# Boys and pierced ears...



## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

I'm a bit out of the loop, none of our friends boys have their ears pierced. DS LOVES jewelery. Just loves it. He's all about the *bling* He's been talking about earrings a lot lately.

Which ear? Right? Left? Both? Does it matter anymore? a quick web search said that boys can do both ears now, but i dont want the other kids (or adults for that matter







) teasing him.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

How old is he? Can you get the magnetic kind (or clip on) instead of piercing? I'd just be hesitant to pierce a boy's ears if he is under age 12 or so and really understands the social ramifications... I did see a little boy (5?) recently with both ears pierced. I thought it was strange on a boy so young and wondered for a bit if he was a girl with very short hair. I know another boy who got one ear pierced at age 6. They are the only boys I've come across with pierced ears.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I would say both ears. It looks best, to me.


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

I don't think right or left matters, at least not in the cities we've lived in. There may be regional "conventions", for want of a better word, though. If you are really worried, I'd ask around locally. Personally, it's not something that bothers me - or ds.

DS first pierced his ears when he was 8. I couldn't very well say no when he asked, since his younger sister had hers done a year or two earlier.

We talked about it over a period of time (a few months) to make sure he really wanted to do it. We talked about teasing. I explained that some people think that pierced ears in men/boys are a signal or a sign. We also talked a lot about hygiene and safety. He played sports and participated in martial arts, so it was an issue.

His response to the teasing and symbolism issues were that we always told him to think and decide things for himself, and to dress the way he wanted to, and not to pay attention to other people's opinions. Again, I couldn't very well say no at that point, or else I'd be a pretty big hypocrite.

He's 17 y.o. now. It's never been a problem, but we've always lived in fairly diverse, metropolitan areas.


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## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

I would do the clip-on if I had to--I'm not a fan of jewelry on young children of either sex. I guess it depends on your area--where I am, I've never seen a boy younger than high school age with an earring, and earrings for boys and nose rings for both sexes are violations of our elementary/middle school dress code.


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## calpurnia (Sep 26, 2004)

Lexbeach has a post on this - one of her boys has pierced ears. She blogs at totallysmittenmama.blogspot I think.


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## happysmileylady (Feb 6, 2009)

Any more, he's pretty unlikely to be teased. I think it's actually pretty common for boys to get ears pierced now a days. It's not as common as getting baby girls, but preteen and teen boys, pretty common. And it's pretty common for boys to have both ears done.

My DH first got his ear pierced a few years ago, at a tattoo/piercing shop. When he went, he wasn't sure which ear, the guy first told him that it didn't matter anymore in the general public. Then DH told him that he worked in a prison, the guy immediately told him left ear. So if you are only going for one ear and are concerned about symbolism, go for the left one. I don't think the symbolism is really an issue, but there's no reason not to just go for the left either so...


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

he's almost 9

i didnt know about the magnetic earrings, i think i'll get him some of those to trial it out, then if he wants to go permanent, he can

thanks mama's


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Honestly, I can't see why he would be teased.

As for here, DS has no earrings, but I have two, one in each ear. Never been teased for them. Most people don't even notice. I did them one at a time, got the left done first and then decided to do the other one when I realized I like having a choice between one, the other or both.


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## ShadowMoon (Oct 18, 2006)

I know lots of guys with both ears pierced. It's more common with teens around here though. I don't see many people with just one ear pierced anymore.


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## Happiestever (May 13, 2007)

Let him try out the magnetic ones to see if he wants just one or both. I mostly see both on kids.


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## JL83 (Aug 7, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *newbymom05* 
I would do the clip-on if I had to--I'm not a fan of jewelry on young children of either sex. I guess it depends on your area--where I am, I've never seen a boy younger than high school age with an earring, and earrings for boys and nose rings for both sexes are violations of our elementary/middle school dress code.

How can they possibly justify having different rules for boys and girls?

Who cares if a boy has his ear/ears pierced?


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JL83* 
How can they possibly justify having different rules for boys and girls?

Who cares if a boy has his ear/ears pierced?

no kidding. That would never fly with me. If the school rules allowed my DD to have her ears pierced but not my DS, I'd be raising some heck.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

so, we found some magnetic earrings and ds loves them. (he's wearing both just in case anyone was wondering







) the only problem we've noticed with the magnetic ones is that they come off easily and ds almost lost one.


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## momasana (Aug 24, 2007)

I think it is great that you are letting him try out the magnetic kind first. That way he can decide if it is really something he wants to do permanently with his body or if it is just a fad.

I wish more parents approached girl earrings this way.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

I may be totally out of the loop.

