Jun
School holidays
Seems like the right time to get their piercings? However there are still lots of things to consider before taking the plunge with your youngster.
Are they over 14 years old?
Do you
both have
legal ID?
Do they
play lots
of sports?
Consider the following healing related issues before taking the plunge and booking your teenager in for a piercing….
Have you asked at school?
While we absolutely agree that your little human is still more than capable of learning while wearing earrings and has free will plus a right to adorn their ears in a safe and appropriate way.
School can still have the final word 🙁
Repeatedly removing piercings can lead to the channel becoming very irritated very quickly. If your bairn attends a school that will remove the jewellery at school, its not advised to get piercings at this time.
Most earlobe piercings take around three months to be considered healed.
HOWEVER
They shouldn’t be left ’empty’ without jewellery for 12 months.
We recommend cleaning morning and evening for the first three weeks. As well as patting dry after bathing.
After your piercer says its OK.
We ask you to come back around three weeks into healing so we can ensure you’re healing the way we want.
If the beginning of the healing went without a hitch, they can typically be switched out to alternative earrings after month three. If your not sure you can always pop back for us to confirm you are healed enough.
Check with the school. Plasters could be worn over the earring at three months or they could be switched to retainers at this time. But the piercing channel will likely become irritated if they are repeatedly removed during the first year.
At the age of 14 or over with a parent or legal guardian present, you can get your lobe and helix pierced. With experience our piercer’s may be willing to consider slightly more complicated piercings such as Tragus or Conch. But these will not be offered as your first ever piercing.
At 16 years old a few more services open up to you.
Please remember both parent and guardian need to bring legal I.D to the appointment.
At what age will you pierce?
We require your youngling to be 14 years old or over to be pierced in our studio. We also need their parent or legal guardian present. Both need legal I.D to proceed with our services.
You need to be 16 years or older to have a navel piercing.
Why we say 16 for navel piercings
A lot of youngsters want their navels pierced when they get to secondary school but we all too often see older children visiting the studio with navel piercings that have ‘grown out’ or are hanging on by a few millimeters of skin.
This migration is more often than not caused simply by growing, a process referred to as ‘nesting’ and is more predictable when the piercing is preformed on a more grown individual.
While it may not migrate to the point where it begins to reject and break the skin, it can cause an unhappy piercing that may not sit quite right or end up healing where it is hanging on by an unattractive snippet of skin!
Occasionally the scarring caused by this can sometimes mean that when they are older and done growing, they can be unsuitable for piercing again as the scar tissue will be too weak to hold the piercing in, and again will grow out.
time.
Piercings facts we sometimes forget
Although rare its important to be aware that their piercing may have ups and downs
Dont twist them
Gone are the days where jewellery is so tight the post needs twisted to stop the swelling engulfing the stud
Migration
When pierced young, navel piercings are prone to slow migration over several years.
Closing up
Removing the jewellery during the first year can cause the piercing channel to close up
Say no to Silver
This material is not appropriate for long term wear and is considered ‘dress’ jewellery. It can stain the skin permanently.
Sleeping
For the first few weeks you’d want to be in a controlled environment. Ideally not staying with friends.
Infection
Honestly they are rare but…Warmth, moisture and curious fingers can cause issues during healing.
Whatever you decide we are here to help
When the moment comes to getting pierced the appointment steps will be explained as will the aftercare and the follow ups, you will both have ample opportunity to ask any questions.
We hope to see you soon