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Parents and grandparents of a certain age (ahem, mine) might remember the rite of passage of getting their ears pierced. For me, it was verboten until I was 16 years old—for what reasons, I can’t recall—and I rebelled by having it done at 15, when I was out of town visiting a friend. One hole in each earlobe—that’s where I started and stopped.
These days, piercings and other body modifications are commonplace, and the simple, single earlobe stab seems like a quaint ritual. Teens and kids want piercings in a dazzling array of options…and their parents and grandparents very well might be in the next chair for a session, too.
In some communities, the process is less fraught because the decision is made when the piercee is quite young: In many Latin American, Black, and Indian families, as well as some other groups, it’s common to pierce the ears of infants, especially females, soon after birth or before age 1. Of her daughters’ early piercings, Natalia Rojas Gómez says, “They feel like it is a part of them…they actually feel weird now not wearing them.” Misty Ramirez, on the other hand, said she and her husband wanted to give their daughter the choice of making the decision when she got older (she still hasn’t wanted to), despite questioning from their Mexican relatives.
For those being pestered by their kids to hop on the bandwagon, there are plenty of options for both walk-in and appointment-based piercings, as well as some general good-to-know considerations. (You might also find that doing the research and having open discussions leads to more.)
Heather Moll, of St. Louis, recently took her 16-year-old daughter to get her nose pierced. “I told her on the way there that I was jealous and had always wanted to have a nose ring,” she says. “I was surprised when she suggested I get mine done, too, I figured it was weird and uncool for you and your mom to get matching piercings, but she was actually excited about it. So we picked out our jewelry and had a really magnificent time together.”
What to know or ask about piercings
- In Missouri, people under 18 are required to have written parental permission for any piercings beyond earlobes. Providers will often require a photo ID for the parent and if possible, the child (generally a school ID will suffice), along with a birth certificate showing the relationship and an original Social Security card for the child. Some locations require a notarized health form. If you and your child have names that are different than what’s shown on your ID or birth certificate, you may also need supporting documentation of those changes. Heather Borlesch, a registered nurse at South County Pediatrics who performs ear piercings at their office, says they also require a vaccination record. “You don’t have to be an existing patient to get pierced here, but we do require you to make an appointment and have all the supporting paperwork,” she says.
- What kind of equipment and tools do you want? Options include a piercing gun, which has the benefits of being self-contained and touch-free, but is spring-loaded and can be loud, and traumatic to delicate tissue. Many pediatricians’ offices and Rowan at Target use a hand-pressurized cartridge, which allows for a gentler and more precise punch. Finally, a piercing studio typically performs needle-piercing, using thin, hollow surgical needles. For any setting, Borlesch advises looking for disposable, single-use products in any contact, and knowing ahead of time what the piercing jewelry options are. “We offer two medical-grade plastic options and four medical-grade titanium ones, and you definitely want to avoid nickel exposure,” she says. Nickel and nickel alloy earrings have a high incidence of allergic reaction.
- What are the trends in piercing among teens? Zach Powell, a piercer at TRX on South Grand in St. Louis, sees a lot of kids and teens. “Septums, nostrils, and earlobes,” he rattles off. “Definitely those are what most of my clients coming in now want.” On the flip side, he strongly counsels against industrial piercings for minors, (endcaps in two holes that are connected by a bar of some sort), simply because of the healing time required, up to 10 months. Individual piercers may also limit what services they’ll provide to teens, or anyone, from a personal comfort level (not wanting to work inside someone’s mouth, for example.) Powell loves piercing teens, however: “Typically they have done all their research and know exactly what they want. I’ve never had a teen be disrespectful to me, weirdly enough. By the time they get here, they are ready to get the information and find out how they can take care of their piercing once it’s done, and then we go.”
Where can you go for a piercing in St. Louis?
- Increasingly, pediatrician and doctor’s offices may offer piercing services, though usually only for earlobes. Additionally, some have restrictions on how many piercings they will perform on each ear. Most will require an appointment.
- Traditional retail spaces, like Claire’s, Sweet & Sassy, and Rowan at Target. Pia Patel, 13, of Clayton, chose the Target option because it was performed by a nurse, she could make an appointment at a specific time, and, “it’s a place we were already comfortable!” adds her mom, Becky Patel. Pia went with a friend to make the experience special. Establishments like Sweet & Sassy and Claire’s have the quality of a festive, buzzy setting, and may provide extras like a certificate or photo of the occasion.
- A piercing/tattoo studio. Powell, at TRX, describes the atmosphere as “quicker, easier, and safer” than more generalized retail options, and also emphasizes that it’s likely that the person who does your piercing will be around regularly for follow-up care and later consultation, whereas you might never see the same person at a big box store or mall shop if you needed to return.
Mentioned in this story:
South County Pediatrics: $60 for medical-grade plastic earrings and piercings, $65 for medical-grade titanium
Claire’s: starting at $28.99 for stainless steel ball earrings, price increases for other materials/styles
Sweet & Sassy: free with earring purchase (starting around $35) and includes photo and certificate
Rowan at Target: $50 for two piercings, plus the cost of piercing studs
TRX: varies widely due to large selection of jewelry, but typical cost is between $60-$90 including jewelry
