# Babies with pierced ears and makeup **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309 "2004-07-22T04:48:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/21 "2004-07-22T15:11:00Z")
Babies with pierced ears? Common practice I believe. Mascara 😕 Moreover, I think it could possibly be dangerous for the child. ---
**Author:** ![Rocza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce7236/32.png) [@Rocza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocza)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/22 "2004-07-22T15:38:38Z")
Re: pierced ears. I’m of East Indian descent and it is very common to do this to girls before they are a year old. We all had our ears pierced before we were 6 months. Gold is often used. Maybe for cultural reasons? And probably because it lessens the chance of an allergic reaction. Studs are also more frequently used because babies tend to pull on small hoops. Re: Mascara. My Mum has always put kohl (really soft eyeliner) around babies’ eyes. Not on their eyelashes but sometimes it ends up there. I don’t remember why she does it but she does it for both boys and girls-I think there is a religious or cultural reason for it (maybe good luck or protection?). Many of my older relatives also do the same thing. Or what **Lsura** said. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/23 "2004-07-22T15:45:43Z")
> [@Rocza](#): > > Re: Mascara. My Mum has always put kohl (really soft eyeliner) around babies’ eyes. Not on their eyelashes but sometimes it ends up there. I don’t remember why she does it but she does it for both boys and girls-I think there is a religious or cultural reason for it (maybe good luck or protection?). Many of my older relatives also do the same thing. Or what **Lsura** said. IIRC, kohl is used to ward off the evil eye. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/24 "2004-07-22T15:46:48Z")
A year or two ago, my mother and I were in the Farmer’s Market in Ardmore, and a woman wheeled a stroller by us. Inside was a baby—a year old or less—with a black, bouffant hairdo. With a flip and bangs. Like Connie Francis. Or Laura Petrie. My mother and I stood awestruck as Wig-Baby passed by. A week or so later, we were discussing this with a friend at dinner and she said, “Oh, I saw Wig-Baby, too! This woman brought her into my shop and someone commented on what thick hair the baby has, and the mother said, ‘it’s all hers, too!’” I can see the baby having freakishly thick hair—but the teased bouffant, flip and bangs?! Like a wee drag queen. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/25 "2004-07-22T15:50:54Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > The earrings thing used to be strictly a Latino thing, but lately, I see parents doing it when they have a little baldo baby so’s the world knows it’s a girl. I see it in all races and economic groups these days. A friend of mine had her daughter’s ears pierced when she was small because she was tired of people telling her what a cute little boy she had. Afterwards, a lady at the mall asked her why her cute little boy had earrings. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/26 "2004-07-22T16:55:58Z")
> [@Miss Purl McKnittington](#): > > I think we might all be falling into the trap that everybody who’s Hispanic has dark skin and black hair. Do a Google images search for “Tessie Santiago.” She’s a Cuban-American (I think – she’s Hispanic at any rate) actress and is blonde-haired. Natural blonde. She was the [Queen of Swords](http://www.hollywoodcultmovies.com/html/tessie_santiago.html). While it’s true that hispanics can be blonde, the photos of Ms Santiago at IMDB show her as a brunette, which looks quite natural. And very nice. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/27 "2004-07-22T17:01:09Z")
While I’m not too keen on earing on babies, (my dad’s influence. “No daughter of mine is getting her ears pierced untill she’s 18!”) it’s something that I can cope with. But MAKE-UP?! That’s just wrong! ---
**Author:** ![Anduin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Anduin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/28 "2004-07-22T17:19:58Z")
Well, I grew up in Scotland, and I knew people who pierced their babies ears. The common rationalization was that it was much easier to keep them clean and free from an infection, than trying to make sure your pre-teen wasn’t messing with them too much! ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/29 "2004-07-22T18:09:34Z")
Everyone keeps asking me why I don’t have my daughter’s ears pierced. Um…she has enough scarring, thank you very much. She doesn’t need any more unnecessary holes in her right now. She looks very much like a girl with her long blonde hair but people still think she looks “incomplete” without earrings. I think she looks like…A TODDLER! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/30 "2004-07-22T19:02:10Z")
