This was motivated by Hals thread on irresponsible parents.

I hate to see young children and often babies with pierced ears.
I know that if a child decides that they do not want to wear earrings that the hole will close up and no permanent disfigurment will happen but it seems wrong to put a baby through the pain of piercing when it is totally unnecessary.

Then of course there is the danger element of wearing earrings, they can be tugged out.

I was shopping the other week and saw a baby of no more than 2 or 3 months old with pierced ears, nail polish on toes and finger nails and one of those silly alice band things with a big bow at the front. I'm sorry but the child looked ridiculous. What on earth are parents thinking of to do this to their baby. It looked more like a dressed up doll than a human being.

Should piercing children under a certain age be banned?

I think that piercings shouldn't be allowed on babies yes.
On children 5+ then I don't see a probelem as long as it is done sterile, responsible and licenced.

...I was 10 years old when I had my ears pierced....I think thats decent age....any younger ......wouldn't be right..

Actually Mo - you are incorrect. An ear that has been pierced and healed properly will never heal - it becomes quite simply a spot with all that lovely spotty stuff filling it.

The only way to get it to heal over is to make it bleed and become raw again - which is messy and very painful and does not guarantee that it will fully heal over.

I have my ears pierce three times in each ear. I had my first piercing done which healed in time for my thirteenth birthday - at which I got loads of earings :D

I have a 2 year old who I would love to get her ears done for my benefit of being able to buy her pretty earings and jewllery and all that loverly stuff.

But I won't. I cannot stand seeing young kids with their ears pierced and the only reason parents do it is they are unable to fight that - "oooh lets dress our little girl up like a barbie doll"

Makes me feel ill. The hubby despises piercings altogether and his eldest daughter has only just got her ears done (14). My hubby gratiously grinned with happiness as she showed them off (whislt seething inside)

When my little girl is older if she wants to get her ears pierced then I will take her and make sure they do it properly.

I noticed in Claires that they have a stipulation that you must provide proof of all immunisations of children under five. I don't agree that kids under five should get their ears pierced.

Moon Maiden

I think if the child is over 6 months old, has a scraped back ponytail and is called chardonay, it is acceptable.

This thread is 8 years old, so I'm closing it as there is a much more recent one on the same subject here: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=720421&highlight=piercing