Piercing FAQs for Children & Young Adults (Under 18)

We understand when it’s your child's first piercing, the nerves are especially bad. But our licensed Nurses are trained to provide a safe, fun, and celebratory piercing experience for our tiny guests.  We pierce all ages starting at 2 months; however, there are special considerations for those under the age of 18.  Read on to have all your questions answered for children’s ear piercing.

 

 

How old does my child have to be to get a lobe piercing?

 

We pierce babies over the age of 2 months. For piercings on children under 5 years old, we require one DTaP vaccine, which is administered at 2 months old.

 

How old does my child have to be to get a cartilage piercing?



In select locations, we can perform cartilage piercings on children 12 years of age or older. Please see your local piercing location to ensure we have that offering available.

 

Cartilage piercings include:

 

Do I need to bring an ID for myself and my child?

 

For minors under 18, a parent or guardian is required to be present for the piercing. We will not ask for the child’s ID, but we will ask for the parent/guardian’s ID.

 

Do you pierce with piercing guns?

 

We do not use a piercing gun! Rowan nurses use a hand-pressurized instrument. This uses the pressure (and complete control) of a Rowan nurse's hand to safely guide, place, and pierce! This instrument holds a sterilized single-use cartridge containing the sterile starter stud earrings that pierce the ear. Unlike piercing guns, which use spring-loaded mechanisms to forcefully pierce, a hand-pressurized instrument allows for gentle and direct control with each and every piercing.

 

 

Do you offer needle piercings for children?

 

Children can get their lobes pierced via needle as young as 5 in a case-by-case scenario.  Rowan prioritizes safety first and foremost. The minor must be able to sit without fidgeting and be able to follow directions well. If a nurse feels that needle piercing is not the safest option for the minor, device piercings will be offered. We reserve the right to refuse needle piercings for any minor in deference to their safety and for the safety of the nurse.

 

At what age can my child get a second lobe piercing?

 

Children must be at least 9 years of age for a second lobe piercing.

 

Do you pierce babies?

 

Rowan pierces all ages! We require one DTaP vaccine (administered at 2 months old) for ear piercings for children 5 and under. For minors under 18, a parent or guardian is required to be present for the piercing.

 

We are pediatrician-recommended for many reasons! Our earrings are hypoallergenic and nickel-free, which is important because many young children are sensitive to nickel.

 

Moreover, our earrings have been specifically designed with all ages in mind, from young children to advanced ages. For example, our earrings have long posts, which give the ear more room to heal post-piercing

 

What happens if my child gets too nervous to pierce the second ear after the first?

 

This can happen with some of our younger clients. We're happy to try again another day.  You’ll only pay for the completed piercing and jewelry used at the time of your original appointment.

 

Can both ears be pierced simultaneously?

 

We can often accommodate this request at our Rowan Studios when we have more than one nurse working at a time! To ensure that this is possible, please contact your preferred studio team directly to schedule an appointment.

 

Can I get a piercing on my own if I’m under 18?

 

No, even with permission from a parent/guardian, we cannot pierce you if you are under 18 and unaccompanied by an adult. We need the adult to be physically present in the studio in order to perform the piercing.

 

Can I bring my own earrings?

 

No, Rowan Nurses are not able to pierce with earrings provided by the customer. We pride ourselves on our hygiene standards, so we only use piercing earrings that come in sterile packaging. These earrings are made to be compatible with the hand-pressurized instrument and hollow needles we use for the piercing process.

Once your piercing is starting to heal (in 6 weeks for a lobe piercing and 12 weeks for a helix/conch/tragus piercing), you can change the jewelry to whatever style you like – just make sure to sanitize it first and use hypoallergenic, nickel-free earrings!

 

What makes ear piercing with Rowan safe?



We put safety first, with ear piercings performed exclusively by a licensed nurse and hypoallergenic earrings made from premium, nickel-free materials. Rowan nurses have extensive experience in creating a stress-free environment, are experts (overseen by our Medical Advisory Board) in the use of PPE and maintaining sterility, and always put their clients first. Rowan nurses use a gentle, hand-pressured device with pre-sterilized 14k gold or stainless steel earrings to pierce all ages. Our piercing jewelry has safety backs and long posts to ensure sufficient airflow and optimal healing. We never use piercing guns, which are spring-loaded and can damage the ear tissue.

 

We offer piercings with a hollow needle for guests 5 and up. Both the hand-pressurized device and the hollow needle are safe and accurate when in the hands of a trained professional.

 

It is important to choose safe materials when having your ears pierced because metal allergies are common and can develop at any point in life, and an ear piercing makes your skin more vulnerable to irritation-causing metals like nickel, brass, and zinc. This is why Rowan only uses the safest materials – pre-sterilized 14K gold, stainless steel, and titanium earrings.