piercing and boys

[GP]

I'm a 14 year old boy and I REALLY want my ears pierced but I am far to shy to ask my mum, can somebody help?

The next time you are with your mum and see a nicely groomed boy about your age with earrings, say something to your mum about how neat or how nice he looks without specifically saying anything about his earrings. Then you can judge from your mum's reaction whether or not you should comment on the boy's earrings. Although your mum may not ask you directly if you would like to have your ears pierced, you should get some message from your mum's comments as to whether or not you should say anything further about piercing your ears.

[old man]

I am a 34 year old professional and have had my nipple pierced since I was 18. This is something I cherish and only a chosen few have ever seen it.

I have been wanting to get my ear pierced for a long time but have always refrained from doing so due to my job and the fact that it would not be acceptable to wear an earring to work. However, when in Dublin on business in August I decided to go for it and have not regretted doing so. My wife did not like it at first, but now she accepts it (it is just a little bit more mainstream than a nipple ring after all!!) - I have not yet worn it to work, but the hole seems to have become a bit more permanent as I have no trouble in putting the earring in after work or during weekends.

I just wish it would be more accepted for males to wear in the office, so that I didn't have the hassle of taking in and out all the time. Why is everyone so old fashioned?! If only my boss knew what was under my shirt after all!!!!

[GP]

Old man,

I am old enough to be your father, so I think of you as a young man.

You are right about the hole in your ear becoming more permanent as time goes on. The longer your ear is pierced, the longer the hole will stay open without an earring. The time varies greatly from person to person, but after a few years you will reach the point where your hole will remain open for the rest of your life, even if you never wear an earring again.

Not eveyone is old fashioned, but apparently your boss is. There is an old saying that the boss may not always be right, but he is always the boss. I never wore earrings in the office for concern about what my superiors would say or think, but several coworkers did notice that my ears were pierced. Enjoy wearing an earring when you can. Just remember to look in the mirror every morning just before you leave for work to be certain you are not wearing an earring.

GP

[Guest]

[Guest 101]

Last month, my 15 year old son approached my wife & I about getting an earring.

My wife was totally shocked at his desire to get an earring. After she got over the shock of my son wanting to get an earring, I dropped a bombshell; I told her I wanted to get an earring as well. She immediately objected.

After a few days of proding, she finally agreeed to let us get an earring.

We are both sporting a diamond stud earring in our left ear.

[The Colonel]

That's strange, because I read the exact same thing in another thread here many months back.

Did you go back in time or was there a time slip?

[Guest]

Moved to a new state a couple years ago and have noticed that going to a function with young people here is like stepping back in time. Come on people. Hippies were already here and gone decades ago. We all grew up and (many of us) became parents and taxpayers. Yet, there they were. Only now, many are covered in tattoos and their ears studded with holes big enough to hold a couple of pencils. It's okay, doesn't bother me what they do with their body, but it makes me kind of cringe to think that these "kids" don't think ahead of how their bodies will look when they age. Do they think they aren't going to age? Have you ever seen an old man or woman's body that has covered themselves with tattoos when they were young and virile? Probably not... there's a reason for that. What about those ears? Skin gets soft, tissue breaks down, it's a fact of life. Think about what those big ol' holes are going to look like on a 70 year old. Just think it's something to think about. We are old a lot longer than we are young.

[Guest]

Think about what those big ol' holes are going to look like on a 70 year old. Just think it's something to think about. We are old a lot longer than we are young.

Oh that old chestnut again. I suppose I should be grateful that you didn't come up with the usual "imagine what they would look like when they are REALLY old, like 40"

I've seen some images of older people on BME (Body modification enzine) and I've seen plenty of pictures of tribes where the elders have stretched ears, and guess what, the still look fine. The problem is your brain filters what you see, and it changes with each individual prejudice.

I remember as a kid seeing a male gypsy with 2 earrings. I found it very strange. Now, men with earrings is as normal as women wearing trousers, and stretched ears are now becoming mainstream.

Here's to free expression.

[Guest]

I've seen plenty of pictures of tribes where the elders have stretched ears, and guess what, the still look fine.

Uh, okay.

[Jenna3]

My mother pierced my ears at age three (and my sister's at the same age). When my daughter turned three, I pierced her ears. At age five she wanted "more earrings like Mommy" ( I was double pierced at the time) so I pierced her ears a second time. Her brother was three and had begged for earrings since he could talk. He pleaded for earrings again so I thought about it briefly and then decided it was not fair for him to be excluded just because he was a boy. I pierced both his ears and he is now sixteen and has worn earrings 24/7 since age three. This has never been a problem as when he started kindergarten he had earrings and was accepted as such. Piercing should be done prior to starting school so the healing period is over and earrings become an accepted part of the child. I think it is terrible that people relegate piercing & earrings only to females!

