Piercing Your Baby's Ears: Risks & Precautions

Getting your baby’s ears pierced can be exciting as well as worrying. Parents are often confused about whether they should get their baby’s ears pierced, if yes then at what age and what to do in case of an infection. In this article, we will answer all your questions related to baby ear piercing.

How old your baby should be before getting its ears pierced?

According to some physicians, you should wait until your baby has received two tetanus shots, which is usually around 4 months old. Whereas some experts recommend waiting until your child is old enough to manage their aftercare on their own. Ear piercing for babies is safe at any age if it is performed with safe equipment and technique. Additionally, you must be consistent with aftercare to make sure the ear piercings heal properly.

What are the risks of piercing your baby's ears?

Besides the risk of an infection, there are a few other risks you should be aware of before going through with baby ear piercing. Your baby could get an allergic reaction to the metal used in the earring. Then, there’s the risk of developing keloids (excessive scar tissue). However, keloids are more likely to develop when ears are pierced after age 11 than before according to a study.

Where should you go to get your child's ears pierced?

If you’ve made up your mind about baby ear piercing, ensure that the provider uses safe equipment and technique. For instance, the piercer should use a needle instead of a piercing gun, the latter being more popular at jewelry stores, malls and kiosks. It’s best to ask a doctor, nurse or experienced technician to perform the baby ear piercing.

You should also choose gold post earrings to reduce the risk of infection or any skin reaction to the metal. Additionally, avoid selecting dangling earrings for your baby as they might get caught on something and increase the risk of your baby’s earlobe tearing. Finally, it’s recommended to use screw-back earrings to avoid them from loosening, falling and/or posing a choking risk.

How to take care and clean your baby's pierced ears?

Just like an adult getting their ears pierced or making any modification to their body, aftercare plays a crucial role in how well the body part heals. Here are some steps you should follow after baby ear piercing:

• Apply an antibiotic ointment to the site of piercing twice a day with a cotton pad.

• Rotate the earring twice in a day.

• Try not to remove or change the earring for at least the first 4-6 weeks.

• Only touch your child’s piercings after washing your hands thoroughly.

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Good and consistent aftercare can help prevent infection.

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How to respond in case of infection?

Most children of any age who get their ears pierced pass through the healing process with little discomfort. That said if you notice the following signs after baby ear piercing, then there might be an infection:

• Redness

• Swelling

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• Warmness to the touch

• Oozing

• A temperature of 100.4-degree Fahrenheit or higher

If your baby presents any of these signs of infection, you can use a saline solution to clean the piercing. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol on your baby’s sensitive ears. Ensure to keep the piercing site clean and turn the earring on time as well.

Note: If the piercing doesn’t turn, that’s a sign of infection.

Start with home treatment but if the symptoms persist even after 2 days, you should call your pediatrician.

Will my baby be in incredible pain after having her ears pierced?

Baby ear piercing comes with some discomfort but babies often don’t understand what’s going on. To minimize pain experienced during the procedure, visit an experienced professional who can perform the process quickly. You can also apply a cold pack before and after the baby ear piercing to numb the area. Additionally, be gentle and consistent with the aftercare process. In the first few hours and days, your baby may be in pain and discomfort, so try to distract them.

The pain caused by baby ear piercing is generally short-lived as long as the area is kept clean and infection-free.