When Can Babies Get Their Ears Pierced?

Whether it's a longstanding tradition in your family or you just love some baby bling, you might wonder when babies can get their ears pierced. Because of the required upkeep to prevent infection and every tot's penchant for swallowing just about anything that isn't food, both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and many doctors recommend holding off until your child is mature enough to clean the piercing herself.

Ultimately, it's a personal decision not just for you, but your child as well. So give it the thought it deserves, and do your homework about the best techniques and technicians.

When can babies get their ears pierced?

According to the AAP, if an ear piercing is performed and cared for correctly, there is little risk — no matter how old your child is. Trusted SourceAmerican Academy of PediatricsAvoiding Infection After Ear PiercingSee All Sources ^[1]

While there's more concern with other body piercings (which have a higher likelihood of infection), any piercing has some possibility of bloodstream infections, including tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Trusted SourceAmerican Academy of PediatricsBody Piercings, Teens & Potential Health Risks: AAP Report ExplainedSee All Sources ^[2] But, if your child is up to date on her shots, this will lower the risk of some of these infections. Trusted SourceKidsHealth From NemoursTetanusSee All Sources ^[3]

Things to consider before piercing your baby's ears

Wondering if now's the right time to get your baby's ears pierced? Here's what to think about when making the call:

• Tradition. For many cultures around the world, the weight of tradition makes piercing baby ears a no-brainer. 
• Bodily autonomy. To what extent should your child have the right to make decisions about her own body — especially when it comes to cosmetic body modifications? Some families will choose to wait until their child can request or consent to a piercing. 
• Your baby's development. Babies won't remember the pain of a piercing. What's more, a 2-month-old won't have the dexterity to fidget with healing lobes, but a 2-year-old almost certainly will.
• Maintenance. If you decide to get your baby's ears pierced, you will have to care for them regularly for six weeks to prevent infection.
• Risk of infection. Un-poked lobes are less likely to get infected (no matter how small the risk). And the chance of an infected piercing increases if your toddler or young child touches the piercing site.

Where to get a baby's ears pierced

You have a couple options when it comes to picking a place to get your peanut's ears pierced:

• Doctor's office. Your pediatrician's office may offer ear piercings along with reassurance that the piercing is performed in a safe and clean environment. 
• Certified technician. One of the reasons that some doctor's offices offer piercings is because every state (and country) can have different standards for commercial piercers. If you decide to go the technician route, make sure to ask if they are certified. This ensures some amount of up-to-date training.

Wherever you go, you'll want to ask some questions. Make sure you know (and observe) whether the technician washes his or her hands with germicidal soap, uses new surgical gloves, and either sterilizes or uses disposable piercing tools. Piercing guns can't be sterilized between procedures because the plastic parts will melt.

Tips for getting your child's ears pierced

Now that you've picked a time and place, here's how to make the piercing process go smoothly.

• Choose the right earrings. Opt for 24-karat gold or other nickel-free studs at first. Studs are more secure (i.e. less likely to become a snack or snag), and allergic reactions to nickel are common and uncomfortable.
• Point out there will be some pain. Older toddlers can grasp that shots from the doctor hurt, and giving them a heads up before the visit removes the nasty element of surprise. The same rule applies here. 
• Establish a hands-off policy. Again, explain to an older toddler that keeping her ears beautiful and healthy is best done by looking and not touching. While the suggestion may not sink in during that first talk, she'lll remember the initial conversation when you inevitably issue more reminders. 
• Ask for simultaneous piercings. Once your child feels the sting of that first ear piercing, she might get wiggly, tearful or both, and that can make piercing the second ear a real challenge. Call ahead to ask if two technicians are available to simultaneously pierce both ears.

Caring for your child's pierced ears

Leave in the first set of earrings for six weeks, gently rotating your child's stud earrings each day.

During the first week after piercing, apply rubbing alcohol or an antibiotic ointment to the piercing site twice a day to help prevent infection and heal those ears quickly.

How long does it take for ear piercings to heal?

The piercing site should heal up after six weeks, at which point you can change your child's earrings; make sure to clean all earrings with rubbing alcohol before putting them on. You can also stop daily piercing maintenance other than bathing.

Of course, continue to keep an eye on your child's piercing. (Never underestimate the power of sticky toddler fingers.) If you notice any signs of infection at the piercing site — a change in color, tenderness, swelling or prolonged bleeding — or suspect your child swallowed an earring, contact your pediatrician right away.