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Medical Guidelines for Safe Ear and Nose Piercing in Children

Approved By: Dr. Leenatha Reddy N September 24, 2024 | 05:36 pm

Almost all Indian parents desire ear piercings for their children. Whether it is influenced by tradition or for ornamental purposes, ear and nose piercing is quite common in India and abroad. However, many parents worry about the effects of piercing on their children.

While the concerns are justified, you can create a safer environment for your child when it comes to ear or nose piercing. However, before we look at how you can safely pierce your child’s ears, let’s understand some of the risks of body piercing

Risks of ear and nose piercing

Skin infections

One of the major concerns of ear and nose piercing is skin infections. Body piercings can cause redness and rashes on the skin. Also, fluid may appear from the pierced part if there is an infection from the piercings. Skin infection due to ear piercings can also result in swelling and pain for the child.

It is advisable to visit your pediatric dermatologist in Bangalore if your child experiences any skin infection from the piercings

Repercussions of Piercing cartilage

If not done professionally, ear piercings may go wrong. Piercing the cartilage instead of the earlobe can cause keloids. Keloids is a condition where the skin is raised due to an overgrowth of the scar tissue. Also, piercing the cartilage takes longer to heal and may cause immense pain to your child. Your pediatric skin specialist in Bangalore will advise you on the best piercing spot that causes the least pain to your child.

Allergic reactions

Some children may have an allergic reaction to the metal in the ornaments. That is why gold is commonly used as jewelry for children and adults. Gold is one of the most nonreactive metals in the world. On the other hand, nickel is one of the most common causes of allergic reactions on the skin. Nickel may also cause eczema or allergic contact dermatitis.

Blood infections

Another concern regarding ear and nose piercing is the risk of an infected needle. If you don’t properly clean the needle used to pierce your child’s ears or nose, it may cause an infection. This infection could spread to your child’s blood and cause dangerous diseases like hepatitis B and tetanus.  It is important to pierce your child’s ears only with a professional and well-experienced expert in Bangalore. Ask your pediatric skin specialist in Bangalore for advice.

Trauma

Children and infants may touch pierced ears before they heal. Pulling the ear to express the source of pain may further lead to infections due to touch or may also tear the pierced hole.

Ear and Nose Piercing in Children

Safety measures during and after body piercings on children

Consult your paediatric dermatologist in Bangalore before piercing your child’s ears or nose. Your developmental pediatrician in Bangalore will advise you on the right age for ear piercing for children and will also provide medical guidelines for safe ears and nose piercing in children.

Who can do piercings for children?

Choose a professionally trained expert to pierce your child’s ears. Never try to pierce your child’s ear on your own. You can also get your child’s ears pierced at a piercing store.

How should you pierce your child’s ears and nose?

There are two methods of piercing: piercing with piercing guns and piercing with needles. While piercing with needles is preferred over piercing guns, the needles must necessarily be single-use, sterilized needles. Gun piercing is not as hygienic as sterilized needles and the skin may require more healing time than needle piercings. Also, gun piercings result in more tissue trauma than sterilized needle piercings. Therefore, paediatric dermatologists in Bangalore highly recommend sterilized, single-use needles for ears and nose piercing in children.

Choose a nonreactive metal for jewelry

As mentioned above, it is always safe to pierce your child’s ears and nose with gold jewelry instead of other metals that may cause allergic reactions to sensitive baby skin.

Clean ear piercings

Ask your pediatric skin specialist in Bangalore for the best-medicated solution to clean piercings. Also, remember to wash your hands before cleaning your child’s ear piercings.

Do not change jewelry for a while

Ear piercings can take up to 8 weeks or more to completely heal. Do not attempt to change the jewelry during the healing process.

In summary, it is advisable to visit a developmental pediatrician in Bangalore at the best pediatric hospital in Bangalore like Kinder Women’s Hospital.

Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre offers the best pediatric care services including pediatric surgery and pediatric orthopedics. Our state-of-the-art facilities including neonatology care and labor suites, make us one of the most preferred hospitals for women and child care in Bangalore.

Over the years, Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertilities Centre has garnered the trust of its patients to become the top women and pediatric hospital in Bangalore.

Visit Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre for the best pediatric care.

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