Pierced Ears Help

[Indianamom2]

About 9-10 weeks ago, DD (who will be 9 on the 15th) got her ears pierced. She had not changed them and had worn them continuously until yesterday. While at school, later in the afternoon, she was messing with the back of the earring and it fell out. She brought it home and I told her that now might be a good time to try changing them. She agreed, took the other one out on her own....and then completely lost her nerve and freaked out.

I spent hours throughout the evening (and no, I'm not exaggerating) trying to convince her to let me put the earrings in, telling her that the holes would close if she didn't put some pair in. I told her she didn't have to change them again any time soon. I bribed her. Dh bribed her. We begged, pleaded....let's put it this way: Negotiating peace in the Middle East would most likely have been easier. And yet she still went to bed last night with no earrings in...and off to school that way.

So the question is, do you think, if I can manage to convince her to try today, that the holes will still be open? Surely they've healed enough after almost 10 weeks....right?

[Philly Mom]

This is probably what you don't want to hear. I got my ears pierced right before my Bat Mitzvah (so 12, almost 13). I had it done at the doctor's office. Once my first pair of earings came out, I would not put new ones in. It was not fear, but I was probably annoyed about the upkeep and I know they itched a bit. Also, I have sensitive skin so it is possible I put silver ones in next and they got infected so I just did not want to have to manage it. In the end, the holes closed too much for me to be able to put earings in again. When I was 17 I had them repierced (which I barely felt because enough of the hole was there) and have managed just fine with them. I think I needed maturity to maintain them. My parents wouldn't let me repierce any earlier than 17 so I had learned.

[jenmcadams]

I'd be prepared for you to have to exert some effort to get the earrings in - we're 8-9 weeks out and we take DDs earrings out for soccer games/warm-ups (2hrs) and we often get a little "closure" in that 2 hrs...a few weeks ago, we let it go for three hours and had to poke from front and back.

Good luck!!

[MamaMolly]

Lula got a hair twisted around the post of her earrings while they were still healing (somewhere in the 8-12 week area). We took the back off one earring to get the hair off and she happened to look down and the earring slid out and fell on the floor. She would only let me try a couple times to get it back in and the only way I could do it was to put it in backwards. For some reason it was easier going back to front. She wore it that way for a few weeks until she was willing to let me try putting it in correctly again.

[minnie-zb]

I hate to say it, but I think they will close a lot more than you or she would like. It really takes a long time for them to heal and be at the point where you can leave the earring out for any length of time. Good luck -- I hope we are wrong.

[Indianamom2]

Thanks for the replies. Just looking at them when she got home makes me think they have already reached the point of no return. I am so frustrated that we spent money on piercing and nice gold earrings and even had several relatives get her earrings for her upcoming birthday....and she wouldn't even try.

I think it will be many, many years before we even entertain the thought of letting her try again. I have honestly never met a more stubborn child in all of my life.

[nfowife]

What about using ice to numb them and then trying? Or doing it when she's asleep?

[Green_Tea]

Thanks for the replies. Just looking at them when she got home makes me think they have already reached the point of no return. I am so frustrated that we spent money on piercing and nice gold earrings and even had several relatives get her earrings for her upcoming birthday....and she wouldn't even try.

I think it will be many, many years before we even entertain the thought of letting her try again. I have honestly never met a more stubborn child in all of my life.

I feel your pain. DD2 had her ears pierced once, and had the exact same freak out. The holes closed. About 18 months later we got them repierced, and she allowed me to change them one time while freaking out at approx. 90% of the level of freak out #1. She has worn the same earrings ever since, for going on TWO YEARS. She won't let me anywhere near her ears.

DD1 freaked out similarly when she got hers pierced, and I ended up changing them when she was in a very deep sleep (there may have been a dose of Benedryl involved.) She has since gotten over it completely and changes them herself without any issues (she's 10.5).

My beliefs on ear piercing have evolved considerably. I now think all kids should have them pierced either before their second birthday, or after their eighteenth. :rotflmao:

[AnnieW625]

26 yrs. ago when I was 10 and got mine pierced I was told I had to take them out after two months, but had to wear earrings daily for quite some time. I was probably 12 or 13 before I actually didn't wear earrings all of the time. I would tell her if she wants to get them fixed she needs to pay to get them done again.

[kristenk]

Indianamom2 - I'm sorry that you're having to deal with this, but thankful that you shared the story here! DD got her ears pierced a few weeks ago. After reading your DD's story, she's on board with keeping her starter earrings in for much longer than the required 8-12 weeks. :)

[mom2binsd]

I'm afraid you might be out of luck. DD took hers out after 8 weeks, and there was no way to get another pair back in, and we tried immediately....I've heard they really need closer to 12 weeks, I even tried with polysporin greasing the posts and from the back, no luck. DD just said after "well I guess I'll wait till I"m 12 like you wanted me to anyway"....

[KrisM]

Probably will be difficult, but I agree coming from the back is often easier than the front. We do that if DD's have been out for a couple days, and it's been 15 months since she had them done.

[ZeeBaby]

I would try while she is sleeping. Do it tonight though. Any longer it probably won't be able to go back in.

[Indianamom2]

Well, it's official...the holes appear to be closed. Of course, that's only from me looking because heaven forbid that I even mention trying to put any earrings back in.

And yes, those of you who haven't yet experienced this....learn from my mistakes!