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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To let DD get her eyebrow pierced for her 15th birthday?

137 replies

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:44

DD is insistent that this is the only present she wants. My local piercer won't do it until she's 16 but she's found another in town that will do it as long as we both take ID. She says she knows the risks that it could grow out or get ripped out but I don't really think that she believes anything bad could happen. What are peoples experiences? I don't really like piercings (I don't even have my ears pierced) but I am bringing her up that it is her body, her choice, so torn on what to do? In case it makes any difference she is a great kid who is trustworthy and doing well at school. None of her friends have any piercings other than ears.

OP posts:
Tara336 · 05/02/2025 12:53

DD had one now has a horrible keloid scar to show for it

Parker231 · 05/02/2025 12:55

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:50

The school are fine with it as far as I know. I have seen several kids with facial piercings around when I've been there for events.

My answer would be 100% no and DT’s school didn’t allow it. At most they were allowed single ear piercings and only stud earrings for the school day.

Leolion09 · 05/02/2025 12:55

I had mine done two different times at 16, both grew out and left quite a bad scar and im 37 now, also didnt help that I kept catching it when I was washing/brushing my hair

Glittertwins · 05/02/2025 12:56

No and I wouldn't be going anywhere near a piercer that is happy to take fake id either. What other corners are they cutting?

BarbedButterfly · 05/02/2025 12:56

I would be fine. It is a piercing and school seem OK with it. But then I don't think piercings and tattoos are chavvy like some. It is self expression

48wheaties · 05/02/2025 12:57

My dd wants a belly button piercing for her 16th birthday.

It's a flat no from me. No further discussion required.

Wanderdust · 05/02/2025 12:58

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:55

Does anyone has experience of it going wrong? (Maybe I can put her off with some horror stories 😂)

Not eyebrow but belly button. My mum let me get mine done for my 16th - I went to a reputable place and looked after it. I was an A grade student, mum mum trusted me and I didn't grow up to be a prostitute/deviant/hells angel :) I would say, make sure she goes to a proper tattoo/piercing place - their standards are so much higher than, for example, bloody Claires Accessories!

Gently, I think you've made up your mind - don't let anybody make you feel you're a, bad parent for letting her get it done. It'll be fine!

magicstar1 · 05/02/2025 12:59

My parents were never into piercings / tattoos etc. but when I was 15 I wanted my eyebrow pierced. My mother came with me and even paid for it. I had it for years until I got an office job and needed to remove it.

I'd say to go and get it done with her. If she's going to get it done in a few months anyway, then you could find a good place and make sure it's done right. She will appreciate it.

Fargo79 · 05/02/2025 12:59

"Her body her choice" doesn't mean there are no rules. Your job is still to protect her while she is a child. Eyebrow piercings frequently leave awful scars and are easily ripped out accidentally. You are her mum. You can just say "no" and state your reasons. Hopefully she'll be more sensible by the time she's an adult, but if not then she can say "my body my choice" and do as she pleases.

ICanTellYouMissMe · 05/02/2025 12:59

Oh sure, why not? It's just a piercing!

It might come out over time but so what 🤷‍♀️

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 05/02/2025 13:06

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 05/02/2025 11:35

No, I would refuse consent until she is 18 when hopefully she will have grown up a bit.

She can get it done without your consent at 16
Bodily autonomy in that sense kicks in then

Notmanyleftnow · 05/02/2025 13:09

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:55

Does anyone has experience of it going wrong? (Maybe I can put her off with some horror stories 😂)

Mine went wrong. To start with the piercer hid a minor blood vessel and it all puffed up. I almost passed out on the pavement outside.
Despite my religiously following hygiene routine, it became infected and I was advised the best solution was to have it removed.
I was lucky it didn't scar.

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 05/02/2025 13:10

48wheaties · 05/02/2025 12:57

My dd wants a belly button piercing for her 16th birthday.

It's a flat no from me. No further discussion required.

