Why I Had a Tattoo Artist Pierce My Kid’s Ears

Navigating the ear piercing waters can be tricky when the one being pierced is your child. With so many opinions out there, doing some research of your own can be helpful in making your decision if you are on the fence. Here are just a few of the hot topics you may come across.

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The age debate is a big one. Some parents feel that if the baby/child isn’t old enough to make the decision itself, he/she should not be pierced. Other parents feel that inflicting piercing pain upon their baby is akin to child abuse. There is also the cultural factor. In many cultures, baby girls have their ears pierced at a very young age. In some places girls and boys are not dressed in pink or blue – having or not having earrings is the indication of gender. In other places adorning your baby with earrings is considered a thing of beauty. There are also family traditions and piercing a baby’s ears is just what is done in the family. We believe to each their own. No judgment here.

Needle vs. Piercing Gun

Piercing studs, although pointed, are not especially sharp. The piercing gun uses blunt force to get the stud through the earlobe. Although in a very small area, this causes trauma to the surrounding tissue. There is also the cleanliness of the gun. Piercing guns are made from plastic. They cannot withstand a cleaning in an autoclave so they cannot be sterilized (which is your very best bet in terms of getting rid of all things infectious). Piercing needles are extremely sharp and hollow. Using this type of needle is much less traumatic to the tissue, resulting is less pain (if we are measuring the pain inflicted by putting a hole through your body). They are also completely sterile, come individually packaged and tossed after being used once.

Professional piercers are highly experienced, experts at piercing placement and trained in sterilization practices. Using a piercing gun requires training although on a different level and there remains that pesky lack of sterilization of the gun.

Our experience

As my daughter’s sixth birthday approached, I asked her what she would like as a gift. “I want to get my ears pierced!” was her response. She had been asking for months but I had wanted to do some research and make sure she was fully prepared to take care of them if we decided to do it. After watching someone have her ears pierced with a piercing gun, she decided that wasn’t how she wanted it done. I had read several articles about Brian Keith Thompson and his shop Body Electric Tattoo and knew this was the place for us. We watched a few videos of him piercing children’s ears; she was enthralled by him and asked that I make an appointment to see him. Located on Melrose Ave. in Hollywood, the shop is, simply put, badass. With Jane’s Addiction blasting through the sound system and the décor a mix of Zen and rock-n-roll, there is also the vibe of deep professionalism and expertise. It was everything we hoped it would be.

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Brian greeted us when we arrived and helped us chose a pair of earrings by recommending the appropriate size for her ears and showing us a variety of metals and styles. (BTW, they have an amazingly beautiful selection of jewelry to choose from.) He brought us to the piercing studio and walked us through every step of the process before he began. He immediately made my daughter feel comfortable by talking and joking with her while also taking the time to answer all of her questions. I wasn’t sure if we would get there and she would change her mind altogether, get one pierced and decide she wasn’t going to do the other or if this would be a cinch. He meticulously measured her ears and marked the spots where he would pierce. Before each step he explained what he would do and asked if she was ready, allowing her to take the lead. She handled the whole thing like a rock star and quickly had two tiny golden stars placed perfectly in her ears. Afterwards he gave her instructions on how to care for them (wash the earrings gently once a day and do not touch them. At all.).

The best part of the experience was Brian’s ability to work with his clients, no matter the age. By showing her respect throughout each step of the process, he earned her trust and respect therefore she really listened to his words and understood the importance of what he was telling her about how to care for them. Two months later, we have never had a crusty earring or any infections, just a happy girl who is proud of her earrings and a cool story to go along with it.

Featured photo by Allef Vinicius