Cleaning Ear Piercings

Don't worry. If they close, go back when she's a little older and can take care of them also. However I'm thinking of taking my daughter this year for her 8th birthday. I know of some people who do this with infants or wait until they are much older.
Good Luck.
T. H
Raytown, MO

I have always appealed to the vanity. Try using a hand mirror, she then can see what you are doing and she can see how pretty she is with the earings. It would seem that she would squirm more watching you clean her ears but when she is not watching she is probabaly imagining far worse. After a bath is a good time as well, the water will have loosened the bits that are stuck to the earing so you won't have that pinching. Also you are cleaning any bacteria that may have been transmitted by the bath water that may cause infection.

Good Morning K.,

I used to pierce ears when I worked at Claire's. They are tender for the first two weeks. Unfortunately the cleaning solution they give you ( if they still give it), makes it worse. It dries the tissues out and causes more irritation. The post in the ear is a foreign body to your ears and your body reacts as such. I had my ears pierced a second time while I was working at Claire's and that is how I realized the solution made it worse. It dried them out and slowed the healing process. So I tried peroxide and neosporin. Peroxide is a drying agent as well, but it helps clear the dead tissues and dried blood out of the openings. The neosporin will keep the openings from getting infected plus keep the openings from drying out. My ears healed much faster and with less pain. Some neosporins have a pain medication in it too. Ever since my experience, I try and let people know. Having pierced ears, I get an infection every now and then. I still use the peroxide and neosporin. It works everytime. I don't reccomend using alcohol because it stings more.Peroxide doesn't sting. If you have ever gotten alcohol in an open wound you know what I mean! As far as her fighting it, try and explain to her why you need to turn the posts and clean the openings. Turning the posts prevents the tissue from healing to the post. If this happens, those earrings are permanent without surgery.It would be like she nver had her ears pierced in the first place. Let her know about the infections that can occur. If she does develop an infection, trust me she will be in alot of pain. You can tell her that if she doesn't let you take care of her ears, you will have to take them out. She may have a different outlook on the matter if she knows what is at stake. I hope this has been of some help to you. Good luck to you and your family.

A. H.

We are going through the same thing. Have you tried having her clean them first and then you do them. My daughter likes to clean them and we have a "she does" and "mom does" cleaning. Also let her turn them (which normally they don't move) and then you do it after her. I've also told my daughter that if she wants to be a big girl and not have her ears fall off then we need to clean them...might be a little harsh but it has worked and now she has no problem with it.

If I were you I'd do the cleaning and the turning at different times. If you get a bottle with a pointed tip, you could put either witch hazel or peroxide in the bottle and shoot it at the ears while she is in the shower. Make it fast. Turn them if you can. Otherwise, you could turn them while she's sleeping. I know it's hard since it's supposed to be done 3 times per day. But it won't always bother her this much.

Suzi

My daughter was 7 when we got her ears pierced. She gets very dramatic at a lot of things. So I told her up front that if we were getting her ears pierced that she was going to have to take care of them or we would take them out. She did a great job of taking care of them. And just to let you know how worrisome she is, she didn't change them out for 6 months just to make sure they would be okay. I know your daughter is younger but she can still understand that you have to keep them clean or you will take them out. We didn't have any trouble with the solution stinging but if you think that is part of the problem, I would do the Peroxide & Neosporin route as other moms have talked about. Just stand your ground & make sure it gets done or make the decision to take them out & let her try again in another year or so. Hope it all works out for you.

OK, Don't get me wrong...nothing bad about getting a little ones ears pierced...but no real reason to also. We made our girls wait till they where old enough to take care of the ears themselves.....and my older one opted not to get hers done yet....all for the reason you state above. That is one thing that is not a need so for us we decided that it would be a choice for them when they are old enough. If she is really throwing a fit....let them close up and wait till she is old enough to take care of them herself.
Barb

Did you get your 7 month old daughter's ears pierced too? I got my daughter's ears pierced when she was over 4 months old and she grew up with earings and they never bothered her or really noticed they are there. She's 3½ years old now but I don't change them either. I thought I'd wait and keep the good ones in for now. I do have some back-up good ones just in case. They are only $10 and 10K Gold from Wal-mart and they are for little girls. Since my ears get infected with costume jewelry, I will only use precious metals for my daughters ears to avoid any problems.

Sorry about your older daughter, you just might have to bite the bullet and do what you need to do. Maybe she could mark off the days to when it is no longer necessary for the high maintenace. Good Luck!

maybe let her do herself? or do it when she's sleeping. good luck! and neosporin around the studs wont' hurt, either.

