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ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1033
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 7:06 pm: | 
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My daughter wants to get her ears pierced. We do not want to go to Claire's. Seems as though a number of her friends who have gotten their ears pierced there have gotten infections -- could be a coincidence, but we don't want to take the chance.
Does anyone know of a doctor who pierces ears?
Or, can anyone recommend some other decent, clean, wholesome place that does it?
And does anyone have any experiences to share?
This is likely not a big deal, but I would prefer to err on the safe (even if neurotic) side. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1049
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 8:37 pm: |
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My granddaughter, who is nine, just got her ears pierced at a place in Livingston Mall. I don't know the name of the place, but it should be easy to find. They were very strict about parental permission. Her mom has a different surname from the kid, and they wouldn't do the piercing until her dad came and signed the permission. So far==after two months==she hasn't had any problems. She's been very careful about following instructions for keeping the area clean and applying antiseptic washes. |
AntoninaKC
Citizen
Username: Antoninakc
Post Number: 167
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 9:11 pm: |
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An infection only occurs in the absence of proper post-piercing care. (Directions are something like 2 months of cleaning 2-3 times a day, rotating the earring, etc) As long as the child or parent makes sure its taken care of the right way, there shouldnt be any trouble with going to a "Piercing Pagoda" or "Claires". I do know some jewelry stores do piercings so maybe you could try that. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 398
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 11:14 pm: |
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I don't know myself, but I think pediatricians will do it. (At least I think I remember someone telling me their pediatrician did her baby's ears. Maybe they only do infants.) |
cats
Citizen
Username: Cats
Post Number: 35
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - 11:37 pm: |
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I agree that you must be extra diligent about proper care after the fact - no matter where you choose to get it done. Also, as much as they'll want to wear "cool" earrings, I would also say it's a good idea to wear 14K gold, maybe sterling, for several months just to make sure everything is OK. Another tip- if possible, have two people do the piercing simultaneously so your daughter only goes through the "hole punching" once - if you know what I mean! |
millie amoresano
Citizen
Username: Millieamoresano
Post Number: 263
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 12:06 am: |
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Both of my daughters had their ears pierced at the Piercing Clinic in Union my pediatrician reccomended us to go there and only there if we watned to get her ears pierced. Their number should be in the book if they are still in business. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2439
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 8:44 am: |
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We did Claire's in September or early October and diligently supervised 3x daily cleaning. Not a hint of an infection! But we're insisting on continuing gold posts until the first year anniversary as we have one family member extremely sensitive to anything but gold. Surgical steel doesn't even cut it.
Really, the aftercare seems to be the most important aspect of the healing. We took the advice about cleaning after bathing/showering (and, I would guess, swimming) seriously as well. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 959
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 8:54 am: |
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We had our two daughters ears pierced just after Christmas at "Icing" which is an upscale branch of Claire's.
(They have them in Texas now - New Jersey will follow.)
Our pediatrician wouldn't do it, he reccommended Claire's, our surgeon wouldn't do it (while my daughter was under anesthesia for tonsillectomy), he reccommended Claire's.
Compared to my experience - as a child having my ears pierced at the doctor - this has been a breeze.
The technicians are VERY serious about aftercare. My 9 year old and my 12 year old where completely informed about why we cleaned their ears 3X a day every day with the non-stinging solution provided.
We take out the earrings on Valentines Day for the first time.
They have never even felt a "tug" while turning them every day. I am impressed with the whole package Claire's has devised and I can reccommend it. |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 76
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 9:02 am: |
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We did Piercing Pagoda. Same positive experience as at Clairs.
It is all about aftercare.
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Wilkanoid
Citizen
Username: Cseleosida
Post Number: 556
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 9:03 am: |
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My daughter had her ears pierced at the Piercing Pagoda at the Livingston Mall. They had parental consent forms, care instructions, etc. It all seemed very professional.
My pediatrician in Watchung does ear piercing, for $80 or so, including the earrings. I didn't know it at the time.
I wouldn't blame the people who do the piercings for infections unless they happen directly afterwards. A lot depends on the care you take afterwards. My daughter's ears got infected two months afterwards, something which definitely wasn't Piercing Pagoda's fault. I think it was more because we got trigger-happy with earring changes after the 6-week period. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1037
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 9:28 am: |
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Thanks to all for the input, and the recommendations. I will consider all of the above, including Claire's.
I agree that the after-care is the most critical part. This, I realize, will be my responsibility as the mom.
Thanks again! This is a big rite-of-passage, and I am quite uptight about it. |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 3958
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 9:48 am: |
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We go to Dr. Gruenwald...he oesn't do it but Dr. Commandatore DOES, and did all three of my girls at 4 months.
The only time I ever saw a trace of an infection was after we put silver enameled studs in my eldest's ears, just got a little crusty...we cleaned with alcohol and it has been fine ever since.
We don't change earrings much (the 3yo has been wearing the same ones for probably 2 years if not longer). I prefer small hoops that snap-lock over studs, because there's less metal pushing against the earlobe. Of course we wore the "regulation" studs for months before changing.
Don't stress about the after care...after baths just twist the earrings and clean with an alchol dipped q-tip.
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sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3103
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 3:30 pm: |
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We did Piercing Pagoda successfully several times - two daughters, a fair number of piercings ... all on the ears so far :-)
Ditto comments above re aftercare, etc.
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ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1044
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 3:32 pm: |
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Where is the Piercing Pagoda? I don't recall seeing it at the Livingston Mall?
