Health

Ear Piercing for Kids: 5 Things You Should Strictly Consider

Ear Piercing For Kids

Some parents insist that ear piercing for kids is an important part of the culture. Nowadays, ear piercing is considered an important part of fashion. So, it basically depends on individuals’ preferences whether such a thing is necessary. You should know that without proper treatments, infection frequently occurs on pierced sites.

If you are one of them, below are five important things to consider when getting an ear piercing for your lovely child. Do you know, what is Auricle Piercing?

1. Child Age

It is recommended that ear piercing for kids is only performed when the children reach 6 years old. A young child is developing his/her immune system. This means that the ability to counter possible infections and other related diseases is very weak.

The piercing will create wounds, even when performed in adults. A good thing to prevent the wounds from getting worse is by keeping good cleanliness around the pierced areas.

However, a very young child is not likely to be able to keep a hygienic lifestyle as good as an adult does. The recommended age for a child to get the first piercing is 6 years old. But it would be better if you wait until the child is big enough to be able to keep things clean.

Ear piercing for kids - lovely baby with pierced ears
A lovely baby with a pierced ear.

2. Types of Earrings

Types of earrings do matter because certain metals may trigger allergic reactions. The most commonly suspected metal in the scenarios of skin irritation and allergic reactions is nickel.

Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to know whether any particular metal contains nickel. The wisest thing to do is to consult a doctor about the issue. Some of the safest materials for earrings include surgical stainless steel, titanium, and platinum.

3. Piercing Place

The ear consists of many parts, and you will want to find the safest spots to puncture. There are many possible spots, but you can always ask for professional advice from a doctor or dermatologist.

The most important thing is how the piercing is performed. The piercer should understand some basic safety rules such as:

  • Using new gloves,
  • Sterilizing the equipment,
  • Applying the antibacterial formula, etc.

It is wise to go to a professional or experienced piercer only. Please put in mind that some tools for piercing are for single use only.

4. Aftercare of piercing

Ear piercing for kids is a quite risky thing to do, so you have to understand the entire necessary treatments in order to avoid infections. The most important thing is to keep the earrings as clean as possible.

Wash the earrings at least twice a day by using a cotton pad. You can use a cleaning solution or hydrogen peroxide formula to dip the cotton pad before applying it. Ask your doctor, before touching new piercings, it is mostly recommended to avoid touching them.

Clean all parts of the earrings then slide them back and forth to prevent the holes from closing. Do not remove the initial earrings for the first six weeks.

After that, you can replace them with new ones, but your kid must use earrings continuously for six months to make the holes permanent.

5. Symptoms of infection

Recognize some signs of infections including redness, drainage, and swelling around the pierced area.  As soon as the symptoms appear, you should immediately consult doctors or physicians.

There is a possibility that the infection occurs in Perichondrium. This health disorder is medically called perichondritis. The most common indications are the existence of swelling and pain. The condition requires immediate medical treatment; otherwise, it may spread to infect the entire ear area.

The doctor usually prescribes some antibiotics and suggests you remove the earrings. Besides, there is a home remedy that you can use for infections of kids’ ear piercing.

Home remedies

For mild to moderate conditions, you can also perform some home treatments by using non-iodized salt and warm water. Mix both compounds with a 1:8 ratio then dip your ears in the mixture for approximately 5 minutes four times a day.

You can also use a small ice cube to gently rub the infected area in order to reduce inflammation

Conclusion

Ear piercing for kids is probably a dangerous thing to do, but it always depends on personal preferences. To avoid infections, it is best to consult a doctor about any possible risks before and after you have your child’s ears pierced. Always ask a professional piercer to perform the task for better and safer results.

For any additional questions related to this topic feel free to contact us. Our team is always here for your help or guidance. Stay Healthy!