Some doctors offices do it now.

Our pediatrician did it for us. We felt better that way (clean, disinfected utensils, etc.). Our daughter was fine. My wife nearly passed out just watching.

Pediatrician.

Yep...Claire's is our piercing and earring place of choice.

My girls got their ears pierced for my brother's wedding (they were 8 and 10) and Thing Two got her "second hole" for her 10th birthday.

Yeah, I'm like that.

But I put my foot down when she recently asked for a third.

"NOT UNTIL YOUR 13TH BIRTHDAY, YOUNG LADY!"

Hey, at least its not her belly button - not yet, anyways.

Good luck!

We had both of the girl's ears pierced at Claire's in the mall. I had my upper cartilage ear piercings done there and I've never had any problems. I would take her there after viewing a piercing being done on a younger child if you have reservations about going to a mall store to have a piercing done. They did them back in the day with 2 guns one on each side for the kiddos...I don't know how they do them now. Jess was 3 and Jackie was 18 months when we had them done.

Sweet goodness - we let Princess get hers done at 6; but I had to wait until I was 12. I've no recollection as to why we/I decided 6 was okay - but other than realizing cheap earrings were nothing but irritants for her we've had no problems. I did forego Claires - in favor of a place that "specializes" in piercings - they're inspected and liscensed. And, my spelling is horrific this morning.

I made sister wait until she understood what she was doing, and that she was responsible enough to understand the upkeep for the first six weeks. she got them done "at clares" at christmas ( at 11) while she was with her dad. earlier this year she asked if she could have a second hole in each ear and I took her back to clares. she was twelve. she loves earrings and hates clothing, so I guess it is the way she expresses herself. NO MORE HOLES THOUGH!

I recently had an earring hole repaired by a plastic surgeon. it had an elongated hole from a partial tear many years ago (I know, ouch!). I had no idea it could be repaired, but apparently elongated holes or tears are somewhat common and this was a regular procedure. Anyway, back to your question...

The plastic surgeon I used has an offsite office where he does minor stuff (i.e., doesn't require an operating room). I'm sure it would cost more, but it was:
(1) not too painful (just the numbing shot in the ear). I think this would prevent the ineveitable jerk of pain when the piercing is shot in the ear by the guns used at the mall locations.
(2) more precise - The surgeon used a needle to make the hole and was able to see exactly where the piercing would be.
(3) very sterile - I think the mall locations are not so clean at all.

Someday, if I have a daughter - that is the route I'm going!

Merle Norman studios usually do ear piercings. There, or any tattoo shop. :)

Piercing Pagoda at Galleria in Cool Springs. My daughter got hers done there. I believe the piercing if free with purchase of earrings.

Good Luck!

We took DD1 to Walmart for hers (they were very good with her...freak out and all) and took DD2 to Claires. I was pretty selective when it came to who did it...I took them in when someone older was working and would explain to the girls about what they were doing.

You know, we have a bunch of earrings at Plato's Closet, and I think I have a safety pin laying around...

KIDDING!!!

Though that is how I pierced my ears the first time.

Ew, you've managed it hit upon the great debate here at DRY Ink. I think when ever they ask and you feel they can handle it. My husband thinks around 40 sounds good. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Genuine Girl wants to have them done when she turns 7 in September. I was reluctant at first, but my wife said that the earlier you have it done the easier it is. I bought into it since I have no idea about these things. My mother does not have pierced ears nor does my grandmother or my sister. I don't have too many people to get advice from in this regard. Why 13? Is that a rite of passage? To be a teenager first?

I did my girls when they were little (infants)...and in the mall.

Claire's is the most popular around here, but you can get it done at any tattoo/piercing parlor. The problem with taking her to the parlor is that she may get other ideas and want a tattoo (of course she can't legally get one until she's 18).

I got my ears pierced when I was 13 at Rivergate Mall way back when. Personally I think 12 or 13 is a good age. Of course my mother wouldn't let me wear pantyhose when all the cool girls at church were wearing hose at 12 or so. Now I realize they were idiots. I can't remember the last time I wore hose.

Mine involved an ice cube, a cork, a needle and some Jack Daniels so I'm probably not the best one to ask.

The salon where I go does it.

Well I got my little girl's ears pierced before she was a year -- 11 months actually. We had it done at the Piercing Pagoda in the mall. I was very pleased with their service and how they offered for us to come back in 4 weeks to be sure that her ears were healing properly. I would definitely give them a thumbs up.