Guess what?
She can get it done anyway at 16 without your consent

dovetail22uk · 05/02/2025 13:25

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:44

DD is insistent that this is the only present she wants. My local piercer won't do it until she's 16 but she's found another in town that will do it as long as we both take ID. She says she knows the risks that it could grow out or get ripped out but I don't really think that she believes anything bad could happen. What are peoples experiences? I don't really like piercings (I don't even have my ears pierced) but I am bringing her up that it is her body, her choice, so torn on what to do? In case it makes any difference she is a great kid who is trustworthy and doing well at school. None of her friends have any piercings other than ears.

I would and I have. My daughter had her septum done at 13, eyebrow done at 14 and snakebites done at 15. She's very responsible about keeping them clean etc. She attends an independent specialist school (she's autistic) and they don't mind. It is an expression of themselves and it's her face so I'm good with it. Looks pretty good and she's happy :)

Truth25 · 05/02/2025 13:30

It's tacky and I don't know when last I saw anyone have this. Honestly op, I would say no and tell her it's just looks cheap and tacky .

SaltyPig · 05/02/2025 13:30

She wouldn't be doing it with my permission at 15 or 16.
DD wanted her septum pierced. She is slightly different in that her cardiologist said no tattoos or piercings ever.
DD said it was 18 to get that done. Even so I still said no, but that at 18 it would be her decision. She first asked at 15. I'm her DM. She doesn't have to like my decisions but it was for her own good. By 18 she wasn't bothered.

hummingbird12 · 05/02/2025 13:32

Nothing on her face no. I think she will regret it and it looks a bit awful anyway.

Belly button maybe at 15 but definitely not her face

Caerulea · 05/02/2025 13:36

Hard no from me. I say this as someone with a significant amount of skin covered in a couple of very large tattoos. Also I love the look of face piercings but don't have any.

DS was desperate for his ears to be pierced from about 11 & I said he could do it at 15 with no negotiations. It's a permanent change to the body, no matter where it is, but at least ears heal easily. Anything other than that would be 18. He wants other ear piercings but hasn't nagged cos he knows he needs to wait, not least because of school disallowing them so it would interrupt healing.

Were it up to me I'd have the age limit set to 18 for all of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

48wheaties · 05/02/2025 13:38

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 05/02/2025 13:10

Guess what?
She can get it done anyway at 16 without your consent

I didn't know this. I won't tell her haha!!

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 05/02/2025 13:42

No. Part of parenting is to say no, not legal abd she's not old enough to make this decision.

CienAnosDeSoledad · 05/02/2025 13:42

SaltyPig · 05/02/2025 13:30

She wouldn't be doing it with my permission at 15 or 16.
DD wanted her septum pierced. She is slightly different in that her cardiologist said no tattoos or piercings ever.
DD said it was 18 to get that done. Even so I still said no, but that at 18 it would be her decision. She first asked at 15. I'm her DM. She doesn't have to like my decisions but it was for her own good. By 18 she wasn't bothered.

She doesn't need your permission starting from 16.

Anyway, OP, it's a yes from me. Don't see a big deal, had all sorts of piercings myself, took some out, still wear the others. No one died.

Plus it definitely helps filtering out the pearl clutching, frumpy, stuck in the 50s, self-righteous 'cheap and tacky' brigade and that's a massive plus in my book. Why would anyone want to be associated with them.

Tagyoureit · 05/02/2025 13:48

Absolutely not, and I wouldn't trust any place that allows it!!

GreenSeaGlass · 05/02/2025 13:48

I’ve had loads of piercings including my eyebrow as a teen. It grew out and now 30 years later I still have an ugly scar and the hair on my eyebrows doesn’t grow on that area.

LoafofSellotape · 05/02/2025 13:50

Sparrow7 · 05/02/2025 10:55

Does anyone has experience of it going wrong? (Maybe I can put her off with some horror stories 😂)

I thought one of the risks was that it can make your eyebrows drop slightly which can look odd?

ICanTellYouMissMe · 05/02/2025 13:52

Truth25 · 05/02/2025 13:30

It's tacky and I don't know when last I saw anyone have this. Honestly op, I would say no and tell her it's just looks cheap and tacky .

Yeah but opinions and tastes are...y'know, subjective. I've got piercings and tattoos and my teenage daughter has three piercings in each ear and her nose. And we both love how we look.