Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not let 16 year old get a tragus or helix piercing?

114 replies

EllC · 29/08/2019 17:25

DD is 16 and has been into 'alternative' music and style for the last year. Many of her friends have a lot of piercings. She has always had one lobe piercing in each ear, but last year I let her have her seconds done (still in the lobes). This was on the condition that she didn't get those (ghastly imo, sorry) ear stretchers, which she was also on about.

She now wants a tragus piercing on one ear and a helix piercing on the other. This is banned in her school, but apparently they won't care. (She is technically not allowed to have her seconds done, it is meant to be one piercing in each ear only, I didn't know this when I let her have it done, they've never seemed to complain tbh)
I don't like the idea myself, pain, risk of infection, and tbh I don't think anyone needs that many piercings, she already has 2 in each ear. She has a part time job so she could pay for it herself and has offered to.
I just don't want her to have it done but there's not a lot I can do to stop her is there?

OP posts:
Poltergeister · 30/08/2019 14:18

I had both done when I was 16. I have neither in now and couldn't even tell you where they were (no scars etc.).
Neither of them are particularly edgy if I'm honest. I'd let her.

IHaveBrilloHair · 30/08/2019 14:24

Dd has a stretched lobe, I'm not a fan but what exactly was I going to do to stop her?
It does actually really suit her anyway, and she's free to do what she wants with her own body.

Ohbehave1 · 30/08/2019 16:14

@moodyblues. I am sure he isn't evil. Nor am I. And I have a "ahem" few ....

myusernamewastakenbyme · 30/08/2019 16:50

My daughter has just turned 16 and went off on her own with her passport and got her tongue pierced....im not over keen but you cant see it unless she sticks her tongue out....i cannot preach as i have 7 piercings in one lobe and 6 in the other...

MorganKitten · 30/08/2019 17:37

Let her go for it, just at a proper tattoo and piercing studio

Original poster
EllC · 30/08/2019 17:50

Thanks everyone. I've said to DD this morning that she can have them both done, although I'd rather she has them one at a time and definitely not at claires (yes they do cartilage piercings!!!) I've helped her look online for reputable tattoo and piercing parlours and found one not too far from our house. She's going to get a friend to go with her next week. Although I have told her if school make her take it out, that's her loss really. I'm still not keen tbh but I do now recognise that I can't really say no anymore, she's nearly an adult.

OP posts:
BrightYellowDaffodil · 31/08/2019 00:42

Good on you, @OP :)

littleorangecat22 · 31/08/2019 00:54

Glad you've decided to let her have them.

I have 8 ear piercings, 5 of which I, and I would not ever advise this to anyone, did myself -- better to have her go to a reputable place than have her try that! Though I never had any negative effects from doing it, it could have gone very wrong.

FWIW I'm in a professional role and nobody has ever mentioned the piercings. In my experience it's not a big deal at all. I have three in each lobe, a helix, and a tragus and wear little diamond studs in all of them apart from the 'normal' lobe ones which I wear different dangly/hoopy things in every day.

Toastymash · 31/08/2019 01:23

Maybe she could do it during school holidays so it can heal up before she has to go back. That makes things easier to hide

ghostmouse · 31/08/2019 01:51

A cartilage piercing takes more than six weeks to heal properly. It isn't like a lobe piercing tbh

justheretostalk · 31/08/2019 04:49

I said no to a helix for my then 13yo. So she did it herself with a safety pin.

She now wants her nose pierced so I’ve said she can if she pays for it herself.

Pick your battles.

She’s not allowed any of these at school either but that’s her problem to deal with the consequences of her choices.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 31/08/2019 14:14

My DD made we go with her (so that I could drive her there and back and pay for it Wink )

I keep dithering about having my tragus and another lobe but I'm waiting till after a scan (not MRI but I don't know if I'll need to remove any metal) and I want to start with a pretty stud rather than plain titanium, so I need to go to London.

I don't think DD want any more piercings , she wants a tattoo (I have one on my shoulder) like mine but different site .
I will get her to think at length before the tattoo (she's too young still)

IHaveBrilloHair · 31/08/2019 16:16

Same with Dd and her first tongue piercing 70
The mad thing is, her BF absolutely hates piercings, kinda chose the wrong gf then didn't heGrin

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 31/08/2019 23:06

My DS (nearly 20) nagged for a piercing when he was 10yo (because his mates had them) , that was a "No"

Now he'd really suit one , he has a beautifully chiselled face , beard , lovely thick hair and at University .
"You'd reallly suit a tiny gold hoop DS . Like David Essex"

When are you having the tattoos Brillo ? Mine is on my shoulder , I completely forget its there (but I might have the colour retouched )

DD is thinking back or base of neck . Both can be hidden but they would bloody hurt (and she doesn't 'do' needles Wink )

DS- "Nah, I'll think about it" ( I don't think he'd have done this at 10, the school had quite strict rules )

New posts on this thread. Refresh page