Like most little girls, I was dying to get my ears pierced from the moment that my brain was developed enough to understand what the shiny things adorning women's ears were.
Unlike most little girls, my mom never had her ears pierced and did not understand my deep longing for what she called, "silly holes in my ears."
She would point out that earring holes get stretched out, and never missed an opportunity to tell me a horror story about ears becoming ripped. It's a good thing she didn't realize that earrings can also become coated in a layer of stinky ear cheese!
None of her scare tactics worked and finally, I decided to bite the bullet and get them pierced.
Since I was only 14 and my mom wouldn't come with me, I took matters into my own hand, or rather my friend's hands, at home.
My DIY piercing experience did not end badly, but it turns out that a friend's bathroom isn't the only potentially unsafe place to get your ears pierced.
Getting your ears pierced is an important rite of passage for a lot of girls.
When the time comes, it's pretty standard to head to the mall and get them done at the jewelry store with a piercing counter.
You sit down on the stool and expect the pain to be pretty horrific. After all, children aren't known for their high pain thresholds.
Lo and behold, the piercing didn't hurt nearly as much as you probably thought it did. You look in the mirror and admire the new woman the earrings have turned you into.
Most of the time, piercings done at the mall are done with a piercing gun: a speedy device that quickly puncture the ears and clamps in the earring, before you even know what hit you.
The method is quick, cheap and supposedly reduces pain, but there are some concerns that have to do with how sterile the guns can physically get.
According to the Association of Professional Piercers, "Only sterile disposable equipment is suitable for body piercing."
Since piercing guns are made of plastic and plastic would melt if sanitized properly, there is no way to truly sterilize the gun. They can only be wiped down with an anti-septic cleanser.
Guns are used multiple times a day, by a variety of clients. Since they can't be properly cleansed, people who use piercing guns run a serious risk of coming into contact with a previous client's tissues.
An improperly cleansed piercing gun definitely sounds gross, but you might be wondering, is it really dangerous?
The answer is a resounding yes. Your doctor would never wipe down a syringe and use it again; that would put patients at risk for contracting blood-borne illnesses.
By the same token, you should never get your ears pierced in a setting where the same piercing device is used on multiple customers without being sanitized with heat.
So where do you go if the piercing shop at the mall uses a gun? The answer may you. The best place to get a child's ears pierced is at a professional tattoo parlor with certified piercers,
While it may not be the first place you think to bring children, most tattoo shops follow the highest standards for sanitation and sterilization.
This involves using disposable sterilized piercing needles or earrings instead of a gun.
For instance, Pierced Hearts Tattoo Parlor notes:
We follow the exact same universal precautions designed to prevent the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis and other blood borne pathogens. We install the absolute best jewelry available on the market, made out of implant grade metals, palladium based gold, or Pyrex appropriately sized for the person who is receiving the piercing. Even if you have severe metal allergies, you don’t have to compromise your style.
With all that said – we DO NOT condone the use of ear piercing guns and will never, ever use one to pierce any part of any person’s body.
You may want to check with the tattoo parlor first before just showing up with your young child.
Most parlors will be more than happy to pierce a child's ears as long as a parent attends and signs a release form.
However, some studios have a distinct "adults only" vibe, and may advise you to steer clear.
It's also worth noting that most tattoo parlors only have piercers a few days a week, so you'll want to schedule an appointment on the right day.
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