FWIW, it’s my spouse’s turn to take SqueegeeJr to his swim lessons today. So maybe she’ll get a gander at **Mascara Baby** and can weigh in on whether the kid is really wearing makeup, or if I’m up a tree and it’s just thick lashes. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/31 "2004-07-23T04:17:54Z")
If people wouldn’t pierce their babies’ ears, maybe when the kid turns 14 they’ll want to pierce their EARS instead of their toenail or whatever it is kids are piercing these days 🙂 That said, pierced baby ears don’t bother me, although I chose not to do it with my kid. Mascara, though? That’s just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/32 "2004-07-23T05:24:28Z")
Breaking news: After a viewing, MrsSqueegee is undecided. She saw the kid, and could swear I was right at first – the kid’s lashes looked glued together somehow. But, on closer examination – she held the kid for a bit when her Mom had to pee or something – she says she won’t swear that it’s mascara, it really could be very dark lashes. She’s really not sure, but leans in the not-mascara camp. That’s ambiguous enough for me – I hearby admit I was probably wrong about the mascara issue. Apologies. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rocza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce7236/32.png) [@Rocza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocza)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/33 "2004-07-23T06:32:34Z")
> [@Angua](#): > > IIRC, kohl is used to ward off the evil eye. Thank you. That makes a lot of sense since she also puts tiny pocket knives under their pillows to protect them from evil spirits. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/34 "2004-07-23T14:15:21Z")
My whiter-than-white, Icelandic-and-Irish descent sister, had her daughter’s (Miss Magic8Ball) ears pierced when niece was about 3 months old. I can’t say I ever thought anything strange about it, but I don’t know that I would do the same if my baby-on-the-way is a girl. I had mine pierced at 12, and they got horribly infected once the studs were out and I switched earrings. That’s about when we learned of my metal (nickel?) allergy. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/35 "2004-07-24T06:28:15Z")
But kids with piercings and tats are so cute! [http://www.home.deds.nl/~tomisgek/babiepiercing.jpg](http://www.home.deds.nl/~tomisgek/babiepiercing.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/36 "2004-07-24T15:08:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > My ex-girlfriend’s ears were pierced for her by Irish Catholic nuns, about 5 minutes after she was born. Without her mother’s consent. > > They took her to clean her up, and returned her with pierced ears. Oh my god I’d have been furious!! I got my ears pierced when I was 12 and wore earrings for about 6 years. Haven’t really worn them since because whenever I do, no matter what material they’re made from, my ears get horribly infected. I put up with the infections through high school but then I got sick of it. I wouldn’t pierce a baby… just seems weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/37 "2004-07-24T18:29:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by squeegee_ > She saw the kid, and could swear I was right at first – the kid’s lashes looked glued together somehow. If I had to take a guess, I’d think that the baby might have blocked tear ducts, resulting in the application of a gooey medicine to the eye area, which would “glue” the lashes together (the blocked tear ducts themselves could do this, too, as a lot of gunk tends to collect around the eye area with this condition). My middle daughter had this condition, and if her lashes had been any thicker/darker than they were, I could certainly see where one might have thought she was wearing some kind of makeup. As it was, she had (and still has) very thick, very curly hair, and when she was no older than 18 months, lots of people asked me if it was a perm. WTF? On a _baby_? I think not! As for ear piercing, I don’t have a problem with it, although it’s not something I chose for my girls. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309/38 "2004-07-25T04:03:34Z")
> [@psycat90](#): > > You said you’re sure, so I’ll take that, but I do have to say, my husband (who is hispanic) gets asked often, sometimes even by me, if he is wearing it. Maybe it’s cause he set off their ~-dar? > [@evilbeth](#): > > Everyone keeps asking me why I don’t have my daughter’s ears pierced. Um…she has enough scarring, thank you very much. She doesn’t need any more unnecessary holes in her right now. > > She looks very much like a girl with her long blonde hair but people still think she looks “incomplete” without earrings. I think she looks like…A TODDLER! WTF? I have three holes in each ear, but they started to annoy me several years ago, so I took them out and haven’t worn any since. I hope there’s no confusion over my gender. Sheesh, what’s wrong with people? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/babies-with-pierced-ears-and-makeup/256309.md?page=1)