My dad made us wait for our 18th birthday which to me is unreasonable. I am uber-responsible. My older sister is not therefore I had to pay for her sins. Arrgh. I think for each child it varies on how well they take care of things. There are no wrong answers on this one.

PS. DON"T tell the step child about junior clothes!! She thinks I am mean enough!!

are there any nice tattoo/piercing parlors in your area? okay...stop looking at me like that... there is such a thing! and you'll usually find folks in those shops who know what they're doing, tho' i'm sure Claire's is fine, too. unless, that is, you wind up with some 18 year old who's still learning how to work the register...

oh... and would it totally gross you out if i told you i actually pierced my own ears? well... my girlfriend tried, but the holes closed up, so i sat in front of a mirror with a big-ass needle and did it to myself (it took hours!) eventually, i started piercing my friends' ears, too! (as well as my sisters' & mom) using the ol' "freeze the lobe between ice cubes--stick the needle through and into a piece of cork--pull it out the back end, and pop in a post"! come to think of it, bring busy girl up here... i'll do it for free!! xoxox

I wish I could've sent my daughter to live at your house. I curse the day my daughter ever discovered Abercrombie.

Be sure whatever studs she gets that they aren't the little bitty ones. My daughter had those and they slipped inside the hole the first couple weeks they were pierced and the skin grew over them and we had to go to the ER to get them out.

I let my daughter get her ears pierced when she really wanted to -- at age 7. We went to Claire's. And I'm an upstanding, college-educated, mainstream, citizen.

I think Claire's is fine. I had mine done at a doctor's office and had problems for years.

My oldest, who is 10, had hers pierced when she was 6, and then again last year, after the holes closed. We did it at Claire's both times and it was a good experience.

piercing pagoda; however, oldest girl had her second done at Claire's for Christmas and she nearly fainted. Not sure why, but I don't recommend trying to carry a 14 year old out of a crowded mall during the height of the holiday season. Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

It is a good thing that she wants pierced ears. You should groan and moan about it anyway, as if it was a BIG DEAL.Thus, she'll get the impression its fruitless to ask for anything more like additional body piercings or tattoos.

Claire's should be fine, really. Both my stepdaughters got their ears pierced there and so did all their friends. I actually think it's a great place to go because they do it so much, they've got to be pretty good at it.

That said, I think some pediatricians do it, too.

I told my daughters 12 too. I think it's a perfect age. I would use Claire's probably, but make sure they are using clean and new needles and stuff.

I got mine done in the 5th grade which would have been like 1978 or something!! I do agree with the person above who said to make a really big deal about it-- that's always smart when it comes to kids.

We did our daughter's (10 months) at the pediatrician office. I think a clean environment like that is the way to go.

My daughter's pediatrician said that she would do it for us. I'm going to wait until she's old enough to ask, but at least I can be sure that everything is sterilized properly there.

Your pediatrician can prolly do it for you. My daughter has had her's done twice. I took her when she was 8 months old to her pediatrician and within 2 months her ears were swollen. They said it was allergies and that she may grow out of it. We tried again when she was 9 and same thing. Poor kid. She is so bummed. We tried every known metal from stainless to gold to even platinum. It's pretty rare, so I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you.

25????

Being a guy, I know nothing about having my ears pierced (I'll tattoo my skin, thank you very much, but you aren't putting holes in me), but I remember that my sister worked at a jewerly store at the mall years ago and they used to do it for customers free.

Funny story, they always used to have a sign out that read "Free painless ear piercing." So I asked my sister one day "Is it really painless?" And she replied "Oh no, it hurts like hell, but we'd never get business advertising for painful ear piercing."

Oh, there's also the do it yourself piercing method. My choir teacher in high school when he was younger pieced his ear using nothing more than a large needle and an ice cube.

Take her to Claire's. They've been doing it forever and it would probably be a better experience for her. It's supposed to be a fun day, you know, picking out the earrings and choosing some nice ones for the day that she can change out of the piercing studs.

My mom always said that she would let us get our ears pierced after age 5, but when we were able to understand that it hurst and knew how to clean them ourselves.

Just wait, next it's questions about the first date!

And, remember, the only thing that's going to touch her ear is the support on the gun, to line up the spot and aim, and the earrings as they go through.

Nothing to sterilize except for the support and her ear.

