Forget The Mall, This New Ear Piercing Service Will Send A Nurse To Your Home

Like many girls, my daughter got her ears pierced at the mall. It’s like a rite of passage, but something always seemed, I don’t know, off about it. It’s such a personal experience, after all; you’re getting holes punched into your body that weren’t there before. To do it in the middle of a busy store with all the bright lights and hustle and bustle didn’t give it the reverence that I felt it deserved. Apparently, the folks at tween lifestyle brand Rowan felt the same way, because they now offer an ear piercing service at home that’s a total beauty game changer.

Here’s how it works: If your daughter wants to get her ears pierced, you can schedule an appointment for a licensed medical professional to come to your home to do the procedure. As the Rowan site reported, ears are pierced with sterile starter studs that are made of medical grade materials. (Which is amazing, because I initially thought that this was a total DIY and that you had to do it yourself. Hello, lopsided earlobes!) So you won’t have to worry about messing up the piercing process — and the massive mommy guilt that would inevitably ensue from such a cosmetic calamity.

Although you can find out about piercing options at your pediatrician’s office or through a dermatologist, there’s something sweet about being able to have your child’s ears pierced in the safety and comfort of her own home. For one thing, she’ll definitely feel more at ease. And because ear piercing can be painful, (and you never know exactly what your child’s reaction might be post-puncture), you can be right there to comfort her or help her if she passes out (it happens, but rarely). Plus, the registered nurse who performs the piercing will give you aftercare instructions and a Certificate of Bravery, too.

“I couldn’t imagine taking my daughter to a mall or our pediatrician for this all-important milestone, I knew there must be a better option! Our kids deserve better, and I wanted to be part of the solution,” said Rowan Founder and CEO Louisa Schneider in a press release. “Rowan embraces both the gifter and the girl, encouraging communication around these important milestones, and celebration of self-expression.”

Once your kid’s lobes are lovely and healed, she might want to participate in the Rowan Earring Club, a monthly subscription service ($20 for a 12-month membership) that delivers — what else — adorable earrings that are crafted in Brooklyn and made from hypoallergenic 14k gold, gold vermeil, or sterling silver.

In addition to sweet little studs, your child will also receive collectable cards that are meant to be conversation starters, perfect for those tween years when your girl might be more likely to gab with her besties than you.

Can you imagine the possibilities of at-home piercings? I can already envision it: mamas and their daughters getting new earrings together, or piercing parties for your child and some of her friends who want their first (or second) hole. Of course, you’d just have to make sure that the parents dropping off their girls for a play date or sleepover know that their child will be leaving with a new piercing.

While it’s up to parents to determine what age to pierce their child’s ears, according to Parents, doing it at home can make for a safer and more memorable experience. Your child might feel more relaxed in her own digs, and you can celebrate afterwards by serving up a special meal or watching a movie together on the couch. Ultimately, it’s about the bonding experience that can come from allowing her to get her ears pierced — and someday, grow up.

As for my not-so-little girl, she's now a stunning 16-year-old. She has a summer bucket list, and high at the top of it is to get a second ear piercing. I’ve been holding off on letting her get one, partly because she’s not sure if she wants a second hole or a helix, as explained by Allure (she knows all too well that she’s not getting both), and partly because I’m not sold on having her getting her ears pierced while passersby eating Annie’s Pretzels gape at my girl. But now with the possibility of having her ears pierced at home, I just might be sold on the idea. Almost.