This page is a prerequisite to booking an appointment with us for this service; all parties involved must read it prior to booking. Tacoma’s Best Piercing is one of the few studios with a member of the APP (Association of Professional Piercers) that provides this service.

We will only pierce infants below the age of 6 months. We only perform these piercings outside of our normal business hours, and only one piercer offers this service: our owner, Jessica.

We never use piercing guns, and the safest available jewelry is used. Our aseptic technique goes above and beyond what the state requires of us.

Your main concerns are:

• The cleanest technique for this procedure
• Professional advice and guidance from a piercer

You want to rush through the cleaning and marking process, and if you don’t take this procedure seriously (ie, “They’re just ear piercings” mentality).

Below are the essential things you need to know before proceeding to book (although we appreciate your interest in us, we also 100% recommend waiting until your child is old enough to want, ask for, and participate in their piercing experience).

The cons:

• They can get infected afterward (saliva from teething, milk, etc.)
• Excessive scar tissue (which can result in keloids) is also possible. Infants’ heads are heavy, so they can’t avoid lying on the piercings. This pressure can damage the healing tissue and cause raised scar tissue.
• It hurts. Despite the rumor that infants cannot feel pain (this rumor has long been debunked), you can expect your infant to cry. During this process, parents must hold their kids still, which also tends to make people feel bad (understandably).
• The chance of uneven or too high / too low placement increases in lobe piercing done before 6-8 years old. We often re-pierce people who have had them done as infants due to wrong placement, infection, etc. We do our absolute best, but piercing an infant means that placement results are never guaranteed – regardless of the practitioner or method.
• Social stigma. If you aren’t getting these with culture in mind- it is seen as an unnecessary cosmetic procedure.

The pros:

• They look fantastic, the jewelry is beautiful, etc.
• Tradition and culture are the biggest reasons clients bring their infants in.

Getting them done at TBP is the safest option for many reasons. Simply put, piercing guns and piercing kiosks are not safe. We are a judgment-free business. It is up to the parent/guardian what they decide, but we will provide the same quality service regardless of the circumstance.

As far as we know, we are the only studio in Washington State that offers lobe piercings to infants with the regulations and safety measures required by the Association of Professional Piercers; we take these situations very seriously and want to make sure infants are in safe hands when getting their ears pierced.

Infants are more susceptible to infection, so the combination of low quality jewelry, improper aftercare advice, unsafe atmosphere, and untrained “piercers” (mall kiosks, Claire’s, doctors, etc.) increases the risk of infections and issues overall. Infections in infants are considered high risk and can spread faster than in adults.

We urge all parents that are interested in getting this done to:

• Do your research and outweigh the pros and cons.
• Get it done properly (Book your Piercing Appointment with TBP)

I have read this information, and I’m ready to book a piercing appointment for my infant