Many teenagers and young people have a great desire to decorate their bodies with a piercing at 16. However, most of them are unlikely to be able to convince their parents to do so they are often even strictly forbidden from having this popular body jewelry.
However, there are definitely better ways to deal with your child's desire for a piercing. Above all, parents should thoroughly research piercings and the laws and regulations associated with them before making the decision whether to allow or prohibit their children from getting a piercing.
Youth: Naturally testing one's own limits
It is quite natural that adolescents, whether boys or girls, feel the urge to test their limits and push them as far as possible. For example, they regularly negotiate with their parents about new times. When they have to be at home or about a style of clothing that takes getting used to. It is therefore almost part of everyday life with teenagers that arguments break out within the family about values and ideas about life.
Piercings often have a particularly strong appeal for young people. As they still represent a certain degree of rebellion and independence. They can hardly wait to finally get themselves adorned with this type of body jewelry.
No requirements under the Youth Protection Act
However, it cannot be ignored that getting a piercing always constitutes deliberate bodily harm. The Youth Protection Act does not contain any clear regulations on the age at which children. Or young people are allowed to make a free decision in this regard.
However, reputable piercing studios are always characterized by the fact that they only carry out an operation if the person clearly consents. As soon as they reach the age of majority. Every young person can of course decide completely freely whether they want to get a piercing. However, the correct legal route for teenagers under 18 is usually always through the parents. As they have parental authority, the decision is therefore up to them whether they allow the piercing for their children or not.
No piercing under 14 years
But even if the parents agree, professional piercers generally do not pierce girls and boys younger than 14 years old. If the piercing studios are members of the Society for Piercing, DGP for short. All procedures on children under 14 are strictly refused anyway.
The reason for this is that it is assumed that children at this young age are not yet capable of making a comprehensive assessment of the decision, including the possible consequences. The same reason is also responsible for the fact that they are not yet considered criminally responsible.
The fact that children younger than 14 years of age are generally not pierced is justified by the protection of their health. Even if the parents give their consent to the piercing: The protection of health is given higher priority than the right to free personal development helix piercing healing time.
Age between 14 and 16 years – Is a piercing possible?
However, once they reach the age of 14, young people can talk to their guardians and find out whether they are open to the idea of a piercing. For most parents, the most important thing is where on the body the piercing should be done. Smaller nose studs or ear studs are generally more likely to be approved than piercings in the intimate area or tongue .
If the parents give their consent for the piercing. Young people between the ages of 14 and 16 can in principle get a piercing. However, the prerequisite must be that the children are accompanied to. The piercing studio by their parents and that they also remain on site during the procedure. This way, the piercer has no doubt as to whether the parents agree to their children being pierced. And does not have to fear any legal consequences as a result of the procedure.
Written consent from 16 years of age
Young people who are at least 16 years old are not yet considered adults. But they can already enjoy greater freedom in many areas of their lives. This can be attributed to the fact that more space should be created for the intellectual development of young people.
This also has an impact on the regulations regarding piercings: Most piercing studios only require 16 and 17 year olds to provide a written consent form for the piercing, signed by a parent or legal guardian. However, a copy of the signatory's ID card is usually also required for verification purposes.
In this regard, it is also important to mention that the consent of both parents is required if the piercer is a member of the aforementioned professional association DGP – however, single parents are exempt from this helix piercing healing time.
However, if the piercer has doubts about the parental consent. Or its authenticity, he has the right to refuse to perform the piercing. He does not have to provide a justification for this, as the decision as to whether to serve his customers is entirely his own. Therefore, there are also piercing studios that generally do not pierce minors. However, they make an exception in some cases for those between the ages of 16 and 18. If the parents are personally present during the procedure.
Why Parents Shouldn't Strictly Ban Piercings
Even today, there are still some parents who fundamentally reject piercings for their children. They do not even enter into a discussion about the desired body jewelry for their child. Of course, this is generally their right, but it can also have negative consequences that should not be ignored.
These can, for example, consist of the children looking for a dubious piercing studio on their own. Unfortunately, there are also black sheep in the industry who pierce minors without asking for their parents' consent. The parents then have the option of taking legal action against the piercer, but the piercing has already been done.
It should also not be overlooked that the risk to children's health is much higher if they get their piercing done secretly in an unscrupulous studio. There is a high probability that the hygiene standards of these service providers are not particularly good either. This increases the risk of the piercing becoming infected after the piercing .
Have a constructive conversation about piercings
The families themselves are responsible for entering into a constructive dialogue with their children about the topic of piercing, as the Youth Protection Act does not provide any clear guidelines on this. It is important that the parents are completely sure that their children's development has progressed to the point. Where they can fully understand and assess the possible consequences of piercing helix piercing healing time.
An important point to be discussed is that various types of inflammation can be caused by a piercing. These are sometimes not only accompanied by severe pain, but may also have even more serious consequences, such as a hepatitis infection. However, other possible complications related to body jewelry in specific areas of the body should also be discussed. Such as eye injuries from eyelid piercings, scars on the milk ducts from nipple piercings. Speech disorders from tongue piercings or damaged nerves from intimate piercings.
It is a good idea for parents to ask their child to give a factual explanation of why they want a piercing so much. They should also be clear about the location and size of the piercing. During such a discussion, compromises can usually be found that both sides are happy with.
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