I would suggest doing it while she sleeps. Use a q-tip for the cleaner and then gently turn them, once a day should be enough if it bothers her that bad. The most important is the cleaner to fight infection... the feel of one ear being done will make her turn her head and you will have the other ear ready to go :)

My daughter had a few problems with getting them cleaned she was 4 months old at the time,I just sat her down and went away to clean them somethimes she would cry and buck her head so I had to hold her down too.I would try to clean them in the bath without telling her since she may seem fearful for some reason,just have it ready.Then at a later time explain to her why it is important to get them cleaned.Also to make it easier to clean I used a small spray bottle to put the solution into(in the travel section)worked like a charm.

Maybe it is just too soon. G.

I agree with the poster about telling her that she is a big girl and if she doesn't have her ears cleaned, she can't have the earrings.

Perhaps the best time would be while she is sleeping... First thing in the morning while she is still asleep, during nap time and then after she is in bed in the evening... That makes 3 times a day :) I would also suggest that if you plan on getting your younger daughters ears done to do it as soon as possible... We had our Ava's ears pierced when she was barely 4 months old... It was recommended by her pediatrician to do it earlier because it is easier to take care of with out the struggles that you are now experiencing... Good luck :)

Have you tried cleaning them while she is taking a bath and distracted with toys in the tub.

WOW! I remember having to wait until I was 13 to get my ears pierced! No advice for you (I have a boy), just good luck and keep at it so they heal right and she won't be as likely to have problems with them later.

As an ear piercer for years, don't worry about turning the earring - it is not necessary to do that, as they counseled a long time ago. Just clean with a q-tip and alcohol, to help it dry out. Mainly push the earring to the front to clean the back, and then the same to clean the front.

Yes, it stings a little. Try telling her it's magical fairy juice or something to do with her favorite character. Also give her a q-tip to clean her doll's earrings. If you don't get it perfectly clean, don't worry about it.

Do try to keep her hair, fingers, and any dirt away from her ears to help keep the area clean.

Try doing it when she's asleep. Even if its just once a day, its better than none. I can't remember doing it that often.

Have you tried letting her do it by herself? Maybe giving her a cottonball with the solution and telling her what she needs to do with it. It sounds to me like she just doesn't like being forced to do things she doesn't want to do. I've got 4 just like that!!! It might make her feel like a big girl to take care of it herself. Good luck!!

i pierced my 10 month old, she will not let me clean hers. the cleaning solution they give u made her ears red.i switched to rubbing alcohol ears done better, she still fights, litterally hold her down

Hi !

I agree with Amber H. My daughter's ears were pierced at 2 years old, and I used the peroxide and Neosporin routine because it seemed like the right thing to do, and back in those days, they didn't really have a solution they tried to sell you. They just told you to keep them clean, and turn them. I let her watch in the mirror as I cleaned and turned them, and we never had any problems. Same thing with my second daughter when hers were pierced at 4 years old.

My grand daughter was another story, however. Hers were pierced at 2 years (at Clairs) and they recommended the solution for cleaning. We learned really quick (the hard way) about the drying and bloody scabbing it causes. We switched to the old fashioned Peroxide and Neosporin routin, allowed her to watch in the mirror, and taught her to turn them herself throughout the day. Of course we had to add a little incentive, like candy for a job well done because she had already been traumatised by the initial cleanings, but she settled down real quick, and was fine. Also, since this was only until the ears were healed, I didn't worry about the extra treats becoming a habit. She deserved a reward.

Good luck !

Hi K.,

I also have a 2 1/2 yr old daughter. I pierced her ears in mid April. I bought 14k gold earrings in a kit, along with an ear care antiseptic. I started using a dropper to put the antiseptic on front/back of my daughters ears. She too got upset, and didn't want me to touch her ears. Even though the piercing process was quick (the gun method), it still upset her.

I did the dropper/antiseptic twice a day (morning & evening) for 2 wks, then did it in the evenings just before bedtime.

She too did not like me turning the earrings. At first, I didn't think of doing this until I had heard someone say that the flesh of her daughters' earring grew around the back post. I now turn her earrings occasionally, and she still says "no touch".

I'd use the dropper to apply the antiseptic, and maybe warm up the antiseptic in warm water. Maybe during your daughters bath, she will find in less noticable.

Best of luck!
Judy

If you plan on getting your other daughter's ears pierced, do it now!!! I had my daughters ears done at 3 months, she is now 4, and we never had a problem with turning and cleaning. She was so young, she didn't have a clue. I could change them out and she was fine, but around 3, she started freaking out when I wanted to change the earrings, so I don't. She has a pair on, that have been on for almost a year.

About the 2 year old, I have no idea. Just that it seems to be a little trauamtizing for her. Maybe it's the age.
Good luck.
V.