Piercing for Minors

Update 19/01/22: All services for clients aged under 16 have been suspended until further notice. This includes pre-piercing consultations. Any appointments/check ups currently booked will be honoured, but all new bookings will be 16+. 

I strive to create a positive, safe environment for your child to get their first or second lobe piercings, or maybe even their first nostril piercing - I understand that the whole process can be pretty daunting but want nothing more than for them to leave smiling and feeling accomplished!

The process is intended to be as quick and as painless as possible - I pierce using the sharpest, sterile, single use piercing needles which is a much safer, less painful option to the "piercing gun."


All tools are sterile, single use (disposed off immediately) and all jewellery is meticulously cleaned using a multi-stage process, including hand polishing, electro-polishing (anodising) and steaming. Jewellery is then sterilised on site using a medical grade autoclave.

Jewellery is of the highest quality ASTM-F136/solid 18/14k gold and sourced from the best suppliers in the world including Anatometal, Industrial Strength, BVLA and many more - there's something to suit every one's tastes and budget!


The jewellery has flat backs (no poking or snagging!) and allows extra room for expected swelling and adequate drainage during the healing process. 

I'm happy to pierce children's lobes from the age of six upwards, provided they have clearly asked for the piercings themselves and can display a clear understanding of the procedure and aftercare.
Earlobe piercing clients aged twelve and under and helix/flat & nostril piercing clients aged 14 and 15 are required to attend an initial consultation first; this is to gauge their understanding of the procedure, healing process and aftercare routine, and to ensure they've elected to have the piercings out of their own free will as consent is very important to me.


I require both parent/legal guardian and child to bring valid, government issued photo ID to this consultation and to also wear a mask for your duration of your visit(s) to the studio to comply with our COVID restrictions.

No other members of family/friends are permitted in the studio/procedure room during consultation sessions or piercing prodecures and filming/photography is prohibited.

Earlobe piercings are performed one at a time and the idea of this can be a little off-putting to some; so this is an opportunity to explain the process, to answer any questions they may have and to ensure they know that they will be the one in control throughout the entire visit.

Younger clients are welcome to bring their favourite stuffed animal along for support, which I will ask their permission to pierce - this will give me a chance to talk your child through the piercing procedure in detail but this also gives them a visual aspect which makes things easier to process for a lot of clients and brings an element of fun to what can be a daunting experience. This also introduces them to the concept of consent, which is a vitally important element of the way that I work. 

I will demonstrate the procedure to all clients booked for a Kid's Consultation but they don't necessarily have to bring a stuffed toy if they would rather not!

I will also run through my recommended aftercare and healing expectations in detail and discuss jewellery options with you both.

If at the end of this consultation all parties are happy, the procedure is then booked after at least 24 hours to allow for a "cooling off period." This ensures they have time to think everything over properly, decide they do want to go ahead and have a read over the aftercare a little more 

On the day, I run over aftercare etc again and the procedure is taken completely at their pace - I make sure that they know that it's their body and they dictate what happens to it and when - if they feel like they don't want the second piercing done for whatever reason, I'm more than happy to book them back in whenever they're ready!

Each client is then booked for a four week check up to assess how the piercings are healing and to gauge when the jewellery will be ready to downsize - once the swelling has fully subsided the posts are replaced to be more fitted which allows the piercings to finish off healing as they're not easily snagged and can't move around.

Downsizing usually occurs between four and six weeks and the original attachments can be kept or switched out for something different!

I want nothing more than for your child to have the best introduction to body piercing as possible and to see their piercings heal without complication!

For clients aged 14 and 15 I am happy to pierce a single helix/flat/nostril piercing provided a consultation is booked first - once this has healed, their next one can be scheduled. All other cartilage piercings are 16+ only and septum piercing is 18+.

Second lobe piercings are worked with on a by client basis - depending on the anatomy and the placement of existing piercings, there is a chance that a second set will be up on cartilage. In these instances, if the client is aged 14+ the first will be pierced and the second arranged once the first has been successfully downsized for 8 weeks. 

PLEASE READ:

If booking via Setmore for a minor please use your child's details for the booking and not your own. 

As previously mentioned, consultation sessions are mandatory for clients aged 6-12 for earlobe piercing and 14 and 15 for helix/flat/nostril piercing, but all clients are welcome to book a consultation if they are feeling particularly nervous or have specific jewellery in mind etc.

Piercing appointments for clients that are the ages mentioned above will not be booked before a consultation has been completed - any piercing appointments booked in an attempt to bypass this policy will not be refunded.

£5 booking fees for Kid's Consultations reserve your time in the studio and also go towards the equipment/materials used at these sessions, but there will be a £5 charge on the day. This £10 is then used as a booking fee if your child decides to go ahead. 

It is also worth noting that it is not recommended to submerge healing piercings in unhygienic bodies of water for at least the first four to six weeks.
This is something to consider if your child wishes to book in but you have holidays or trips away booked where they may want to take part in activities such as swimming or where they may have to wear helmets, like horse riding or quad biking. 
These healing times are only a rough guide based off past experience, but these can differ greatly from person to person and can be effected by their overall health, their lifestyle, how they care for the piercings and whether or not the jewellery is downsized at appropriate times. 
Piercings can also require multiple upsizes/downsizes before the piercing is fully healed, depending on how quickly the piercing heals and what happens over the course of the healing period.
For example; a client could be ready to downsize before or at the recommended time, but if a piercing gets snagged/caught whilst it's healing it may require a post upsize to allow for the excess swelling which would then need to be downsized a few more times before it was fully healed. 
This is something to remember if booking your child in over a time where you might have a lot on, or if you don't live in the area - though I am always happy help source a local reputable piercer if your child gets pierced whilst you're visiting Penarth! 
As with the posts at Check Ups, these posts are also charged for separately which is also something to consider before booking in. 

Some schools also have restrictions on the number of piercings (if any) and the style of studs permitted, so it is also worth checking your child's school policies before making a booking. 

Jewellery needs to be left in for the entirety of the healing process and constant removal/insertion risks potential infection, excess scarring and extended healing times.

To book your child's consultation, go here.

For more information, see Policies.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me on:

etherealaesthetics@outlook.com