All you need to know about your Girl's Ear Piercing
Getting your little girl’s (or boy’s) ears pierced by some stranger is definitely not a desirable experience and there’s surely no easy way. Adding to all that dread is the hoary sound of that drilling machine and your child’s tears. However, it’s all worth it when you finally see those diamond studs sparkling brightly on your baby’s tiny ears. Keep reading to find all the answers to your baby ear piercing questions. What is the suitable age to get my child's ears pierced? While piercing your baby’s ears is a personal choice, some professionals believe that it could have some possible hazards if done too early. This is because every time the skin is perforated, there are chances of developing infections. This is more so in the case of infants who yet haven’t completely developed their immune systems. Therefore, a common consensus of various experts around the world is that parents shouldn’t get their children’s ears pierced until six months of age. Certain people also argue that you must wait for the ear piercing decision until your child grows old enough to understand it and decide herself, which is probably around ten years of age. The older your child will be at the time of ear piercing, the better will be her coping mechanism. How to go about selecting the apt ear piercing place? First things first, you must ask your pediatrician or skin doctors if they perform ear piercings. While many of them don’t, it’s worth asking as already known professionals are a safer option. If not, you can request your doctor to suggest some trusted ear piercing place. Friends who are already parents can also be consulted for the same. A number of piercing places will try to lure you with their affordable prices and you must not fall prey to them. After you’ve selected your piecing destination, ensure that the technician possesses a minimum of a year’s experience in piercing kids’ ears. Next up, you must make sure that the technician follows some basic and necessary safety precautions such as wearing gloves, using sterile equipment and cleaning your child’s earlobes before proceeding ahead. If at any point, you feel that basic safety measures are not being undertaken by the technician, you can always ask to back out. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Which metal should I opt for while choosing earrings? Earrings curated out of hypoallergenic metals like sterling silver, titanium, platinum or 18 or 24-Karat gold can be a safe option for your child. Make sure that you opt for metal that is devoid of nickel and cobalt as they often cause allergic reactions in children. At times, white gold is also unsuitable for infants as it comprises of nickel. At the time of buying earrings, make sure to enquire sternly about the materials used in their making. Consult your doctor regarding the safest material for earrings. How can I help to make the piercing experience less dreadful for my child? Follow the below-mentioned steps to make the whole ear piercing experience less dreadful for your child:
- Apply two cubes of ice around fifteen minutes prior to piercing. This would help numb her ears and she would feel less of pain. Make sure you cover her ears with a plastic poly instead of applying ice directly.
- Request your GP to suggest a topical numbing lotion with lidocaines derivatives that can sedate your child’s earlobes. Apply a dense coat of the cream onto the lobes around half an hour prior to piercing.
- Communicate with your child about the piercing experience just like you would communicate about a vaccination.
- Help her overcome her fear of piercing by bringing in distractions such as her favorite teddy or doll.
- If nothing works, bribe her to stay through the piercing experience by offering her some extra minutes of TV watching or a trip to her favorite toy store. This is known as positive reinforcement. However, make sure you don’t do this every time as this would only end up making her overly materialistic.
- As soon as the piercing is done and your child starts crying, embrace her in your arms and hug her tight. There’s nothing as comforting as a mom’s hug.
- Make sure that you avoid any chances of an infection by keeping her ears and earrings clean. Begin with cleaning your hands with an antibacterial soap and then make use of a cotton pad to clean the earrings and earlobes with a solution safe for kids.
- While changing clothes or combing her hair, avoid brushing past your child’s newly pierced and sensitive earlobes.
- Keep shampoos and deodorants away from that area for some time.
- Prevent your child from going into swimming pool for some time as they contain bacteria that can cause an infection.
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