information about Piercing your childs ears: I just want to let everyone on here know that if they plan on getting their infant daughters ears pierced with a piercing gun (like at department stores, or hairdressers) Do so AFTER your child has been vaccinated for Hepatitis A&B (done so in Canada at 2 months). These piercing guns are made of plastic and cannot and are not sterilized between uses in an autoclave. (Hepatitis C can ALSO be transmitted through using piercing guns, but for some reason most people dont care). Some piercing guns do have one time use cartridges (the part that touches your ear) but this still doesn't protect 100% from the transmission of blood bourne viruses and skin infections, especially if the piercer touches the gun, and then touches the freshly pierced ear. Some parents who want their childrens ears pierced choose to get it done with a gun because it is faster, and believe less painful, which isn't the case. Make sure the 'piercer' has had training piercing childrens ears, and that they wipe down the gun prior to use with a cavi wipe or technicare (medical grade sterilant, NOT AN ALCOHOL SWAB) Also, if you get them done with a gun, they will most likely give you an aftercare solution which is alcohol, peroxide, anti-bacterial or anti-septic based. DO NOT USE IT! They remove ALL bacteria including GOOD BACTERIA (lysozymes that are naturally occuring in the body that actually promote healing) Using any of these actually prolongs healing and can make her more suceptable to getting an infection. As a rule of thumb, dont put anything on a fresh piercing that you wouldn't put in your eye. Usually they tell you to rotate or turn the earrings after cleaning to keep them from 'adhering' to the skin. This is a myth. Turning the earrings can actually bring foreign bacteria (or dried blood/lymph..crusties) into the unhealed piercing causing irritation or infection and the only thing that needs to be done is after soaking the earring for a couple minutes in H20cean or warm water (to soften any deposits) take a q-tip and remove any that may remain around the earring.
I'd advise you a reputable piercing studio in your area that will do it. Make sure the piercers have had training (seminars, apprenticeships, etc) Make sure they have a spore test certificate on their walls saying that everything is being sterilized properly. (you can ask all this over the phone as well usually) Some places recommend a sea salt solution for aftercare (H20cean is the BEST and safest purified sea salt solution to use and runs anywhere from $6 for a small bottle to $15 for a large spray can, and can be purchased at most body piercing/tattoo shops) You can make your own but keep in mind that salt and water both have impurities that could irritate your daughters delicate ears, and if too much salt is added, could dry out the piercing. I know many people who have healed piercings (including infants ears) just cleaning them twice daily with warm water and a q-tip, removing any dried blood or lymph (crusties) build up around the jewelry, then you dont have to worry about any cleaning soultions irritating their little ears :)

As well, these guns should only be used to pierce earlobes (if at all). The blunt stud causes trauma to the piercing site and more scar tissue forms. (For nostril and cartilage piercing the blunt stud being pushed through causes spider cracks in the cartilage, which can result in the cartilage collapsing. As a professional body piercer I have seen too many people come in with floppy ears and noses, excess scarring, and infections because they got their cartilage done with a gun... dont let me get into tongues, bellybuttons, etc!) , but PLEASE if you do so, make sure that they have gotten their vaccinations! If you have any other questions about body piercing don't hesitate to contact me. :)