age of consent for piercings

fallen_nemesis · 24th December 2007, 1:50pm

ok, I'm generally a pretty open minded sort when it comes to tattoos and piercings, it's your own body and all that jazz, but I'm going to tell you a little story all about something that horrified me today

On the bus on the way to pick up a parcel earlier a girl (who I reckoned couldn't have been more than 13 asked if my bridge hurt to get done0 I said not really, and she said, quite obviously sporting a new madonna piercing that she'd got it done yesterday. I asked what age she was and she said 10. Horrified I asked where she got it done and she replied in the Savoy centre.

Maybe it's just me, but I find it utterly fucking disgusting that somewhere would pierce children. She said she'd lied and pretended she was 12 (which is the age they ask for without a parent) and they did it no bother.

WTF? I'd be utterly raging if my wee sister who's the same age came home pierced.

it certainly makes me question what other piercings they'd do without really checking ID / on young people.

I know there's no set age really in the eyes of the law to get said piercings done, but it's made me have a wee think again about whether there should be.

Thoughts/opinions people

Puppy · 24th December 2007, 2:35pm

If its the Burning Monkey I'm really not surprised tbh. They used to be good but I went right off them when I was in last time, and the lassie in front of me was really unsure how much her peircing was going to hurt, she asked the piercer if I could go before her whilst she thought a wee bit more, the piercer said "No you either get it done now or get out the shop". WTF?

So already not impressed I made my way in and she asked me "Waht you in for?" I said "Nose piercing". She then started swabbing my right hand side. "I don't want it on my right hand side. I want it on my left" "Whatever"

At that point I stood up and said I was leaving.

Very unprofessional. Used to be good, but have went to shit. Generally known as "will pierce anyone for right amount of cash"

I'm Your God Now · 24th December 2007, 2:43pm

Some places are just shite. It's the same with tattoos, ye see 15 year olds cutting about with them. Can't do much about it tho, well apart from grassing the place into the trading standards folk, or whoever you go to.

High-Five!

Exit_W0unds · 24th December 2007, 6:57pm

Holly had her nose pierced when she was nine (by a burd in clydebank shopping halls who did my left nip, which got all infected, some time earlier) with my mum present. YES I KNOW, too young, it came out a month or even less after it was done.

Incidently I was passing by the same wee place a few weeks ago and decided to ask how much a plain labret would cost 'cos I was taking notions to start wearing mine again. When the lassie said fifteen quid I had to stop for a second......then ask if she meant that was the cost of a lip piercing. No. Fifteen quid for a labret, so I told her to bolt and walked off laughing.

Jen-Y · 26th December 2007, 9:34pm

I wasn't even allowed my EARLOBES pierced until i was about 12/13 nevermind belly button/nose/cartilage and even then i wasn't allowed them done anywhere scabby or somewherelike claires where you get pierced in the window. I think if i had a kid, i'd let her get her ears pierced when i thought she was responsible enough to look after them herself, and FUCK letting her get anything else pierced until she's 18. Its looks rough as fuck apart from anything else.

I remember one time i was sitting in GPS and a women came in with a pram. She was wanting to get her tiny babys(i mean a month or two old - tiny wee thing) ear pierced(yes it was a boy) and rachel said that she wouldn'tdo it because she didnt pierce babies. And the women start begging rachel to do it, saying she had her consent and stuff

Needless to say she got sent away the most disappointed women ever. I think piercing babies is mutilation. There no way that baby actually want a piece of metal jabbed through his ear AND IT LOOKS SHITE. sorry rant over, that made me feel sick that day though.

Jenpot · 26th December 2007, 9:37pm

I always get pyoor ragin' when I see younger people with piercings or tattoo's, I waited till I was 16/18 for mine so they should have to aswell. Fucksake.

Plus aye, it's er..wrong, and all that.

mr sexual · 26th December 2007, 9:38pm

did you get me her number?

Sazzarella · 26th December 2007, 9:42pm

My mum got my ears pierced when I was 9 months so I wouldnt remember the pain or something..... all well and good till piercing became something so widely cosmetic.

