Advice with Teenage Daughters & Piercings

[Aggie_Ama]

I am not saying your daughter will but.... I went to high school with kids that had some one pierce their navals at their house because their parents wouldn't sign off and some ended up with some pretty bad issues because of their choice. I saw some gross infections and their was a rumor one girl got Hepatitis.

I don't have kids but I would think putting aside your dislike of it and letting her get one may be the safest thing for her. Tell her you don't want to see her playing with it (bizarre fascination of my friends with them) and you don't want to see it. Just from experience, I would consent so it is done at a reputable place. A naval ring is pretty darn tame IMHO, of course I was raised in Austin and we pride ourselves on "Keeping Austin Weird".

[JmcG]

I've had my belly button pierced for 10 years now. It got infected in the very beginning, but healed quickly and I now forget it's even in. I was 17 and my mom was with me. We were at the beach and I decided to ask her if I could get it done. She was as excited for me to get it as I was! There was no rebellion in it, it was just a fun and exciting thing for me to do at the time. I had friends whose parents would have never let them get it done, so they did it behind their parents backs. Then on their 18th birthday revealed it to them.

I think if your daughter is asking permission, then she wants your support in this. If you don't let her, it may turn into a rebellion thing...maybe - I can't say since I don't know her? It's really not a big deal. It's not permanent and if she doesn't like it, she can always take it out.

Good luck in your decision!

[GLC1968]

I totally and 100% agree with Mimi.

I don't have children, but I was a teenage girl once and I remember it well. My parents did an outstanding job of educating me and letting me make my own choices, and as much as it was 'cool' to put down the 'rents back then...I could never chime in. Mine were just TOO fair and I turned out pretty damn well (if I do say so myself!). I learned both from the mistakes I made, and also from the ones they helped me avoid!

Your daughter sounds like a responsible and mature 16-year old. In my opinion, I think you both should express how you feel about this to her and then tell her the decision is her's to make. And be sure to let her know how much you appreciate her being upfront about this - it'll go a long way when the bigger issues come up down the road.

[short cut sally]

I have no children to help you out on proper advice. But I will give you my story that is of the same topic. I had made a vow to myself that if i lost weight, and could see my naval again, I wanted a naval piecing. That was my treat to myself for accomplishing my goal. I went and got my naval pierced by what was "reputable", by someone elses standards. It was the worst experience, they used something that looked like a miniature harpoon, and it was dull. So i had to be poked twice. My naval was sore for days, never got infected. I had to take my ring out 2 years later for surgery, and i had so much umbilical swelling d/t hematoma that formed at the surgical site (NOT related to the piercing) that my hole closed and had to wait several months before I could get it repierced (at a reputable place by my standards). My belly has been pierced for 3 years or so and I have no regrets, again i am 40 and not a teenager living in my parents house so this story probably won't help you in the least. But at least Silverdaughter is coming to you to express her wishes/wants instead of doing something behind your back. I think that takes maturity.

[redrhodie]

About 10 years ago, I thought a pierced naval sounded cool. So, I went to one of the best piercing studios in NYC, and when they showed me the gauge of the wire that would be going through my flesh (10g, which is over 2mms in diameter) I almost fainted. It's not like an earring post. It's bigger than the diameter of a spoke! Yikes!

I asked why it had to be so thick, and they said there's a risk of it "ripping out" if its thinner. Ripped naval?! No, not for me!

[shawnada]

BELLY BUTTON PIERCING OR TONGUE PIERCING? Hmmmm! BELLY BUTTON PIERCING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has good open communication with you and silver and hope she has good morals from her upbringing and is trying to express herself in a more conservative choice. My daughter at 16 asked for a tattoo. I said sure but I wanted to go and watch. shes 22 and unmarked.

[KnottedYet]

The nice thing about a piercing is that once it is healed you can be as outrageous (HUGE gaudy jewelry) or understated (simple titanium post) as you want. You can hide it with "placekeeper" jewelry (which ends up looking like a small flat scar or a zit) or just leave it jewelry-free as needed. If a youngster wants to do some body mods, I vote piercing over tattoo.

Aftercare is sooooo important. If Silverdaughter has trouble, even after following the directions from the piercer, don't hesitate to get to the doc. I had a piercing (NOT from a professional piercer) go bad, and it was ugly ugly ugly. I had to just let it heal over and deal with the infection after the damage was already done, as I didn't go to the doc soon enough.

BTW, *don't* google failed and infected piercings. Just don't. The vast majority of piercings turn out fine.

[rij73]

I'm late to the thread, but I think it's a good choice, Mr. Silver! I never did anything like that when I supposed be young and reckless. Got my navel pierced at age 26! I felt so happy about it... Like I was finally a "cool" person.

It took FOREVER to heal. Hope your daughter cares for it properly. I still have mine 8 years later, and I still really like it.