Those Mnetters who have no problems with very small children having ears pierced.....

[Blandmum]

.....how would you feel about them having nn eyebrow or nose done or a belly button, or even a tattoo?

you dont seriously think anyone whos baby dd/ds has their ears pierced is going to post' oh id love my baby to have a tattoo, so much better than earrings, much easier aftercare too' do you?

got to admit though, wish i hadnt got my dds bellybutton pierced at 6 weeks, can be a bastard to do a nappy up over it

I'll have you know, my ds looks rather fetching with 666 tottoed on his forehead.

No, but I am interested to why people draw the lines that they do, and find it odd that others draw the lines in different places.

If it is OK to have a babies ears done, why isn't it OK to have their nose done, or an eyebrow? Presumably both would later heal over if the child didn't want it in later life.

Don't you think that this is interesting, that people are OK with somethings, but aghast at others which are similar in everything but position of the piercing?

awww, it doesnt take attention away from his eyebrow piercings though does it?

I think that the same applies with adults and piercings - that pierced nose/eyebrows have connotations of rebel/non-conformist in a way that pierced ears don't

One of the intersting aspects to this topic, don't you think?

i honestly dont know why earrings are seen as ok, while a baby with other piercings or tattoos are obviously not?

maybe its because there are age limits on other piercings, and not on ear lobe piercings?

Niether do I, which is why I asked for people's views, I'm not taking the piss, but I am interested as to why people draw the 'lines' that they do.

Why is it OK to do ears but not a nose, for instance?

I wonder why that is so? The age thing, I mean

erm, iv never thought about it to be honest, maybe its because there are more risks/scarring with facial piercings?

Or even, why is it OK for babies to have their ears pierced, but I have never seen a baby or toddler in make up....and that has no lasting effects on the child at all.

'Cultural' pressures I expect. But it is a strange area for sure

Maybe it is because alot of other body piercings are done in dirty backstreet shops.

I obviously mean, some of them are dirty backstreet shops, not all of them.

i think theres more chance of ear lobes being pierced in dirty backstreet shops than other sorts of piercings, with these the piercer has to have a proper licence and hygiene certificates, anyone can buy a gun and do earlobes.

I'd never consent to my DD's having themselves pierced by gun, it causes far more tissue damage and leads to far longer healing times than piercing by needle by a professional and experienced piercer.

I wouldn't encourage (allow!lol) my DD's to have any piercings before 16.

I'll never encourage them to have tattoos. Holes heal!

mb - look at the thread about clit piercing: most people are of the 'eeeeuw' pov to all sorts of piercings mentioned on that thread. And yet probably most of thise have their ears pierced. Ears pierced is considered a routine thing in porder to apply earrings. I think other piercings, including belly button, nose, etc, are actually about a deliv=berate attempt to create a subversive culture, to act in response ot reatliation to the norms of mainstream society, etc. the slight shock value is the whole - or at least half, the point!

In India, women with nose-rings is as normal as earrings are here - earings are within mainstream cultural norms, belly buttons etc, are not.

(DS ears are not pierced, btw!)

I think that the 'clit' comments might also be driven by the vast difference in sensitivity between that part of the anatomy and the average ear lobe

While I was sanguine about the sting when I had my ears done at 16, I wouldn't let anyone near a more sensitive bit of me

don't Asian babies have their noses done?

mb, it didn't hurt, was frozen, felt nothing! Ears were more blummin' eye watering

Nvere seen a n Indian babe with it done, have seen Indian teenagers obv.

I'm just interested that we do seem to have faily instant views on some piercings, but not others!

Yes, the clit comments are obviously a bit influenced by the pain factor. And presumably cllit piercings are about achieving sexual pleasure, and no-one in their right mind would consider such a piercing for a child. But I think belly button, nose, and eyebrow fall into the sub-culture category, despite a ubiquitous fashion-craze.

No, I haven't seen Indian babies with nose piercings, but it is as 'ordinary' for grannies and housewives etc, in a way that it isn't in white British culture.

IME, most piercings are less about fashion and more usually for very personal reasons. FWIW, mine was nothing to do with sexual pleasure.

OTOH, ears do seem to be more of a fashion issue. Maybe it's because of this that other piercings are viewed differently? The first time I had my ears done, it was because everyone else did. Other piercings have had absolutely nothing to do with subculture/fashion, etc. I don't even know anyone else with piercings!