ear piercing for 4 yr olds - UPDATE

Ivy, my quintessential girly-girl (where the heck did she get that?) really wants to get her ears pierced, so I'm going to treat her to that. Where's the best kind of place to go for it, though? Are the typical mall places good enough (and can they cope with a squirmy 4 yr old)? I'm willing to shell out a little extra for a really good job if it comes to that - I am just completely clueless!

 

I got my girls pierced for the first time when they were 2 1/2. We did it at piercing pagoda in the mall. I loved that they had two people do the piercing so both ears were done at the same time but both my girls had their earing fall out of their ears within a week. One of which we lost, the other I could not get the back on. I know that is not the norm. Piercing pagoda would have repierced them for free but my girls refused.

Dani just got her ears pierced this fall at 51/2. This time we had it done at Claire's.

 

Claires in your local mall is by far the best I'm a little biased but I used to be a Manager there for many years and the girls get training and do a TON of piercings!
I just had a girlfriend take her daughter to a local tattoo shop because they were "licensed" for piercing and she thought they would do a better job, they ended up botching it and having to do it again. They told her it was his first time doing a normal ear piercing :lol:

Claires is great and call ahead. Normally with 4 year olds they will do both at the same time. It makes it sooo much easier! They will talk you through the whole process and it's very clean.
Have fun!

 

I've done Piercing Pagoda twice (at 9 mos and then at 2.5) both times were very professional and they had 2 girls piercing her ears at the same time so it was over and done with!

 

Thanks for the feedback!

Ivy is totally cracking me up. Not long ago they had annual bloodwork, and she FREAKED OUT and was wailing at the cosmic injustice the rest of the day, ie, "I don't want the needle to have a poky part!" "I don't want the needle to make a hole in my skin!" "I don't want the needle to make me see my blood!" And now I've been telling her in super graphic detail what's involved in piercing just to make sure she understands, and she's all "I won't cry," "I will just close my eyes," "That's OK, I am brave." Ah, anything for beauty, right? :laughing:

 

We did it! Ivy got her ears pierced at Claire's the day before her birthday. She didn't chicken out even though there was a baby getting her ears pierced before us and screaming bloody murder. She cried when the studs went through, but got over it fast, and when she saw herself in the mirror, at first she looked confused, then totally delighted. Whoohoo!

 

Way to go Ivy!!

 

:clapping: Ivy!!!

 

Awesome! :woohoo: I bet your glad it is done and over with!

 

Woohoo!

 

Anything for beauty LOL!! :clapping: IVY!!!

 

:woo: Awesome!! :woo:

 

:wub: :wub: Love it!!! I'm sure she looks beautiful!!

 

Just curious for an update -- how's it going with the daily alcohol wipes, etc.? (That was my downfall as a kid. But I didn't get my ears pierced till I was 10, so it was solely my responsibility to heal properly. Might be easier with a young child!)

 

I'm curious how it's going too?? My dd is 4.5 and we've been talking about it lately and she wants to get hers pierced too I was just wondering how it's going for Ivy.

 

It's going great! I am really impressed at how mature Ivy has been with the whole thing. I explained it all to her ahead of time (pain, aftercare, etc), she said she was OK with that - and she's been OK with it. I am really surprised, because this is my little drama queen who will wail "You're hurting me!" if you look at her the wrong way. She sits still and is very patient getting her ears cleaned 3x/day, and even when it hurts a little, she is *heart attack* a stoic about it! :faint:

Aftercare has not been too painful for her, though, btw. They give you a special cleaner that does not have alcohol in it, so it doesn't sting. (I spilled some on a papercut the other day and didn't feel anything.) Everything's healing up beautifully.

 

Good to hear it went well. With myself having a nickel allergy, I dread the day when Audrey asks to have hers pierced. (if that ever happens)

 

Yay! So glad its going good!

 

Abby's ears get crusty if she wears anything less than 14k gold - so right now she has MY diamond earrings in her ears LOL...