Whether you’re waiting for their 6-month birthday or their tenth, when the time comes to get your child’s ears pierced, there’s a good chance you’ll feel most comfortable doing it at their doctor’s office. After all, you have an established relationship with their pediatrician and the staff, and well, it’s a doctor’s office — doesn’t get much more safe or clean than that. But do pediatricians pierce ears still? It depends on the office.
“Some pediatricians’ offices still offer ear piercing but not all,” says Cara Becker, a pediatric nurse practitioner and ear piercing specialist at Northwestern Children’s Practice in Chicago. “If your child’s doctor doesn’t offer ear piercing, you can call around to other local pediatric offices and ask if they accept patients who do not belong to their practice for ear piercing — but it’s unlikely. Our office does not accept ear piercing patients who do not belong to our practice.”
“Some pediatricians’ offices still offer ear piercing but not all.”
— CARA BECKER, PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER AND EAR PIERCING SPECIALIST
Wondering about getting your ears pierced at the doctor’s? Here’s what you need to know.
Do doctors pierce ears?
According to Dr. Ronke Dosunmu, a pediatrician and CEO of Medical Ear Piercing Clinics, a piercing clinic chain in New Jersey, New York and Illinois that only employs licensed health professionals, some pediatricians will pierce ears in their office, “but many do not.”
“It all depends on the personal preference or comfort level of the pediatrician,” she says. “Many consider ear piercing to be a purely cosmetic procedure and therefore not a service they are interested in offering.”
“It all depends on the personal preference or comfort level of the pediatrician. Many consider ear piercing to be a purely cosmetic procedure and therefore not a service they are interested in offering.”
— DR. RONKE DOSUNMU, PEDIATRICIAN
To that point, it’s worth noting that ear piercing — even when done at a pediatrician’s office — “cannot be billed to insurance and is generally paid out of pocket,” explains Dr. Valerie Kimball, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Primary Care in Evanston, Illinois. (At the clinic where Becker pierces, the fee is $100.)
Kimball also adds that when pediatricians offer ear piercing, in general, it’s only for existing patients. “If your pediatrician doesn’t do ear piercing, you can call other offices and ask if they provide those services,” Kimball says. “However, most pediatric offices will not pierce ears unless the child is an established patient.”
“Most pediatric offices will not pierce ears unless the child is an established patient.”
— DR. VALERIE KIMBALL, PEDIATRICIAN
What to expect from pediatrician ear piercing
If your pediatrician does offer ear piercing, you’re in luck. Not only can you expect an expert level of care, you can expect experience in calming nerves. “Often parents feel more comfortable in the doctor’s office because they have developed a level of trust with the provider and the staff,” Kimball says. “Because we work with kids all day, our piercing staff have techniques to keep kids calm and still during the process.”
“Also, it is done in a sterile fashion and if an infection develops or there’s a complication, parents generally feel more comfortable returning to the office for evaluation,” Kimball continues. That said, she adds that there are “many professional places to have ears pierced safely and correctly.”
Something else to keep in mind: Most places, including the clinic where Becker pierces, don’t offer ear piercing for kids younger than 6 months old. “Some cultures in different countries have their child’s ears pierced right after birth, but generally that’s not something offered in the U.S.,” Becker says. “The youngest we pierce is 6 months.”
Do pediatric associates pierce ears?
According to Kimball, typically the nurse or medical assistant is the one who pierces the ears. “At doctors’ offices, there is often one individual, who is trained and does the piercing,” she says. “This way, parents can trust that the person doing the piercing has experience.”
“At doctors’ offices, there is often one individual, who is trained and does the piercing. This way, parents can trust that the person doing the piercing has experience.”
— DR. VALERIE KIMBALL
Do doctors use piercing guns?
While some doctors’ offices use piercing guns, according to Kimball, Becker notes hers does not. “Instead of a piercing gun, our office uses hypoallergenic studs and clasps that are individually sealed with a disposable earpiercer,” she explains. “It uses manual pressure to pierce the earlobes, which allows for precise control. We then use 24-karat gold plated studs.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) both recommend using needles as opposed to piercing guns, as the latter can’t be “sterilized to the same extent” as other piercing equipment.
Where is the safest place to get ears pierced?
Dosunmu notes that the safest option is to have your child’s ears pierced by a “licensed health professional” who has expertise in ear piercing. “It should be done in a calm, clean environment with medical grade hypoallergenic, nickel-free products,” she explains. “It requires the same level of care required for an injection because it involves similar infection risks.”
That being said, Becker notes that while “ideally, someone in the healthcare field should pierce ears,” an “experienced professional” is a safe option, as well (think clean, reputable jewelry stores).
What questions to ask before any ear piercing procedure
Wherever you wind up going, Becker, Kimball and Dosunmu recommend asking the following questions upfront:
- Does the person performing the ear piercing have experience?
- How much experience do they have with kids and babies?
- What is the piercing environment like (chaotic or calm)?
- Is the piercing performed with sterile equipment?
- What is the aftercare?
- Who should be contacted with questions about aftercare or if the ear looks infected?
- What type of earrings are being used? (Ideally, according to Becker, they should be studs that are hypoallergenic and a “good quality metal.”)
The bottom line
If your child’s pediatrician offers ear piercing, your best bet is to go there. While there are many places chock full of experience, there’s a “comfort in taking your child to the pediatric practice they’ve been going to since birth,” according to Becker.
“When it comes to ear piercing, there is a sense of familiarity and excitement, especially for the school-aged child up to young adolescence,” she says. “I see many children for sick/well visits in our office, and when I get the opportunity to pierce their ears, I know the parents are very appreciative of the experience.”
