The tattoo and piercing law.

Have you ever wanted to get a tattoo? How about a piercing? If you said yes, more power to you. If you said yes, and you're a minor, or under the age of 18, you just might want to read this paper.

If you are under the age of eighteen, your body is not yet mature enough to get a piercing or tattoo. Your still growing, your nerves aren't well developed yet, and in places were you might be piercing through a muscle, your muscles aren't ready to have needles poked through them.

Piercing or tattooing a body part before that body part is ready, can cause serous damage. Lets take your tongue for example. Your tongue is a muscle, if you are under the age of eighteen, this muscle is not mature enough to have a piercing. This causes painful swelling, irritation, and may cause infection that isn't that easy to get rid of.

piercings and tattoos

Navel piercing close up. *Photo by: Gabuchan *Sour...

Tattoos

Now, if you want to get your belly button pierced, make sure you are at least 13-15. If you are anywhere under 13, you are still going to grow, if you get you belly button pierced, by the time you are eighteen, the piercing can be all the way up in your mid torso. I've never heard of anyone wanting a "torso ring".

If you are a minor, and are planning to get a tattoo, you are still growing. By the time you are seventeen, eighteen, you might not be able to see what that tattoo originally was to begin with. Lets say you were 15 and got a tattoo. Between the years of 15 and 17 your skin can grow up to 10 inches in diameter, if you happen to hit a major growth spirt it can grow up to 15 inches...