WHAT’S THE MINIMUM AGE TO GET MY CHILD’S EARS PIERCED?

Infant ear piercing is a common practice around the world, and can actually be a lot easier and less stressful than waiting until your child is older. As a general rule, you should wait until your baby is around six months old, but the absolute minimum age is two months.

Between two and six months of age, babies are learning to localize pain, which means that they’ll be less likely to reach up and tug at the affected area than an older child would be. This lowers the risk of infection and helps the piercing heal a lot quicker!

If you’re thinking about taking your child to get their ears pierced, talk to the technician ahead of time to determine the best way to hold your child during the procedure. Stay calm and relaxed, and your baby should take his or her cues from you.

If your child has just gotten their ears pierced, make sure you take the time to put some extra care into the new piercings, especially if your child is too young to take care of themselves.

An earlobe piercing takes around six months to completely heal, and piercing care is just as important for small children as it is for teenagers and adults. Make sure your hands are clean whenever you touch the new piercing and take the time to clean the affected area.

During your child’s bath time, clean the front and back of the earlobe with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol or another aftercare solution. Check the back of the piercing, especially, to make sure that the backing is holding and that the piercing is secure.

Throughout the rest of the day, keep baby lotions and other skincare products away from your child’s new piercings. While these products will help keep your child’s skin smooth and soft, they can also be loaded with oils and chemical products that may increase the risk of infection.

While your child’s earlobes are healing, make sure you’re keeping a close eye on the new piercing for any signs of inflammation or irritation. Infection is extremely uncommon for most families, but there is still some small amount of risk.

If you notice any unusual discharge or bleeding around the piercings, or if you see any signs of swelling, inflammation, or pain, remove your child’s earrings immediately.

Clean the earrings themselves with rubbing alcohol or some other disinfectant, but do not place them back in your child’s ears until after you’ve checked with a doctor.

If you want to wait a little bit longer before having your child’s ears pierced, you may have to wait until your child is between the ages of two and ten. By this time, their immune system and ability to understand instructions will have greatly increased, but they may be more anxious about the piercing.

Overall, the minimum age to get your child’s ears pierced is between two and six months, so long as the piercings are kept clean and well-maintained!