My 16 year old daughter wants a monroe lip piercing. Should I let her?

Question

That's a small stud in her upper right lip that looks like a Marlyn Monroe mole. Maybe it's not that big of a deal, and I should let her, but the best reason I can come up with is that I don't think it's attractive, and I don't want her to be associated with the freak show of body mutilators, like we saw in Berkeley today. But she doesn't want to go overboard like many young people do, she just wants one small stud. It just so happens though, that no one in her high school has one of those type of piercings, so she would be unique and special for that reason. I want her to believe that she's special with or without such junk. Should I let her pierce her upper lip?

Answer 1

if she wants it so badly tell her to wait until shes 18. chances are she'll grow out of it.


i was so angry when my mom told me this but i just turned 18 and am SOOO glad i didnt shove some stupid stud in my lip. about a month after i wanted it every other girl had it and it was no longer "unique".....

Answer 2

I was amazed at all the negative comments this question got. With a 16 year old girl this is a tricky area. If you out right say no she might go do in anyway or worse do it herself (my sister did 4 of her own piercings nose bellybutton and both ears) Teens especially girls can get very upset over something like this that may seem trivial to most other people.
My recommendation would be to tell her that she can get it done in 2 months, if she still wants it, and that she has to do a weekly chore (something beyond her usual stuff) Every single week between now and then to earn it.
It wont be a no, but she'll have 2 months to let the idea sink in, and she will have to earn it- not just have it handed to her.
It's alot better to have a dialogue with your daughter about things, rather then just saying- "I don't think it looks nice so you can't do it"
I'm sure you can remember a time when you wanted something your mother thought was hideous. (so many picture of my mother's mullet and my dad's afro)

Answer 3

I think it's fine to have her wait till she is 17 or 18, to make sure that is what she wants, and she isn't just following some fad. I waited about a year to get my nose pierced, and I love it. Piercings and Tattoos are becoming culture for this generation. Today it's perfectly normal to see teenagers and young adults with lots of them, and they aren't concered to be "freak shows." If you take the time to get to know some of them, they are the nicest people you will ever meet. They are just trying to be Unique and Special, just like your daughter.

Answer 4

I'm sure she is a very sweet girl, but I say no way. Tatto's, piercings and the like become habitual. It always starts out with "just this little..." . Suggest that she take an eyebrow pencil and put a little dot..above her lip. But she will remember to do it everyday!! See how long that lasts first. It may be just a passing fancy. Try to convince her to give this permanent piercing more thought..Good luck!

Answer 5

Let her,I may get some thumbs down.. but oh well. I'm a younger girl and I have my lip pierced,I did research,made sure it was safe...and decided that's what I wanted.. i understood what I was getting myself into and my mom didn't fully want me to,but only had mild problems with it. Make sure your daughter knows that it can get infected and she will have to take good care of it,if she wants it,why not? It's not like she can't take it out if she doesn't want it anymore later on..and getting a piercing and saying that it's gothic..is about as immature as it gets. A piercing has NOTHING to do with any of that,and labeling people is just as immature and ignorant. Grow up. As far as wanting her to feel special for that "junk" ...let her get it. Do research,make sure there's not a lot of problems with that piercing.

Answer 6

You should research different aspects of lip piercing. There's a lot of work in caring for it afterwards, keeping it clean to prevent infection, also, there's a possibility of scarring if it's later not wanted and removed. There's possibilities of it snagging on things, etc. But you should discuss all these, may even want to talk to someone who does piercings for information because there is a lot to the decision. Safety aside, the majority of people who get lip piercings end up removing them.

Answer 7

I'm 17 and a lot of girls my age have those monroe things. I think they're ridiculous. I had a friend who got one and 2 weeks later it was gone. She got tired of it. Girls who have monroe piercings...it actually symbolizes something about drugs or sex. I'm not trying to alarm you but that's what I've been told. Honestly, I don't think you should let her. Because if she's going to be like everyone else then there's no room for her to be herself. Just enforce your right as a parent and say no. She will get over it soon and move on to another ridiculous fad.

Answer 8

I have a 16 yr old daughter who is an artist, very smart and has a heart of gold....I have tattoos and have had an eyebrow piercing...She wants to get the "vampire" piercings, (one hoop on either side of her lower lip)...I told her as long as she is under my roof and under 18, no...but, after that, if she is in college, working, etc, but living here helping out, I can't say anything only b/c I've been there...it's all in how YOU think and how much space you want to give her...

Answer 9

The back the stud can rub your gums. I have my chin/lip pierced and it occassionally rubs the gum. My daughter head a monroe done and then took it out. She has a little dot/scar where it used to be. Think carefully about this and only have it done if you are 100% sure and then have your piercing done by a professional.

Answer 10

i got mine done when i was 16 last year. its not really that big of a deal now everyone gets them and i think u should let her get it done before some one else does n then she can say she had it first. it doesn't really look that bad if u get a small respectable ring in it.

i no longer have it because i had to take it out for work but it made me happy to get it done and I'm sure it will make her happy also.

but i guess in the end its up to you but dont not let her do it because u think it will look bad u need a better reason for that i hate it when parents give that reason, its not really a reason.

Answer 11

if she really wants it then i would make her earn the money to pay for it, its actually a very cute piercing with the right jewelry! and if she decides later on its not right for her it will heal with a very small scar, ive had my lip pierced 3 times, its a painful healing process, at least for the lower lip not to sure about the top, but she has to be strict about oral hygiene, if it gets infected she will be very unhappy, but in the end the decision is up to you as the parent, its not an unatractive piercing, shes trying to make a statement, is all, but like i said it's not permanent, i will close with a very small, very unoticable scar. hope this helps!