Q: I haven't started stretching yet but do you need to sleep in plugs at night or do you take them out? Are they uncomfortable to sleep on at bigger sizes? Thank you. - Izzy

A: I’m going to guess that we’re talking about your earlobes. While you are in the process of stretching, you need to treat your piercings like they are freshly pierced and leave the plugs in at all times. Once you have stretched and they are fully healed (8 weeks is a good estimate), you can start taking your plugs out for showers or sleeping. However, you will find that they shrink a bit overnight, and you may have to gently manipulate your plugs to get them back in. A hot shower may make it easier, and you should try to get the plugs back in early in the day. Over time, they’ll shrink less, and you’ll have no problems getting your jewelry back in in the morning. In fact, this is far better for your ear lobes than leaving in your plugs around the clock as it gives the tissue a chance to breathe. Happy piercing!

 Q: My baby girl is turning 4 and I want to get her ears done but I definitely don't want to take her to the mall to get it done. I called two shops about it but they both said that they don't pierce kids. Is there any place that will do it? - Samantha

A: Piercing is certainly a thing with a lot of both religious and cultural significance, all over the world. In many places, piercing very young children is a totally normal experience and is often believed to protect them from the discomfort of having their ears (or nose, or other parts) pierced later in life. That said, it has largely fallen out of favor in the US and other countries these days. The reasons are various, including that the child is too young to actually want the piercing, too young to care for it, may not be able to hold still during the actual piercing, and that children tend to be indifferent towards hand hygiene and can easily give themselves an infection simply because they are playing with the jewelry. Many piercing shops have age requirements, even with a parent along to sign a release. This means that even though you are there with your child and giving your permission, they will still not pierce your daughter’s ears. You could keep calling around to different shops and you might get lucky but my advice would be to wait until she's a bit older and you see how she feels about it. Bonus: If you wait a while, you could even get a piercing with her and turn it into a great bonding experience that she'll be old enough to remember and carry with her for life.

Disclaimer: Body Candy is only here to give you fun and helpful advice and information when it comes to getting pierced. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you!