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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think body piercings on a child are wrong

75 replies

Cantsleep · 31/10/2013 21:00

This will out me if any of dh's family are on here but I am so shocked.

Dh's niece is just 12 and a half. She had her ears pierced as a baby then got more holes in ears a few years later. 3 months ago she got her belly button pierced and now has her 'sides' pierced I think this is either side by hips but I'd never heard of it before.

AIBU to be so shocked by this? It seems so wrong. I honestly thought you had to be 16 or over for that sort of piercing? She seems so young to be doing this.

I'm not anti piercing, my dd who is 12 just had her ears pierced a few weeks ago after begging for months but body piercings seem wrong for children.

OP posts:
CoffeeTea103 · 31/10/2013 21:02

IMO ears are fine, but body piercings at 12 are just wrong. Yanbu

KirjavaTheCorpse · 31/10/2013 21:03

It does seem very young for surface piercings, which is what I'm assuming the 'side' piercing is? I thought there were age restrictions for those Confused

livinginwonderland · 31/10/2013 21:03

Most places will pierce you if you have parental consent. There are no legal age restrictions on any piercings except genitals/nipples (you have to be 18 for those).

I agree 12 is a bit young, but if her parents are okay with it, it's not really anyone else's business. I had to wait until 18 for all my piercings (except lobes) and I have 11 now.

GhostsInSnow · 31/10/2013 21:04

Who the hell is piercing a 12 year old? I have piercing, facial and otherwise and I'm not at all anti piercing simply because they are easily removed, however piercing a child is just not on at all and frankly the shop needs reporting.

Thecircle · 31/10/2013 21:04

Jesus Christ. 12 years old? Is that legal!?

Littlefish · 31/10/2013 21:04

This must mean that one of her parents went with her for the body piercings, as far as I know. I think it is completely wrong.

Nanny0gg · 31/10/2013 21:05

Apparently:

Despite many piercing salons imposing their own age restrictions for body piercings, there is no legal age restriction for any kind of piercing in England and Wales, unlike in Scotland, where people under 16 are required to have a parent’s permission before having ears and other body parts pierced.

Which is wrong on so many levels.

GhostsInSnow · 31/10/2013 21:07

I'm amazed there are no restrictions. You can't walk through the door of the one I use unless you are over 16. Wow.

Original poster
Cantsleep · 31/10/2013 21:07

Maybe I'm wrong about age limit then I just assumed it was only over 16.

I know her df took her for the belly button one but no idea who took her for the sides. Maybe I'm old fashioned but it seems far too young for body piercing at 12. I was really surprised when dh told me.

OP posts:
livinginwonderland · 31/10/2013 21:10

It is NOT illegal to pierce a 12 year old. Maybe not moral, but the place she got it done is not breaking the law. There is NO age restriction on piercings except genitalia and nipples.

Most places will state that if you're under 16, you need parental permission, but this is not a legal requirement.

SheldonsMeeMaw · 31/10/2013 21:13

A girl in our street has got her belly button and her tongue pierced. At 12 Shock

I judged.

conkercon · 31/10/2013 21:14

I wish they would standardise it. My 17 year old son had his nose pierced, but the shop called me to ask for my permission which I thought was very decent of them.

Sirzy · 31/10/2013 21:14

You would have to question the type of place which would agree to do such piercings on such a young child (and why the family would allow it anyway!)

lizzzyyliveson · 31/10/2013 21:15

I expect the child's school would be very unhappy to hear about this. Can you take those piercings out for PE? I wonder what the legal liability is if one got ripped out.

DownstairsMixUp · 31/10/2013 21:17

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Banono · 31/10/2013 21:18

I am judging my ass off right now.
So wrong.

marriedinwhiteisback · 31/10/2013 21:22

Wrong. in. every. way.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 31/10/2013 21:28

. Young kids these days show too much sexual interest at a very young age society doesn't help, but parents are there for a reason it's ok to say no it's not being cruel. I mean why would a twelve year old get their tongue done or surface piercing I find it disturbing, I would be asking my child do you plan on flashing your hips to expose that piercing because I doubt you're getting it done to keep it under wraps. sadly it will be for attention particularly the male kind.

whodunnit · 31/10/2013 21:28

We weer just talking about this a few minutes ago as my dd's 12 yr old friend has just had here second nose piercing. I think it is crazy. My daughter thinks it is self harm.

Original poster
Cantsleep · 31/10/2013 21:33

Dd1 thinks her cousin is mad. She had been begging me for weeks to have her ears pierced but has had no end of trouble with them being a bit sore/ panicking over changing them/ taking out for pe etc.

Dd cannot believe someone would have their sides pierced she keeps saying "but why?? It must have been so scary"

OP posts:
misskatamari · 31/10/2013 21:36

Bloody hell - that is ridiculous!

I love piercings and have a fair few myself but no way should a child of 12 be having piercings like that. Surface piercings in particular are likely to get infected/grow out - and what about the fact that at 12 the girl will still have a lot of growing to do herself! So wrong!

OHforDUCKScake · 31/10/2013 21:37

Nothing wrong with piercings, had tonnes myself.

Ears at 12, no problem.

But allowing your child to pierce their sides or whatever, when they are 12 is realy strange on the parents part. To put it lightly.

StandingInLine · 31/10/2013 21:39

I'm not against piercings so much as I had piercings all over the place at that age - but surface piercings can leave horrible scars if not taken out before they start rejecting (which they will) and she'll regret them when she's older.
I think any piercing that can affect appearance like surface piercings ,tongue piercings (chipped teeth ,receding gums etc...) should maybe be left until they're over 16 as kids don't think they're that far ahead !!

feelingdizzy · 31/10/2013 21:52

I have a 12 year old dd and no way would I let her have these piercings.FIne if she chooses them as an adult,but 12 is still very much a child.

YouTheCat · 31/10/2013 22:01

No way. Never.

One of dd's friends had her nipples done when she was 16. As she's a gymnast I'd imagine it looks bloody silly under the leotard.

Dd had her nose pierced which looks really good but she's 18.