What age should a person be allowed to get a piercing (other than in the ears)?

I don't like the options. They should be sorted it another day.

It depends on so many things besides age. One being the law about piercings where you live. In Oregon you can't get a Prince Albert unless you are 18 and over. This law applies to piercings that involve the clitoris or labia as well. Those wanting their tongues pierced who are under 16 must get parental permission. There is no age limit on ear piercings (I've seen babies with pierced ears). It also depends on who is doing the piercing. There is a huge difference between a reputable piercing parlor and have one's friend use a sewing needle and an ice cube! A reputable piercing parlor uses disposable needles and sterile techniques and has properly trained staff. There are piercing parlors out there that give a piercer a bit of training and then put them to work. That's not the kind of place you would want to to go to. It also depends on the maturity of the person getting the piercing. You have to keep the site clean so you won't get an infection and some people just don't have the maturity to understand how important this is. As to the age groups you have, I take exception (as I mentioned a couple of times in qualification) that having an age grouping for 18 years and above is unnecessary. A person is considered legally an adult at 18 and it would no longer be a question of "allowing" your niece to get a piercing. She could get one even if her mother and you disapprove at that age so I'm at a loss to understand why you included an 18 and over age group.

Depends on the parents.

As I kind of hinted at in Qualifying, I don't really believe there is ANY age at which someone should be 'allowed' to get an eyebrow piercing. Well up until the point that the child has turned thirty, it's still the responsibility of the parents to reprimand them for making poor decisions.

As far as the navel piercing, I'd go on with what I said in Qual.

If you are comfortable with the thought of your daughter having sex, let her get a navel piercing. If you aren't, don't. It's a sexual advertisment which serves little other purpose. Personally, I'd do everything within my power to prevent my child from getting the eyebrow piercing, regardless of their age. As far as the navel piercing, I'd probably become more comfortable with the idea around the time my daughter turned 18, or if she were 16/17 and in a long term relationship with 1 boy that looked like it were going to last a while. Certainly at 14 or 15 I'd simply stop her from doing it.

I mean, generally, the same rule applies as applies any time that your kids are doing something stupid. If you are SURE that you are right (and you aren't just enforcing on them your world view), it's obviously ideal to stop them from doing something, assuming you can. No matter how old they are.

However, another important question arises, and that is, 'At what age am I still going to be able to easily enforce my rules upon the child?'

If the child is 17, in modern society, there is a fairly good chance that they are going to do whatever they want, and fight an extremely valiant fight on even a small issue. However, a skilled and crafty parent would be able to enforce certain rules by simple revocation of privelages. They could be very calm and relaxed, mild mannered, yet consistent in the application of these consequences, and conflict would be minimized while still achieving the desired result.

As long as you feel like you can easily prevent your child from doing something particularly stupid, you should do so. However, the difficult questions of parenting come when the child is old enough to really be fairly powerful and capable of making their own decisions... they become more autonomous and it's more difficult to get them to do what you want (or know is best for them).

There is also the 'home stretch' effect, which is that if the child is 10, you need to fight the good fight on issues like this, no matter how hard, because if you lose ground here there will be much harm to come from the child's autonomy and independence in the following years. There are another 8 years over which your inabillity to control this child will be negatively affecting you both. That's what you are fighting for with the 10 year old... the outcome of the next 8 years.

However, if the child is 17, it's easy to see that they are soon going to be in a position of extremely enhanced power, and therefor, it might be in your best interest to concede defeat on issues here, simply to avoid conflict.

The difference between children and adults is that the 16 year old, doesn't realize that he's only fighting for another 2 years worth of freedom, and the 10 year old doesn't realize that he's fighting for another 8! As the adult you are capable of making these complex decisions about social-tactics and the best ways to enforce what you want onto the child.

18

I think fifteen. I'm 15 myself and say so because so many of my friends have gotten piercings recently and not so recently and practically all of them regret it.

whatever age the person and their parent agree on... the person should be able to do whatever they want with their body. Up until they're 18 their parents get a say, too.

55

14 or 15.

A CHILD of 17??
We don't have children of 17 here! Just young men and women.

18

16 sticks out in my mind as a good number. Of course, I didn't get any of my piercings until college.

I don't believe that any piercings (including ears) or other forms of body mutilation (such as circumcision) should be permitted until the person in question is legally an adult, even for religious reasons. In most western countries that would be 18.

