By definition, I was born into the beginnings of the millennial generation. 1981 to be exact. So I know I’m not alone in reflecting on my ear piercing experience at a local store. As my mother kindly reminded me while drafting this, I was seven. I innocently hopped up into the chair as they prepped the piercing guns. A black dot was placed on each earlobe. A target. I imagine it was done with a Sharpie, but I could be wrong.
Because my own memory is fuzzy, my mom confirmed that it was done at the same time, with two people {one on either side} so I “wouldn’t chicken out after the first one.” And as I suspected, they told me they’d fire the stud into my ear on the count of three and then pulled the trigger on two. Yikes! But, I overlooked the instant, unexpected trauma of it all, because my new birthstone earrings were shining with pride from each tender, red earlobe.
Then, came the after-care:
Spin them every day. Wipe away the crusties that will inevitably build up. Don’t worry, the goop is normal. Use peroxide and/or rubbing alcohol to clean it with a Q-tip. Oh, and be careful when sleeping, because the tiny dagger ends will almost certainly stab you in the head.
Honestly, it was fine… that’s how “everyone” did it and it didn’t at all seem out of character or cruel. In fact, it’s still a perfectly viable option today, some decades later {I refuse to do the math}. It simply wasn’t commonplace to go about the process in a different way.
That’s the goal though, right? Learn, evolve, make independent choices!
Fast-forward to 2019. Now I’m a mom and my own daughter is requesting ear piercings for her fifth birthday. A friend of mine {who experienced the same Clarie’s-style Wild West gun-draw} had just taken her daughter to a local tattoo and piercing parlor and raved about the difference. Acting on her trusted recommendation {because I probably would have ended up at the mall, not knowing any better}, we decided to do the same. After explaining the process to my child, she heard “needle” and saw a video of her little bestie wincing while getting it done and abruptly changed her mind.
That’s okay, her body, her choice.
When her sixth birthday rolled around, she told us she was ready. My husband and I knew she was serious. After all, she had spent 12 months thinking it through. We also learned she had been secretly preparing by pinching her earlobes to test her pain tolerance, brilliant right? So, we made an appointment at Origins in Flint, MI. The difference my friend spoke of was apparent in every single step of the way and was worth every single extra penny of the added cost.
To sum the experience up quickly… no redness, no tears, no spinning, no excess gunk, no significant pain, no fears over unwanted germs or expertise, and most of all, no surprises.
I am now absolutely confident this method is the way to go and here’s why:
- The employees doing the piercings are experienced professionals who have been specially trained within industry standards to perform the service on people of all ages. As artists, it is their passion, their focus, their livelihood; it’s not just a passing, part-time gig. Dorian Vilify, the owner of the studio, also tells me the staff members are also required to be certified in Bloodborne Pathogens.
- Current pandemic-era aside, the business must meet extremely strict sanitization guidelines, sterilizing every single piece of equipment used in the process, as well as the room it’s done in. They are also fully transparent about doing so, showing you the test-strip to prove it was done correctly and within current health standards.
- Because our daughter was underage, we were also required to provide proof of her birth {dig out that vital records certificate!} as well as sign a waiver as her parents that we understood the entire process and could vouch for our child.
- The artist who did our piercing specialized in children five and over. They don’t even recommend it for younger customers {reference: her body, her choice}. He walked our daughter through every single step. He explained what he was doing when he was doing it, and what to expect in the moments ahead.
- After sanitizing her skin, choosing the placement of the “target” dots was a very methodical, precise process. He used toothpicks marked just right to measure more than once and make sure both were as symmetrical as possible {because as you know, our bodies by nature are not}. We then took a close look too and gave the okay before proceeding.
- When it came time for the big moment, he took his time, again walking her through the process. He massaged her earlobe, had her take a big breath in and then pushed the needle through swiftly as she exhaled. The process was then repeated just as gently on the other side.
The studio had a stunning earring selection and flatbacks are used that snap right into place leaving room to wiggle. There is no need to rotate or rinse with anything other than water or if needed, a simple saline solution. We were told to just try to keep it dry after showering and it should heal beautifully and naturally on its own within 4-6 months.
Choosing this method has made us realize there is truly no need to rush new earrings into the holes as is the case with expedited healing options others may offer. She’ll be swapping earrings with outfits for the rest of her life. Waiting such an ample amount of time now ensures a lower risk of future infections later, plus it’s a bonus lesson in patience!
I’m writing this just a few weeks after my daughter’s birthday, so it’s still early… but so far, the piercings haven’t hurt, throbbed, ached, gooped up, or hindered sleep or any other activities. We’ve gone swimming, we’ve snuggled, we’ve played hard, and you better believe we’ve proudly shown them to every single person we’ve encountered, sometimes more than once, because wow…
They are gorgeous! What a difference indeed.
