In most western cultures, ear piercing is something that is done only when a person becomes a teenager or may be even an adult. However, in recent years, many parents have been showing interest in piercing the ears of their child who is not even one year old. This has given raise to debates, because there are many people who think that putting an infant through pain is the cruelest thing that parents can do. Moreover, it is also believed that ear piercing can easily give rise to infections as baby's skin is very sensitive. However, is this piercing really so unsafe? Apparently, not! This is because there are many cultures where ear piercing is done when the baby is months or sometimes, just a few days old. So, if you want to get your infant daughter's ears pierced, here are some things that you have to know.
Ear Piercing for Infants
There are various reasons for which parents get their infant's ear pierced. While some people do it for cultural reasons, to follow family traditions, etc. there are also parents who do it for others to recognize their baby as a girl. People who support this concept are of the opinion that babies do not actually remember the pain caused by piercing if it is done early in life. There are also parents who have said that their child did not even cry when her ears were pierced. Keeping this point in mind, it can be said that there is nothing wrong in piercing an infant's ears, rather it is actually a good idea. Besides, most people think that babies who have pierced ears actually look very cute.
Though baby ear piercing does not have many risks, there are certain things that parents have to remember before taking their child to the piercer. One mistake that many people make is taking their child to the mall to get the ear piercer. One must understand that the gun which is used to pierce ears in the mall is not a good option for ear piercing. This is because the gun cannot be sterilized and hence, has the potential of causing infant ear infection. Therefore, it should always be done by a pediatrician or a professional piercer. This is because these professionals always make use of a sterilized needle which is the safest way of piercing. Another thing that has to be kept in mind is the jewelry used after the piercing is done. Cheap jewelry which has niobium can cause allergic reaction and hence, should never be used. The best jewelry that should be used after the infant's ears are pierced are either 14 K gold or surgical steel as they are hypoallergenic.
Ear Piercing Care
Once the ear piercing is done, it becomes a responsibility of the parents to take good care of it. This is important to ensure that the infant does not have any infection around the piercing area. It is important to see to it that the clasp of the earring is not too tight as this may cause irritation to the baby. The earring that is fastened into the child's ear lobe should be allowed to stay there for at least six months, as it takes the same amount of time for it to heal. During these six weeks, it is important for the parents to clean the earlobes with rubbing alcohol, everyday. This will help in keeping the area clean and even if your child has the habit of touching the piercing constantly, the chances of infections also lessens considerably. However, if you find any problems like redness, keloids, blood, too much swelling, etc. on the baby's earlobes, consult the doctor or piercer as these can be the symptoms of infant ear piercing infections.
Although the chances of infections are very low, if the ear piercing is done by taking all the precautionary measures, the decision of getting their infant's ears pierced wholly rests on the parents. So, weigh the pros and cons carefully before taking the decision.
