Some pediatricians' offices will pierce ears for a small fee or you can go to a reputable jewelry store. If you do go to a store, like at the mall, make sure the person is trained and using sterile equipment.

A typical Claire's piercing earring isn't as sharp as a needle, so when you ram it through the skin, it causes unnecessary pain, damage, and inflammation to the body (and can make the healing process longer and more difficult).

Just as you'd prefer to see a doctor with professional and modern certifications, you should seek out the same from a piercing studio and the piercer themself. Webb says to look for studios and piercers who are members of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).