You dont want my opinion, I am more strict when it comes to stuff like that. It's up to each parent, I guess, but yes I think that's too young.

I think the age they have here is appropriate, 16 and over.

Against their parents wishes? 18. If you can drink and vote you can get a friggin' pierced bewb.

18

(Giggles). You know what I meant.

Any age they bloody well please...tattoos as well....

It depends on what the person wants pierced, their age and level of maturity, what their parents think, etc.

Whenever. It depends on the parents, until the kid is old enough to get it done themselves. I think parents should allow their kids to do it though, so they can make sure it is done safely.

16 for navel, it's not seen all the time.
18 for any other piercing that is visible at all times, at 18 you're legally enabled to do it without permission anyway.

I'm not a parent, but my brother is, and I tend to agree with his position on this issue. He believes that a parent should NEVER approve of this sort of thing. The child should go out and do it with their friends as an act of rebellion. If the parent approves, the child with find some more extreme way of rebeling...perhaps a tattoo...or some unnecessary surgery...How far do you want them to go?

Amusingly (well to me now anyway) my Mum was a pretty rebellious person herself. My Mum and Dad used to be bikers.
When I hit teenage I announced that I would like to be a Priest. She hit the floor and begged me not to be silly, then got angry, then made demands and then said "Oh, just do what makes you happy". I changed my mind. (thankfully)

18 or whenever their parents think they should have it. Personally, I think some of this stuff would be inappropriate before the early teens (I would put it in the same category as makeup and sexy clothing etc), but if you want to let your daughter look like a slut at age 11, I suppose it's your right.

Funny, I've seen a lot of 18-year-olds acting like children. Actually, there's an interesting question about when children become adults, exactly. I think in the past (in America and Europe) the age of majority was much higher, like 21, and in fact I've heard that sexual maturity may have occurred significantly later as well. Today, of course sexual maturity happens at 11, or 8, or 4 if you live near a chemical plant, so the trend is clearly moving towards younger "adults".

12 you start to think like an adult,but still don't have experience so you need guidance.
18 you're legally adult.
About 20 or so you're adult through and through.
That's how worked for me,sure some people need more time or don't grow up at all.

There are phases...8-12-19-27 I guess...I have a major crisis when a change occurs.From childhood to pre-puberty,then pre-puberty to adolescence and on and on,so I can easily spot the milestones for me.I guess EVERYBODY has a major crisis when they go from a period to the other.

Maybe you just wanted to state that you didn't want a wife.

My parents disapproved of very few things,and yet I never felt the urge to rebel.When there was the possibility of doing something mom and dad didn't want I didn't,because I felt I had to respect their decision because they were so liberal with me-like I had a debt with them.
I remember 2 or 3 things I hadn't to do,like trying to read De Sade at 6 or so,and stay out all night before 18,and/or don't phone up to say where I was.That's about all.The other things they didn't need to say,I knew from their own behaviour what was appropriate and what wasn't.

Mandy's daughter started going to church!

You must be a ray of sparkling sunshine!

At least 16, but only if the parents approve. If the parents don't approve, it should be 18. That's the law here, under 18 have to have parental signature.

Not really

I'm not a piercing fan...thinking of my own daughter, I'd say 18...once she's off at college...my step-daughter had her navel pierced at 16.

hhhmmm, somewhere in the 17 and up range, depending on their maturity.

Oh come on admit it...Don't be shy!

She quit! All by herself!!!!
They had the nerve to tell her Christianity is the only true religion on earth and that everyone who isn't a Christian is going to hell
She decided that was a bit extreme and never went back.

See how life's little crises sort themselves out!

I have learned to let go and let....Mallory

Ugh! If you ask me it's disgusting to get your body pierced anywhere but your ears. I say after your parents are dead, so that they don't get disappointed with you. Gross!

16. If you're old enough to drive, you should be old enough to decide if you want to put a hole in your body. They come out, people. It's not like a tattoo, which is permanent. That should wait until one is at least 18.

Yeah, but when you get pierced anywhere but your ears, there's a pretty good chance of infection!

It would depend what age they want it. 14? Too young. I reckon, once you leave school.

You should have to be at least 18 period. That is the age of majority and when you should be old enough to make a mature decision

Not until they are 18 or over.