Are Ear Piercings Harmful For Babies? A New Viral Video Raises the Question

A video of a 4-month-old baby getting her ears pierced is bringing up frequently debated questions about child piercings. In the video shared to a larger piercing-focused Facebook page, the baby is shown fussing and crying in her mother's lap as her ears are pierced at a mall kiosk in the UK.

Since it was shared on July 2, the video has sparked an impassioned conversation in the comments. Many of the people who commented expressed the opinion that ear piercings should be put off if the baby appears to be visibly uncomfortable and scared. Meanwhile, the baby's mother, Rebekah Musson, is defending her decision.

In an interview with the Hull Daily Mail, the 23-year-old mom of two said, "Did she cry? Yes for a split second. Do I regret it? No. My daughter loves her earrings. . . . It's much easier to get them done as a baby than when they're older."

After receiving many comments amounting the piercings to child abuse, Musson said, "How that could be described as child abuse I have no idea. It hurt her for but a second and it really was that." She went on to say, "All over social media it's blasted as child abuse but not one person has ever said anything but nice things to my face."

As it stands, the decision is ultimately up to the parents. It is recommended, however, that parents do not take their children to malls to get their ears pierced. Instead, it might actually be more beneficial for children to get their ears pierced at actual piercing shops with more seasoned professionals.