Ear Piercing for Kids: Here’s How We Do It at Hippe Girls

Getting their ears pierced is a truly special moment for many children. It’s exciting, fun, and often something they’ve been looking forward to for a while. At Hippe Girls, we’ve been piercing ears for several years now, and in that time we’ve naturally seen a lot of kids come through our doors. Some walk in looking super cool, while others find it incredibly nerve-wracking. And that’s all perfectly fine.

What we find most important is that the child truly wants this for themselves. That’s why we don’t have a single, fixed minimum age. Some children know exactly what they want at a young age and fully understand what’s going to happen, while others are a bit older but still have serious doubts. For us, that’s much more important than a number. Does the child truly want this for herself? Does she understand what’s going to happen? And does she feel comfortable with it? If so, we’ll proceed. But if a child says at the last minute that she doesn’t want to do it after all, we’ll simply stop. Getting her ears pierced should be a fun memory, not a struggle just because the appointment has already been scheduled.

We’re also just going to be honest about one thing: the shot stings for a second. We’re not going to tell a child they won’t feel a thing, because we think that’s actually worse if they end up getting startled. It’s a quick, sharp prick, and after that it’s usually over in a flash. We pierce the ears one at a time, so after the first ear, the child knows what to expect with the second. Still, we’ve noticed that explaining it honestly works much better than saying it’s completely painless. The earlobes are often red and warm for a moment afterward, but by the time we’ve looked in the mirror together, the uncomfortable feeling has usually mostly gone away. When they walk out the door, they’re mostly just proud of their new earrings.

Don't rush it; take your time

For us, getting piercings isn’t just a matter of marking the spot, piercing, and calling it a day. We take our time to see where the piercings will look best, carefully check the placement, and explain what we’re going to do. We think that’s especially important when it comes to children.

We use a professional piercing system and a variety of hypoallergenic materials. Not every store or salon uses the same system, and advice on aftercare can vary significantly. That’s why we think it’s important for you to get all the information you need beforehand. Ask what is used for the piercing, what materials are used, and what the aftercare involves. And perhaps even more importantly: make sure they really take the time to attend to your child.

Why We Recommend Waiting Longer Before Switching

One of the questions we get asked most often is: When can the first earrings be removed?

You often hear that this is possible after about six weeks. We think that’s pretty soon, and we usually recommend waiting at least 10 to 12 weeks.

We don’t do that lightly. An earlobe may look perfectly fine and beautiful on the outside, while the piercing hasn’t fully healed on the inside. And that’s exactly where things can go wrong. The moment you remove the first earring, the delicate skin inside the piercing can be damaged again. Then, you immediately insert a new stud through that same channel. This can cause small wounds, leading to redness, irritation, sensitivity, or even an infection.

And then people sometimes immediately assume: “She can’t tolerate that earring.” Of course, that’s possible, but we’ve seen that irritation around the time of the first earring change can also easily occur simply because the piercing hadn’t healed enough yet or was slightly damaged again during the change.

That's why we always say: it's better to wait a little too long than not long enough. Those new earrings aren't going anywhere.

On top of that, changing the stud after a while is often just easier. A well-healed piercing is less sensitive, and a new stud usually slides through more easily. This makes the first time you change the stud a much more pleasant experience for both parent and child. If the ear is still red, sensitive, or irritated after 10 to 12 weeks, just wait a little longer.

Taking good care of them is just as important

Even after the injection, it’s important to keep a close eye on the ears. Not obsessively, but just a quick check every day. Has the ear become redder? Has it swollen? Has the skin changed? Is there any hair wrapped around the rod?

Hair, in particular, can cause irritation surprisingly often. A strand of hair can get caught around the post or the back of the earring and pull on it without you noticing. This happens more often than you might think, especially with children who have long hair. So be sure to check behind the ear every now and then.

After showering or washing your hair, it’s a good idea to check that no shampoo, conditioner, or other products have gotten behind your earrings. Keep your ears clean, wash your hands before handling them, and use the aftercare products recommended for your piercings. We use an antiseptic as part of our aftercare routine.

Another thing we think is important: don’t twist, pull, or fiddle with it all day long. A freshly pierced ear needs rest above all else. Moving it a little while cleaning it is one thing, but constantly fiddling with an earring can actually cause extra irritation.

The same rules apply for the first earring change: clean hands, clean earrings, work carefully, and never force it. We don’t have one specific type of jewelry that we say you absolutely must wear afterward. Above all, choose something you like and that’s comfortable to wear. We think it’s much more important that the piercing heals properly and that you keep it clean and handle it with care.

So a red or sore earlobe doesn't automatically mean you have a material allergy. Changing earrings too soon, minor damage, hair, dirt, a lot of movement, or simply touching your ear too much can all cause irritation.

If an ear is getting redder, warmer, swollen, or more painful, if there’s a lot of discharge, or if you’re concerned, always have a doctor take a look at it.

Our most important advice? Give it time

Ultimately, our advice is actually very simple: make getting a shot a fun experience, be honest with your child, and then give the ear plenty of time to heal.

The injection itself only takes a few seconds, but the recovery takes much longer. That's why we'd rather wait a few weeks too long than a few weeks too short.

Do you have any questions after the piercing about aftercare, changing the earrings, or the earrings themselves? Feel free to text or email us anytime. You can also call, of course, but because we’re so busy, we’re not always easy to reach by phone.