Witch · 26th December 2007, 9:44pm

i hate underage piercings and tattoos, my wee cousin got her belly button pierced at 15, needless to say it got infected, she asked for a tattoo from her mum and i went balistic shes not 18 till next year!!! at which time ill happilly pay for it and make sure she goes somewhere that isnt going to suck

Tacky · 26th December 2007, 11:02pm

Several years ago, i got a call from my Gran asking for my ID. When i asked why - very bewildered - she said my cousin Laura (who was in a rebellious phase, living away from her mum) wanted to get a tattoo. I more or less laughed, and then realised what my gran was doing and started having a subtle go at her, in total disbelief that she would allow her grand-daughter to do this!

I mean, she looks NOTHING like me! She has blonde hair and a small, rounded face. And is like 4/5 inches shorter than me! Beggars' belief. She's like 21 or something now, no idea if she ever did get a tattoo.

If its given consent - its legal. If not, then you should be reporting the business as is your duty of care to the public.

karbon14 · 26th December 2007, 11:51pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tacky

If its given consent - its legal.

FAIL. as with about 3 other people through the thread who blatantly didn't read the first post.

there is NO legal age limit for body piercing in the UK. there are medical reccomendations. there is no law against it like there is tattooing. and Glasgow city councils skin piercing legislation isn't being enforced yet but even that i don't think has an age limit in it as it covers acupuncture as well as body peircing.

bikuki · 27th December 2007, 12:46am

I think even though there's no legal age for piercing specifically, if a parent wanted to press charges badly enough against a piercer they could probably press GBH or assault or something, as a child can be found to be not competant to give consent. However that only works if the parent did not give consent - if the parent consented then there's no age limit.

It's fucked up - I keep seeing these wee girls who must be at least 12 or younger with madonna piercings. I often wonder how they'd cope if they get infected or start their gums receding...

**djtoast** · 27th December 2007, 3:43am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikuki

if the parent consented then there's no age limit.

so here's a question - how about a parent who's 15 saying "yeah i give consent for my 18 month old child to get pierced" - i'd like to think it's a hypothetical example but i bet it's happened at some stage!

Timmy · 27th December 2007, 9:50am

Nah, shouldn't be an age of consent. Unless it's found to be extremely harmful for people under a certain age, which i doubt it is.

You've decided what you want, when you want it, why can't someone else?

"She might regret it one day"

A 42 year old man getting a tattoo/piercing may regret his decision later in life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by djtoast

so here's a question - how about a parent who's 15 saying "yeah i give consent for my 18 month old child to get pierced" - i'd like to think it's a hypothetical example but i bet it's happened at some stage!

Never seen friends? Happens to Emma (rachels baby...yes, i'm a loser).

Anyways, it should still be up to the piercers discretion. You'd hope people would turn them away, but if the parent really wants it done, trial and error, and it'll happen.

Devastator · 28th December 2007, 5:15pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmy

Nah, shouldn't be an age of consent. Unless it's found to be extremely harmful for people under a certain age, which i doubt it is.

You've decided what you want, when you want it, why can't someone else?

"She might regret it one day"

A 42 year old man getting a tattoo/piercing may regret his decision later in life.

The piercing itself isn't harmful as long as it's done properly with the correct equipment and technique in a sterile environment.

Assuming that it's all done properly and safely, and it's looked after correctly, you can end up with anything from minor scarring to chipped teeth depending on the piercing. Not a huge deal to most folk.

It's not looking after a piercing that's the main problem though. How many folk do you know who've got a pet and then when the novelty's worn off sold it/given it away? You can't just ignore a piercing before it's healed, or really after it's healed. I doubt very much that most young folk getting piercings look into the proper aftercare, and even less would actually do it.

Again, might be ok, but does risk infection, blood poisoning, keloids etc.

Also, kids do sports and things which make getting piercings ripped out very easy.

So in short, it's a pretty bad idea.

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