Peirced ears for boys was popular about 15 years ago, but I don't think I've seen it much lately. It seems to have fallen out of favor.

But, if my son wanted it, I'd do it... and, i have no idea which ear, or how many.


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## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
no kidding. That would never fly with me. If the school rules allowed my DD to have her ears pierced but not my DS, I'd be raising some heck.

Eh. Boys wearing dresses or skirts is also a dress code violation, although girls can. That doesn't bother me either.


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *newbymom05* 
Eh. Boys wearing dresses or skirts is also a dress code violation, although girls can. That doesn't bother me either.









Both of those would bother me. Why should girls get to do something and not boys?


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## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
Both of those would bother me. Why should girls get to do something and not boys?

Wait, didn't you post that you could see why a small boy could be teased for an earring??? I know I'm in a conservative area, but I would think a young boy in a skirt or dress would REALLY be teased in most places of the US. I assume that's why they have the rule--to prevent class disruption, not to deny someone an experience.

It doesn't matter to me since I figure my kids can wear whatever they want the other 16+ hrs of the day.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

If he is nine then I think you should let it be his choice. He is old enough to know if he will be teased or not. When I was young we though one ear piercing in a boy was really cool. I had a boy in the kindergarten I interned in who had both ears pierced and it was very cute, but at nine it is more of a personal choice that he should have final say on. I would suggest that you make sure he understands that it really hurts a lot and the ears have to be cleaned daily with ear stuff before you make a final decision.


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## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *newbymom05* 
Wait, didn't you post that you could see why a small boy could be teased for an earring??? I know I'm in a conservative area, but I would think a young boy in a skirt or dress would REALLY be teased in most places of the US. I assume that's why they have the rule--to prevent class disruption, not to deny someone an experience.

It doesn't matter to me since I figure my kids can wear whatever they want the other 16+ hrs of the day.









Typo, meant to say "can't see why he would be teased".

If they want to prevent class disruptions they can actually do something about kids teasing each other instead of putting on the person being teased to conform.


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## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

An earring in just the right ear is an indication of "gay" --at least around here. So I'd do the left or both (unless he wants to identify as gay, of course.)

Most high school boys I see with earrings do both, and they "gauge" them (go increasingly bigger until they have enormous holes in their ears. I wouldn't recommend that, especially not at 9!)


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## KaylaBeanie (Jan 27, 2009)

Make sure you take him to a piercing shop where proper, autoclaved equipment is used. Guns=no, needles=yes









I think boys with earrings are cute, but I definitely think that both ears looks best. Since I have very pierced ears (lobes double pierced, tragus, rook and two helix piercings) and I tend to have a thing for guys with gauged lobes (only the little ones though, not the huge ones) there's a good chance my future DS will want his done, and after age 5 or so I'd have no issues with it. Then again, I'm hoping that my kids are so horrified by their modified parents that they think we are hideously uncool and don't pierce or tattoo anything







)


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## Mama2Xander (Jul 3, 2004)

I can totally see my oldest son seriously wanting to have his ears pierced.

However...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KaylaBeanie* 
Make sure you take him to a piercing shop where proper, autoclaved equipment is used. Guns=no, needles=yes









This. Piercing guns are a BAD idea. And most piercers (at least here... not sure if it's different in the US) will not pierce kids. The piercer who did my helix recently will only pierce ages 18+, but will *consider* some piercings in kids starting at ages 14-16 with parental consent. That seems to be a pretty standard policy around here. So it's kind of a non-issue when it comes down to the logistics, unless some piercers are more flexible if it's just a standard earlobe piercing. (otherwise I am in the camp of "sure, why not, as long as he understands and is making the choice himself").


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## KaylaBeanie (Jan 27, 2009)

To go off onto the pro-needle spiel even more, it's not just about sanitary reasons. Many, many people will say that it's okay to get it done with the single-use cartridges that they use at Claires, Piercing Pagoda, etc. The biggest issue with guns is NOT potential spread of disease, it's pain and jewelry. The pain from the guns is far worse than that of a needle because piercing studs, while sharp, are not sharp enough. They cause blunt trauma to the ear lobe which leads to more difficult healing. The piercing jewelry is not long enough to allow for proper swelling and allows lymph fluid to collect, plus it is not the right gauge. The cleaning solution they provide is all wrong too, and can dry out the piercing causing it to get more easily infected and heal wrong.

So, in short; call around and find a legitimate piercing/tattoo shop that will pierce him. Make sure they use a needle. Make sure they use jewelry (barbells or captive ball rings) that are the right gauge and properly autoclaved. Ask for recipes for a sea salt solution for healing the piercing. If your son decides to get pierced, you want it to be the safest, healthiest, best experience possible


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