I agree that either a doctor's office or a tattoo/piercing parlor is the way to go. I think 12 is an appropriate age, too. I had it done for the first time when I was 6, but they eventually closed up due to neglect. A 12 year old should be responsible enough to take care of the cleaning as the piercing heals.

We used Claire's and it was an impulse but our daughter. She was adamantly against getting her ears pierced so we didn't push it. One day in the mall she said she wanted to do it right then and we figured it was the only chance we'd ever have. No regrets. She now makes her own jewelry and loves her earrings.

I think they should be old enough to want it done and to know why.

I got my first hole pierced when I was 2... I'm not sure where my mom got mine done then. My 2nd hole, I got pierced in a kiosk at the mall, Called The Added Touch. My friend got her 2nd and 3rd hole done there and her cartiladge. I also got my first cartiladge done there.

After they closed up, I had taken my 2nd hole out and it closed up, and I wanted it done again. I went to Claire's and had a fine experience. But when I went to go get my cartiladge repierced there, they didn't pierce the hole straight and here I am, 3 months later with a freshly sealed up hole because I couldn't get a new earring through.

Granted it was just 1 bad experience that I had from them, but I've heard a few others have problems, as well. When I got my belly button done, I went to a clean tattoo parlor around my area and got it done there. For her age, I would honestly take her to a tattoo/piercing place so that way it's a professional, and not just some teenager with a summer job. And the guy (or gal) can really explain to her how to take care of the piercing, etc. The only thing is, they do have some pretty graphic pictures there. When I got my belly button done, there was a picture of a mans private area being pierced. >.>

My mom took me to Claires. She made a day of it, took a friend and me to the mall, we had lunch, etc.
I was in the seventh grade. The good thing is that it is yet another opportunity where she will tolerate your presence! I don't know if she has gotten to the stage where you are not allowed to be around her yet!

My mother said that I had to be 14, but I begged and pleaded and got it talked down to 10. My sisters then got to have their ears pierced at 10 as well. We always went to small jewelry stores to have it done, instead of at Claire's (though Claire's didn't exist when I got my ears pierced). I think I will carry on the tradition and let the Munchkin get her ears pierced at 10, if she wants. I have real issues with doing ear piercing on babies or kids who aren't in school yet, but I think 10 is old enough to understand the need to keep the holes clean from infection.

My mom had to approve all of my earrings at first. I think I stopped asking her what she thought when I was 15, and by then she was satisfied that I wasn't wearing total junk.

I have to shop with my sister in the juniors department now (she's 13), and it's a challenge to find ANYTHING decent in there, if you don't feel like dressing like Paris Hilton.

I had my ears pierced (the first time) at the Jewelry Jungle at 100 Oaks Mall..December 1977. My best friend cried cause she was jealous. I was 8.

Just a little historical note there.

I agree with whoever said do it at a Claire's or something. It's supposed to be a fun thing. They wouldn't be allowed to operate if they weren't complying with rules and stuff. I've never heard of anybody losing an ear lobe from having their ears pierced at the mall.

I'm an operating room nurse, & I know sterile technique backwards, forwards and insideout. I took both kids as babies to Claire's for piercings & they did a fine job. No infections afterwards which depends greatly on how diligently u care for them afterward. My own ears were pierced by my pediatrician when I was 7, I wasn't traumatized, but the holes weren't aligned, and they both got infected.

I have a boy, so I dunno! I figure if she's really good about her personal hygeine, 13 is good? I did mine at Claire's and it was fine. I like the pediatrician, though. Nice and clean.

I had mine done at Merle Norman a long time ago. I've had people ask if I planned to get my baby's ears pierced. But I feel kids should be old enough to give informed consent before having a permanent hole punched in their body. I feel like they should understand that the normal state of the body is hole-free. And they should also remember the pain and the effort involved.

My vote is for a doctor to do it or a tattoo parlor. I wouldn't recommend going anywhere that uses the piercing guns, they can cause trauma to the ear because the earring, while sharper than a normal earring, is still a blunt tip compared to the needle a doctor or profession piercer would use.

Wiki has some good information on this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_piercing_instrument

Sweet & Sassy in Cool Springs (next to Bread & Co.) does it. We get my 2 year olds hair cut there and it seems really nice. Lots of fun! Busy Girl will love it!