Incidentally......many, many years ago, the space occupied by Claire's was occupied by a store called "The Pierced Ear", which is where I got my ears pierced. |
cats
Citizen
Username: Cats
Post Number: 36
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 4:07 pm: |
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Piercing Pagoda is a Kiosk on the lower level (near an escalator, I think). |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3106
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 10:01 pm: |
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Piercing Pagoda is not too far from Claire's, actually. It is down toward Sears in the middle of the mall.
Re an earlier in the thread comment - There are Icing stores in New Jersey. (I think that their signs even say "Icing by Claire's" or something like that.) There is one in Jersey Gardens and one in Woodbridge Mall, to name two. (Both of those malls also have Claire's stores in them.) |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 2070
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 10:57 pm: |
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shoot, when I did mine I just gritted my teeth and pushed it through.... |
Taurus5208
Citizen
Username: Taurus5208
Post Number: 144
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 11:31 am: |
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Unless Piercing Pagoda has changed locations, it is a kiosk located on the lower level towards Macy's, directly in front of Bath and Body Works. My sister got her ears pierced there with no problems. |
Kiba
Citizen
Username: Radical_kiba
Post Number: 35
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 11:46 am: |
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her pediatrician or doctor might be able to do it for her. So just ask them next time your daughter gets a checkup. My mom's a nurse practicioner, and she pierces her patients' ears all the time. I mean, it's probably a LOT safer to have a licensed nurse/doctor do it, than getting it done in some jewelry store. |
C Bataille
Citizen
Username: Nakaille
Post Number: 2442
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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Kiba, not necessarily. Sometimes the safest way has more to do with having lots of experience doing it. For example, in most medical practices you'd do better having a nurse draw blood than a doctor because they do it so much more frequently. Both are trained to do it and many people would assume a doc might be more skilled. But the practice effect of doing it every day many times usually gives nurses the edge.
As for ear piercing, while nurses handle needles all the time they are not usually engaged in puncturing a body part through to the other side. It is different from drawing blood or giving an injection. At Claire's and similar places they have chairs set at a good height for the piercer, with a back so that if the patient moves they don't go that far. They also have routines about how to clean the site, line up the (usual) two holes, explain the aftercare, etc. They have kits with written instructions to hand out along with solution for the after care. Generally speaking they may be set up better for the procedure and they certainly do it much more often.
There's nothing wrong with asking a pediatrician or nurse to do it but there's lots of safeguards built into the mall places as well. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1052
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 12:55 pm: |
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I am soooo nervous about this whole thing! All of this information is reassuring. So thanks!
Now the hard part is getting up MY nerve. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10600
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 1:42 pm: |
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A friend of ours had her daughters ears pierced by a pediatrician at the insistance of her MD brother in law. The piercings were done at an angle and the holes didn't line up ear to ear.
How many of you know that the machines they use at Claires, etc. were designed for putting ear tags on livestock? 
Make sure the piercer/operator wears rubber gloves and that the machine is clean. |
mickey
Citizen
Username: Mickey
Post Number: 396
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 1:48 pm: |
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At the Piercing Pagota, my daughter's lobes were measured and the tech placed an ink dot on the exact spot to pierce. She let me and my daughter approve of the spot. I liked that.
No problems w/ infections. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 4488
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 1:53 pm: |
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Both kids went to Claire's and it was fine. They were very good about the follow up care. also, my daughter peirced her own second holes (don't ask) and she's never had a prob. Real gold though is what you need. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 967
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 2:34 pm: |
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Bob K,
The machines are disposable!
They both come preloaded with an earring (one machine for each ear) and they are thrown away entirely. Then the gloves too.
Icing also got our approval for the location of the piercing using a surgical grade dye pencil for marking the "dots". |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10603
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 3:36 pm: |
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Kmk, the whole thing? 15 years ago when my daughter had her ears pierced the machine they used was as I mentioned before. The new system sounds like it eliminates any chance of blood born disease transmital as long as the technician wears gloves and washs before and after.
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Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 3973
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 3:42 pm: |
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At the drs' office too, they use the disposable single-use pre-loaded with an earring machine.
The beauty of having it done when they were 4 months was that they had just gotten a shot and were already crying.
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kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 969
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 4:54 pm: |
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BobK,
The whole thing...mind you it looks like a white plastic parmesean cheese grater.
I am impressed with the Claire's system. You pick from two dozen earrings on a display, then they slide open a drawer and pull out a 4" x 8" box containing two earpiercing machine thingies preloaded with the earrings of your choice.
It reminded me of the hospital where everyhting from cotton balls and razors to hypodermic needles and tubing said "Baxter" on it and has to be torn open before use (and exposed to the germ-filled world.) |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3108
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 9, 2006 - 7:20 pm: |
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Re location of Piercing Pagoda ... that was my mistake. I should have said "toward Macy's" rather than "toward Sears". It is definitely not near Sears.
I've heard advice from a number of fronts (including physician friends) that it is better to go to a reputable ear piercing place than the pediatrician just because they are set up for doing exactly that and they have lots of experience doing it. BobK's post seems to support that.
However, I would recommend against the DIY (or do your friend's) approach for what I think are obvious reasons ... even if it does work out in many cases. It just isn't that expensive to get it done professionally by the time you consider the cost of the earrings in the deal. |
Kiba
Citizen
Username: Radical_kiba
Post Number: 37
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 11:55 am: |
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C Bataille, I stand corrected. Thanks.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 6732
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 12:04 pm: |
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Clean the lobe with rubbing alcohol. Have your daughter take a shot of scotch while holding an ice cube on her ear. Take a 14k gold post earring (which you have sharpened to a point with a diamond file) and push through once the ice melts & ear is bright red.
Repeat on opposite ear.
Or, do as the others suggest. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1066
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, February 11, 2006 - 12:16 pm: |
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Greenetree, she actually prefers brandy! |
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