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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Body Piercing for Teens

20 replies

HondaDream · 13/04/2004 20:46

I am currently researching for a magazine article on body piercing but in relation to teenagers (and even younger). Is it good or bad? (My kids are still under 6.) What is an acceptable age and what is acceptable? Although I can imagine some can be hidden(Belly button and boobs.) Have any of you experienced kids with infections resulting from bad piercings? Your thoughts and experiences appreciated.Thanks

OP posts:
Carriel · 14/04/2004 16:47

You need to post this on our media and non members section. there is charge of £25 but we're more than happy to give you a receipt.
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wickedstepmum · 14/04/2004 19:53

Middle stepd has a nose piercing. I hate it. Though not infected it seems always a bit pink and sore. Youngest stepd wants pierced ears. i've said for her 14th next year but I fear she wants the cartilege at the top pierced. yuck.

sizzler · 24/05/2004 20:37

its only her ears she wants pierced its not the end of the world. let her have them done but put your foot down when it comes facial or other parts of the body pieced

CP3 · 28/06/2004 20:19

My 16 year old DD had her tongue pierced yesterday and boy is she suffering today. The house is so peaceful as she cant talk properley. Bless. I have said no for about a year but gave in now as i would hate for her to do it behind my back which helps build a trustful relatinship between us at this difficult age.

lou33 · 28/06/2004 21:19

Lol cp3 @ peaceful house! When will she be talking again?

Tortington · 29/06/2004 15:57

i think it looks cheap to have your belly button and tongue done. wouldn't allow my daughter or sons to do it. when they leave home they can do what they like

tallulah · 30/06/2004 00:03

I hate it. My niece has a stud between her chin & mouth & it looks horrible. Luckily DD was at a really strict school until 16 that said NO to any piercings. She was muttering about facial piercings recently but when I mentioned they might restrict what acting parts she can do later (she's hoping to study drama at uni this year) she thought again.

(Yes I know they close up, but I'd rather she just didn't do it in the first place!)

CP3 · 30/06/2004 00:12

Dd is starting to talk again thanx lou.

My DD is a very girly girl and has her belly done to. She doesnt look cheap, infact it suits her. Her piercings actually compliment her lovely clothes that she wears.

Teenagers will do what they want and id rather be supportive and point out the risks then her go behind my back and do it.

jules27 · 06/11/2006 11:01

My beautiful 16year old daughter has just had her nose pierced. We talked about it last week ,well i said she shouldnt have it done and she said she wouldnt only to come home yesterday with the bloody thing shinning back at me. I WAS SHOCKED AND VERY CROSS, MORE BECAUSE SHE WENT BEHIND MY BACK . We did talk about it onced i'd stopped shouting and although i still dont like it i have to respect that its her body and she is now legal to do with it what she likes.I hope she will take it out as it really ruins her beautiful face, but she doesnt see it that way . Its so hard being a parent of a teenager.

twelveyeargap · 06/11/2006 11:16

I had my nose pierced when I was about 14. No problems with it. My mum always wanted one when she was young so couldn't really say anything. Only took out my bellybutton (which i had done around age 20) as am now pregnant. Have a tongue piercing which I got around age 19. Had eyebrow done at around 19 as well, but took it out after a couple of weeks. Had loads of ear piercings at one point.

It's mainly a phase for teenagers I think. After I'd gone through the 'phase', I took out the ones that looked cheap and nasty (like the multiple ear piercings) and kept the tongue (as it's mainly hidden and I miss it when it's out). Kept belly button until pregnancy was pushing it out.

My daughter is 11 and has seen me with various piercings. She won't be allowed to break school rules, but so long as she brings me to check out any piercing place; I would be a hypocrite not to allow her to do the same I did.

Mell2 · 06/11/2006 11:23

Oh Jules - haven't had any body piercing requests yet (dd14) but understand exactly how you feel. And yes, hard being a parent of a teenager

theUrbanDryad · 06/11/2006 12:29

i think piercings are pretty much "whatever" to be honest. so long as they don't break school rules and take them out for PE or whatever.

wait till they start to want tattoos or scarring. then you start to worry!

skippydog · 06/11/2006 14:57

No way would I allow it - I have 4 ds's who at various times wanted an ear pierced - when they are 16 they can decide and pay for it - not on my money.
I think in very young children it amounts to abuse - what does it matter to a baby if they are pierced - it is to make the parents feel good

jules27 · 07/11/2006 09:53

we spent last night talking about it and i managed to upset her because, i said it looked horrible and that it ruined her beautiful face. I didnt want to lie ,as she knew before she had it done i didnt like them(skipdog, i said no , but she went ahead anyway , she works part time and is at college so her choice and her money)I think some of it is to get a reaction and in that sence i blew it, should have been laid back about it . She is really testing the bounderies now ,she sat there(hair wrapped in a towel) last nite after washing her hair and when i asked what was she planning next so i would not be so shocked , she replied "might have already done something else" i had visions of her naturally blonde hair turned black . She then laughed and threw her towel off saying " fooled you " still blonde. aaarg.

theUrbanDryad · 07/11/2006 16:31

jules - at least she has a well-developed sense of {ahem} humour!

my mum always said i couldn't have my ears pierced till i was 16, then relented and let me have them for a 15th birthday present. i'm now 24. in that time i've had all my ears pierced (and i MEAN all of them) my nose pierced, three tattoos...what i'm trying to say is that by being too strict you can drive them the other way.

totally agree with skippydog though - i absolutely loathe seeing babies with ear piercings.

mooshy · 07/11/2006 23:14

DD insisted on coming with me when i had a mad urge to have belly button pierced.Needless to say she is now 14 and refuses point blank to even think about earings ! It totally put her off . I mean this really did work [smile ]

jules27 · 08/11/2006 10:58

oh god mooshy i'd better not go and have a belly ring in hope that it might put her off. She would think i'd become cool and trendy and , probably do it to say ,good enough for mum good enough for me.Its so difficult with teenagers ,just when you think you sorted it they change the goal posts. I,ve tried to listen to what she wants now she is getting older and try to step back ,ie stop texting me all the time,to make sure i,m ok , you dont need to sort my taxi home mum i can sort it.But then when i dont do it i get , "why didnt you text me? we are not going now ,as we cant find a taxi that will bring us home trying to make me feel guilty..AAAAGGGGG, cant win . But will keep trying ..

motherofsix · 20/11/2006 13:32

my dd had her ears pierced when she was 6 i now think this was too young and wont let 2dd have it done she is 6 the reason is this she would wear these big hoops and one day she was messing with her brother and it got pulled a few days later it split, it didnt hurt her but now she needs to have it sewn up. for her 16th i let her get her belly button pierced i think she needed to be more responsible to have one.

motherofsix · 20/11/2006 13:32

my dd had her ears pierced when she was 6 i now think this was too young and wont let 2dd have it done she is 6 the reason is this she would wear these big hoops and one day she was messing with her brother and it got pulled a few days later it split, it didnt hurt her but now she needs to have it sewn up. for her 16th i let her get her belly button pierced i think she needed to be more responsible to have one.

winnie · 21/11/2006 10:05

my dd had her ears pierced at 10, belly button pierced at 15 (with my consent & very strict rules about hygiene etc). She kept badgering to have her tongue pierced and because of people I know having all kind of problems with tongue piercings I said no. At 16 dd asked me again. We discussed it, I gave her my opinion but in the end it was her choice and she had it done. She has looked after it though and I think it even looks nice on her. So far no infections or problems.

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