[The Colonel]

My mother pierced my ears at age three (and my sister's at the same age). When my daughter turned three, I pierced her ears. At age five she wanted "more earrings like Mommy" ( I was double pierced at the time) so I pierced her ears a second time. Her brother was three and had begged for earrings since he could talk. He pleaded for earrings again so I thought about it briefly and then decided it was not fair for him to be excluded just because he was a boy. I pierced both his ears and he is now sixteen and has worn earrings 24/7 since age three. This has never been a problem as when he started kindergarten he had earrings and was accepted as such. Piercing should be done prior to starting school so the healing period is over and earrings become an accepted part of the child. I think it is terrible that people relegate piercing & earrings only to females!

Don't believe it for a second.

[earringed_lad]

I'm a 14 year old boy and I REALLY want my ears pierced but I am far too shy to ask my mum, can somebody help?

It's always the same story: A boy has the secret desire to wear earrings but is too shy to talk about that wish. You will have to come to a decision.

I assume that some of your friends got their ears pierced and that you look at their earrings with understandable envy. You admire the courage and the self-confidence of the boys that got their ears pierced. Of course you want to follow their example, but you do not have the courage to surprise your mother with a wish that she might consider uncommon or even shocking. In other words: At home you want to be the model of a boringly obedient son and outdoor you want to be equal to your earringed friends. Right?

It may help you to buy a pair of magnetic studs or clip hoops. With magnetic studs or clip hoops you can easily test the reaction of your friends and of your parents. You can also find out whether you feel comfortable with earrings at all. Try to wear your earrings in public and all the day - as a shy boy you will need some time to get used to ear jewellery. For some days you may have the uncomfortable feeling that people are looking at you in astonishment.

As soon as you got comfortable with your earrings, you can wear them at home. Should your mother react harshly, you can at least say: "Many of my school mates have earrings - I got these a few days ago and I like them. My mates like them, too." The question "How could you dare to get your ears pierced" is not dangerous at all, you will simply reply: "What are you angry about, this is a magnetic stud (a clip hoop) and not a piercing! I can remove it at any time. and no visible hole will remain!" Do not forget to mention that most of your earringed friends have pierced ears. That last hint can create the impression that you are more careful with your ears than your friends.

As soon as your parents got accustomed to your ear jewellery, you can go a step further: Tell them that your friends told you that earrings for pierced ears are to be preferred: They are easier to fix, more convenient to wear and better secured against accidential loss. Add that you find this a convincing advice and that you need to get your ears pierced to follow it.

That's all and it is so very easy!

For information about magnetic studs and clip hoops you may wish to have a look at these pages:
http://www.emitations.com/chgoclonhoea2.html
http://www.emitations.com/mastea.html
http://www.amazon.com/Hoop-Clip-Earring ... B000H6JFAI

By the way: Earrings for the pierced ear are indeed easier to fix than clips or magnets: The earhole helps to find the right place. An earing for the pierced ear is also more convenient to wear - you do not feel it at all. A magnet or a clip is more sentable - it causes permanent pressure on a very small region of your earlobe.

[Chase]

Yes! I finally got my ears pierced today. It wasn't as bad as I expected at all. The worst part was asking my mom if I could get it done, and then waiting to actually get them. I had a hard time deciding between the silver ball studs, or a pair of diamond studs. I chose the silver ball earrings because I thought that the diamonds might be too flashy for me. It feels weird to have earrings. The piercing took a while, but the piercer was hot, so it was all good! I can't wait to change out my studs to a hoop.

[earringed_lad]

I chose the silver ball earrings because I thought that the diamonds might be too flashy for me.

Silver balls are a good choice, but flashy studs have their own appeal, especially during the early evenings of winter, when the light reflected by diamond studs is visible from far away. These are the evenings when a flashy red stone in your left ear and a green one in your right ear would give you the appearance of an approaching vessel or an aircraft.

It feels weird to have earrings.

So it does, but only for a few days. Keep wearing your earrings all the day to overcome that feeling.

When I got my earring, I was very proud of it, but at the same time I felt tagged like a laboratory rat. Outdoors I tried to remove my earring every time I came close to a person that would be surprised to discover the hoop on my left ear. It took me some time to learn to wear my earring with pride.When I finally got accustomed to my earring, I decided to get my right ear pierced too and to wear hoops in both ears.

[Anna22]

I got my daughters ears pierced when she was 2, whilst nearly all of my friends thought it was chavvy and looked stupid as she was so young it's not uncommon practice in Poland (I'm 1/2 Polish). She loves her earrings (she is only wearring studs!).
As for them on guys I don't like them, my fiance had one when he was in his 20s but now he's older he doesn't wear it anymore, if I had a son I would let him have one when he asked (it's not common for baby boys in Poland to have earrings!)