo, perfumes, and similar products away from the earrings.

All this makes for successful piercing of your daughter’s ear.