My daughter was 10the 2nd time. Had it done at Claires great job. The 1st time we did it at walmart because we live in a small town and thats all we have , and on the first ear the gun shot down through the bottom of ear lobe and the gun jammed while it was stuck on her ear.

PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GO TO A MALL EAR PIERCER - go to someplace that sterilizes their equipment and make sure it is all autoclaved - almost all professional tattoo/piercing salons do this now (and if they don't then they shouldn't be open - just call and ask, most are very very open about their sterilization)

You can get Hepatitis from the mall places (or other things - since the "gun" they use really is NEVER sterilized despite what they say) - those guns are NEVER autoclaved, even though they should be, and rather than making a good clean hole to heal it only pushes the stud through the ear or cartilage (which damages cartilage and can result in improper healing)

Honestly, I have had a LOT of piercings and have a few tattoos, and a couple piercings were done at the mall - but I would never ever do that now, nor take my child there

Check out: http://www.namaii.com/suck/

I was made to wait until I was 12. Of course that was the early '80's. I think I was the last girl around me to get mine done.

A year ago, while at Disneyland, my husband and I decided to let our almost 5 yr. old daughter get her's done at Club Libby Lu in Downtown Disney. Afterwards she got princess make-over. My mom was the only person that was shocked. She said she thought we didn't want her to grow up too fast. My husband said "tell her its not like we ruptured her hymen". I think back in the day, people thought it meant you were cheap but now its no big deal. It might be different if you are East or West coast. We are West. A lot of the little girls in her kindergarten class last year had theirs done too.

I don't think it makes a lot of difference where you get it done as long as you think the place is clean and you take good care of them. We had no problems with our daughter's.

My daughter had her ears pierced at Claire's when she was 10. She is now 13 (and a half, Mom!!) and she has had no problems. It was a simple, fairly easy procedure, and like others mentioned, we made a "girls" day of it and went shopping and had lunch. It was nice.

If your doctor will do it then go with that, but if he won't definately go to a piercing place where they will do it with a needle. No matter what--avoid the piercing gun. I have multiple horror stories surrounding that, so as someone who has done it both ways, go with the needle and avoid Claires!

geez you got a lot of comments on this. do you have time to read them all???
I got mine done at clair's back in the carter administration . . . . ;-) The Latinos out here in CA do it shortly after birth-- thank goodness I don't have that exptecation with my boys. I agree that clair's has been doing it long enough to do fine.

What in the world???? 54 comments on ear piercing? Are you hot on the site meter today or what? LOL

If your daughter is anything like MY daughter, she'll get so anxious as 12 approaches that she'll pierce her own ears... twice. Yup, the Girl put 2 holes in each ear with a self piercing earring she lifted from my jewelry box that I use to open up my holes when I haven't worn earrings in a long time. To say I was not thrilled would be a massive understatement.

My original age of consent was 13, but she did her ears when she was 10. The weird thing, she's never had one infection. I was sure her ear lobes would fall off with gangrene but she's been fine.

When we were in graduate school, my husband pierced his OWN ear with a needle, some ice, and a potato.

Does that help?

Dermatologist- that's who did mine oh so many years ago; music girl had hers when she was 7 by the ENT when she was already under; ponygirl had hers done at claires - :)

One of my son's classmates had her ear pierced and she is 6. I think she got it done when she was a baby?

Took all 3 of my girls on their 10th birthday to Claire's - only because my pediatrician recommended it. It's better if 2 people are on either side & do it at the same time - that way the kid isn't ready to jump on the 2nd piercing! They didn't have problems & took one of my daughter's back there when they were 17 to get another piercing in one of their ears.

Ok, I love to tell my earpiercing stories! I was (gasp!) five years old when I got my first holes. I have no earthly idea why my mother consented but she did and honestly it worked out fine. It was done at the hospital! I had to lay down on a flat hospital bed and this large machine with a needle attached to it came up behind my head and poked holes into my ear lobes. I don't remember whether or not it hurt. After the holes were made, they took me into the bathroom and put in the gold posts that we had brought with us.

Of course a few years later I started asking about the second set of holes. My mom said, "Not until you're 13!" Fast forward a few more years, we're in the mall I'm like 12 1/2, I see someone at Claire's getting theirs done and ask, beg for it! Mom says, "Go ask your Father." Dad says, "It you want to put more holes in your head than the Good Lord gave you, then by all means, have it done," (Such a typical Dad response!) So I did it and that time I can tell you it HURT! But I kept my mouth shut and didn't complain because I had more holes in my head than the Good Lord had already given me!

