What is your Body Piercing Policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One hole in each ear until 18. Not budging on that

Me too. And no tats.

Once they are 18, they are responsible, and if they want to work for money to spend on piercings and tats they may regret before they are 25, they can do so with no penalities from us.

[Anonymous]

As long as it is not in a place that can cause permanent damage to teeth, piercing is fine with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is not in a place that can cause permanent damage to teeth, piercing is fine with me.

Read that tongue piercing can damage teeth (not sure why).

But wouldn’t those lip piercings also put teeth at risk?

[Anonymous]

Their body, their choice for anything non-permanent — that includes piercings in my book. Having said that, I would discourage oral piercings to protect teeth and eyebrow piercings because I just don’t like them. I wouldn’t fuss over a nose piercing and anything on the ear is fair game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Our policy is no piercings or tattoos until 21. Not even ears.

+1. Same. Takes the discussion and begging off the able. When they are of legal age and sound mind, they can make holes in themselves.

How do you enforce that? You can’t stop an 18 year old from getting a piercing or tattoo.

You threaten to stop paying their college tuition.

Honestly, it’s all about family rules and expectations.

This is what I started the other thread about. I'm with you on having rules and expectations. But sometimes kids break those rules and fail to meet those expectations. Your kid comes home for winter break with a nose stud. Do you really stop paying tuition?

You make it clear from the beginning so they don’t even think it’s an option to come home with one.

Sincerely, I hope this works for you. And that you’re consistency also results in an adult who makes good decisions for themselves. I mean it.
I also hope you understand that it doesn’t always work and that you have compassion and not judgment for parents dealing with that.

I cannot even imagine the pathology behind exerting that level of control over my adult child's BODILY decisions because I pay tuition. And in the name of "family expectations." Some people just cannot let go of their power trips, I guess. When my kid is 18 or 20 (he is 17 now), I expect to be living my own life and sowing my own early 50s oats, not policing and over parenting a freaking adult.

“Level of control / adult?” - I am an adult. And a parent. The tuition money is mine, not my child’s.

My money, my choice.

[Anonymous]

Generally, with my kids it's always been, your body, your choice. HOWEVER, while they are a minor I'm responsible for their body and I'm not allowing things that interfere with health and safety. So shave your head if you want. If you are responsible I'll let you pierce your ears. Body piercing, no. When you're 18 you can do what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is not in a place that can cause permanent damage to teeth, piercing is fine with me.

Read that tongue piercing can damage teeth (not sure why).

But wouldn’t those lip piercings also put teeth at risk?

NP. Yes they do. My mom signed for a tongue piercing when I was a 17 year old freshman in college, and at the time I thought it was better than a facial piercing that could leave a hole scar, but in hindsight I damaged my teeth not insignificantly. I had a lot of piercings as an alternative young adult and they all came out when I was ready and now nobody can tell. My sister is 8 years younger than me and I stressed strongly when she was a teen that piercings are a great way to embrace body modification (and fun hair colors and styles of course) without a lifelong commitment. I told her about my many friends that have huge tattoos from their late teens and early 20's that regret them by their late 20's, and told her to wait until at least age 25 before getting a tattoo. If she still wanted it then, then she probably wouldn't end up regretting it. That was good advice then and what I'll tell my elementary aged kids when they get older. If they're a mature 16 year old and want a body piercing, I'd rather sign for that then them go for the tattoo when they turn 18. I think it will help that I have some serious cred too - my FIL/their grandfather likes to talk about how shocked he was when my now DH first brought me home and I walked into their living room all pierced with some brightly colored pixie haircut.

[Anonymous]

So much pressure on social media for teens to get tats and piercings
Prefer nothing but pierced ear lobes until 18
Unlikely to hold off after 16 as Teen so excited about this but policy is No piercings in places that often become infected or cause health problems
Many discussions about how tats and piercings are often regretted later on and can interfere with getting and keeping work in companies where more
Conservative ImAge is required. If DD must do it Later, better for tats to be in places that can be hidden easily and better for piercings to pose no health risks even if hidden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is not in a place that can cause permanent damage to teeth, piercing is fine with me.

Read that tongue piercing can damage teeth (not sure why).

But wouldn’t those lip piercings also put teeth at risk?

NP. Yes they do. My mom signed for a tongue piercing when I was a 17 year old freshman in college, and at the time I thought it was better than a facial piercing that could leave a hole scar, but in hindsight I damaged my teeth not insignificantly. I had a lot of piercings as an alternative young adult and they all came out when I was ready and now nobody can tell. My sister is 8 years younger than me and I stressed strongly when she was a teen that piercings are a great way to embrace body modification (and fun hair colors and styles of course) without a lifelong commitment. I told her about my many friends that have huge tattoos from their late teens and early 20's that regret them by their late 20's, and told her to wait until at least age 25 before getting a tattoo. If she still wanted it then, then she probably wouldn't end up regretting it. That was good advice then and what I'll tell my elementary aged kids when they get older. If they're a mature 16 year old and want a body piercing, I'd rather sign for that then them go for the tattoo when they turn 18. I think it will help that I have some serious cred too - my FIL/their grandfather likes to talk about how shocked he was when my now DH first brought me home and I walked into their living room all pierced with some brightly colored pixie haircut.

Your younger sister is lucky to have your tat guidance as many teens do not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as it is not in a place that can cause permanent damage to teeth, piercing is fine with me.

Read that tongue piercing can damage teeth (not sure why).

But wouldn’t those lip piercings also put teeth at risk?

NP. Yes they do. My mom signed for a tongue piercing when I was a 17 year old freshman in college, and at the time I thought it was better than a facial piercing that could leave a hole scar, but in hindsight I damaged my teeth not insignificantly. I had a lot of piercings as an alternative young adult and they all came out when I was ready and now nobody can tell. My sister is 8 years younger than me and I stressed strongly when she was a teen that piercings are a great way to embrace body modification (and fun hair colors and styles of course) without a lifelong commitment. I told her about my many friends that have huge tattoos from their late teens and early 20's that regret them by their late 20's, and told her to wait until at least age 25 before getting a tattoo. If she still wanted it then, then she probably wouldn't end up regretting it. That was good advice then and what I'll tell my elementary aged kids when they get older. If they're a mature 16 year old and want a body piercing, I'd rather sign for that then them go for the tattoo when they turn 18. I think it will help that I have some serious cred too - my FIL/their grandfather likes to talk about how shocked he was when my now DH first brought me home and I walked into their living room all pierced with some brightly colored pixie haircut.

Generally agree.

On just how “permanent”

- someone up thread mentioned a navel piercing closing up that she described as terrible looking, and ear piercings that left permanent holes. I had 4 holes in my ears but none of the piercings are visible now. But I know not everyone scars / heals the same. I’m fair skinned; a former partner was brown skinned and her lobe piercing scars were much more noticeable than mine.

There are tattoo removal methods; I am not up to date on the latest but in the past, the removal (laser) usually left noticeable scarring on the people I met who’d had it done.

There is also the cost of first the tattoo and later the removal. Just something for parents to consider.