Everyone's got an opinion on this one! So might as well throw in one more.

DD had hers done at Claire's at age 9 (nearly 10). They certainly took care and it seemed quite clean to me.

While I'd certainly consider having the pediatrician do it, no way would I take my daughter to a tattoo parlor/piercing place. She doesn't need any more ideas about that than she's already got!

This is meant for informational purposes only, and not to be confrontational or contentious. I realize people have strong opinions on this, and if I offend, I apologize, but I believe in accuracy, and often websites that offer information don't give factually accurate information, based on studies and research.

I want to address 2 issues: the use of piercing guns vs. professional body piercers and the transmission of disease by body piercing.

I did a literature search at PubMed, which is an internet site run by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, and they have just about every article published about health issues, and research related to health issues, many with abstracts. I did a search using the phrase "hepatitis and ear piercing" and got 41 hits. When I modified the search, adding gun to the end of it, I got zero hits. There are articles and research out there about the connection between body piercing and tatooing and hepatitis, but none of it addresses the method of piercing. For purposes of disease transmission, body piercing is body piercing, no matter how it's accomplished. Whether you go to the mall or to a tattoo parlor, you simply don't know what you're getting. An establishment may have an autoclave (a machine that can sterilize an item using pressurized steam and is one of the best and most efficient methods of sterilization) but do they know the proper techniques for sterilizing their equipment? Yes, you can do it wrong, especially if the instruments going into the autoclave are improperly prepared! Is the establishment state licensed, and just what does that state licensure mean, and how often are they inspected. (In one article I read, infection rates in tattoo parlors had a serious decline for a few years when they were inspected stringently. Then the inspections were discontinued. The infection rates climbed again, despite the fact that practitioners were now better educated and had expressed a desire to practice more safely.) How often do they test their equipment to ensure that it's working properly? Testing needs to be done on a daily basis. If the equipment fails the test it needs to be shut down, examined and fixed by an outside technician generally from the manufacturer, and then retested. This can take the autoclave out of commission for 24-48 hrs. minimum. The person doing the piercing, how much formal training has he had, not just in piercing - anatomy - but in principles of asepsis. One article I read said that practitioners stated that the number of hours of training they'd had varied, starting at 1 hour and going up from there. Again, you just never know what you're getting, no matter where you go. Don't let someone telling you're that they're a 'professional' lull you into a false sense of security. If you're concerned, be informed of the rules and regulations, if any exist in your area, that govern the practice before you enter the establishment, and then ask questions once you get there.

Insist on pre-packaged disposables, or "one time use," and you want to see the items come out of the packages. If, after coming out of the package, it falls on the floor, common sense says, don't use it - in this instance, the 5 second rule doesn't apply! Gloves and antiseptic must be used. And make sure you absolutely, absolutely are attentive to the directions for "post piercing care" that you're given, or you most assuredly will end up with an infection.

The ear does contain cartilage, though there is no cartilage in the fleshy part of the earlobe where most of us get our first earpiercing. My daughter had her cartilage pierced by a professional, ended up with an infection, had to remove the jewelry, take a course of antibiotics and let the piercing close, but I think it's her own fault for not taking proper care of the piercing.

Further, I read a discussion of whether, if you have a heart problem, for example a murmur or prolapsed mitral valve, you might need to take an antibiotic before you have a piercing performed, as a person with these problems would do for any minor surgery or dental visit. I forget the specifics, but some people with these problems did have piercings without antibiotics and also without incident. If you're one of these people, absolutely check with your doctor, it's not worth the risk of getting something like endocarditis.

I know, I know way too much information, I should get a life. Maybe I'll go and get my tongue pierced just to shut myself up for a while! And yes, for that I'll go to a professional and not to the mall!

This if for informational purposes only. I realize there are strong opinions on this and I'm not trying to be confrontational or contentious, only accurate. Very often, websites give partial information biased to their point of view, and not based on research or unbiased fact.

I'd like to address the use of ear piercing gun versus a professional ear piercer and the part it does or doesn't play in disease transmission.

I visited PubMed and did a literature search. PubMed is the website sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health and they have a database that includes probably every published article on every aspect of health that you could want. I searched using the words "hepatitis and ear piercing" and got back 41 hits. I then refined the search by adding "gun" to the end of the phrase and got back zero hits. There're a good number of articles out there about the connection between hepatitis, HIV, body piercing and tattooing, but none of them specify the method of body piercing. In other words, body piercing is body piercing, no matter how it's performed, and yes, there is a connection between body piercing and disease, but the only thing I could surmise is that everyone thinks more research is necessary to find out exactly what the connection is. (I saw no conclusions that say hepatitis or HIV comes from the needles or from the guns or anything else. For example, it is unknown whether or not, or how many, people who come in for piercings and are then studied, are already infected.)

Is the facility you're going to use licensed, and if so, licensed for what, and how often are they inspected? Tattoo shops in one article were strictly regulated for a period of a few years. During that time there was a sharp decrease in the number of reported infections in their clients. Regulation and inspection then was decreased or discontinued, and a sharp increase in infections was seen, despite the increased training of the practitioners, and their stated committment to better quality.

We'd like to think that if a place says that they sterilize their instruments, then we're safe, but are we? An autoclave is the most efficient way to sterilize most metal items. it's a machine that uses pressurized steam to kill pathogenic organisms, but there are variables in its use. There are wrong ways to use it, and wrong items to use it on. Is the autoclave tested on a daily basis? What are the results of the tests? If an autoclave fails its tests if needs to be taken out of service till it can be seen and fixed by a qualified repair technician, and then it must pass a retest. Is this procedure followed? How about the stafrf at the facility? What are their qualifications? In one of the articles I read staff was asked about their training, and it varied, starting with a minimum of 1 hour and going up from there. You just don't know what you're getting.

It seems that the best you can do is to educate yourself about the regulations in your state and community. Then pick a place and ask questions. And have a few rules of your own. Here are my rules: Everything has to be disposable, one-time-use only. I have to see it come out of the package myself. If it falls on the floor, that's a no-brainer, it doesn't get used on me or mine, and the 5 second rule doesn't apply here. Everyone who touches the site in question wears gloves, and antiseptic is used to prep the skin.

Oh, and there's also some discussion about the need for taking antibiotics if you're a person with a heart condition such as a murmur or a prolapsed mitral valve. Persons with these conditions usually take prophylactic antibiotics before minor surgeries, or going to the dentist. If you're in that group, check with your doctor. It's just not worth risking getting endocarditis, especially if you're piercing your cartilage or tongue.

Wow, this's like a dissertation. OK, I have no life, I need to get one. I think I'll go out now and get my own tongue pierced, just to shut me up. And for that I'll go to a professional piercer, and not to the mall. To Busymom, I apologize if this is an inappropriate post to put here. I won't do it again. Promise

Woohoo! Look at all of the opinons on the ear piercing! Have another!

Kel had hers done at Claire's as well. I had mine done at age 13 at our local jewelers (I don't think there was such a thing as Claire's WAY back then, all of the rest of the holes in my ears have come from them, however). and it was July of 1995 so she would have been (calculating in my brain here... 7. It was a gift for her for being our witness/my maid of honor/flower girl for the wedding.

My pediatrician office does it. The one I work at. We charge 3 times what Claire's charges and WE DO IT THE SAME EXACT WAY.
People just think its more sanitary to have it done at the doctor's office.
Make sure the piercer wears gloves.
Make sure the piercer cleans the ear lobe first.
Make sure the piercer uses brand new unopened studs.
There is no part of the gun that actually touches the skin so that should be clean.

Another alternative is to take her to a tattoo/piercing salon. They are much more regulated than a retail store and usually charge less than a doctor's office. And she'll think it's wayyyyyyyyy cool. Call them first and let them know you'll be bringing her in and they will behave themselves. :)

I had a deal with my 8 year old daughter that she could get her ears pierced any time after the first time she did NOT cry getting her annual flu shot. Last October the silent shot happened and from that point on, the decision was hers. Last Saturday was "the day." I'm a pediatrician and I chose Claire's. Their sterile technique was as good as we can do in the doctor's office. I volunteered to go first. I had had a second hole pierced in one ear back in the early 80's and decided I'd get a matching one on the other side. My daughter did great during and after the piercing and has been cleaning her ears diligently. My single hole, however, hurts... probably because I've been lax about cleaning them enough. Do as I say and not as I do? Since my hole is more sore 5 days later I'm getting serious now with frequent cleansing and antibacterial ointment.