Do the people in Oz go in for piercings in the same way as here ? I only ask as I have my nose pierced and, when we did our reckie, I didn't see anyone else with this done.

My daughters want their ears pierced as all the girls in school have them done here but I'm holding out. However, I am thinking of letting them have them done just before we go, but, my eldest is very conscious of having to fit in. Do girls in Oz get their ears pierced as young as they seem to in the UK ? Or would they be in the minority ?

Ta - Heather

About the same i would say

Seen more tatoos overhere though, but thats cos people have less clothes on i suppose

Hi Heather,

I haven't noticed too much difference. Lots of pierced ears, noses etc here in Sydney. Customer service type jobs are pretty strict about no visible piecings or tatoos though. Having said that when I arrived I had a pierced tongue and managed to get away with it through several bar/waitress/promo jobs. Haven't noticed many kids with pierced ears but then I suppose I haven't been looking! How old are your daughters?

They're 7 and 9. I have told them that they'll have to wait until they're 16 but feel a bit mean especially as they now ask regularly

I work in a govt office, and the admin assistant in the Exec Directors office has a bolt through her lower lip - well, maybe thats an exageration but its big enough to be visible at quite a distance. She also wears the skimpiest tops you can find - nothing left to the imagination, and has about 6 rings in each ear

For piercings, go visit Camperdown or Newtown in Sydney. What the kids lack in imagination in clothes colours(black with black with black accessories) they make up for in hair colour and piercings. Black hair with one accent colour (ultramarine blue or shocking pink) with that accent colour in their clothing plus multiple silver piercings is the go with many of the Uni students. More little girls from Italian families and other-than-Anglo seem to have their ears pierced I think, but it wouldn't be out of order to see it in other little girls, no-one would go "shock-horror". Most young women have pierced ears, I think, "quiet" jewellery in formal business CBD area and anything goes elsewhere it would seem to me. I'm going to start looking at little girls' ears now!

I hope you are female or you could get your face slapt

Louise

lol - the thought of everyone going round staring at little girls' ears is quite funny !!

: Not in Newtown I wouldn't !!!

Most of the girls I see have thier ears pierced, and I see quite a few (2 daughters, one 14 and one 11 and all of thier friends)

I had the 11 year olds ears done at age 1. I'd heard somewhere that it's less traumatic. Not sure about that cause she screamed but no more than getting a vaccination I suppose.

I've also seen a varienty of nose, lip and eybrow piercings... not necessarily commonplace but not that unusual either.

Siren

I can't compare with the UK.... but I grew up in Oz, and had my ears pierced when I was 9 (in Port Hedland!!! Oh, or was it Geraldton??)
I now have 2 holes in each ear, never heard anything about it.

I also see plenty of people with studs in nose, and I'm sure you can find plenty of others with piercings in other places, but as I said, can't compare with the UK.

I'll have to start paying more attention to people's ears too

I was 5 when I had my ears pierced but they made a biiiiig mistake. They sat me in front of a mirror. I saw the piercing gun too late, just as they did the first one, and screamed my head off! I refused point blank to have the second one done until I was sufficiently bribed. I think it took 3 weeks and involved a huge marzipan Mickey Mouse!!!

Oooh - will bear that in mind for when I allow my darlings to be done. Not a good move - some places now have both ears done the same time with a person either side which may be a good idea especially as I have no idea where I'd find a huge marzipan Mickey Mouse !!

OR.. rather than going to a jewelers and having them use the guns... take them to a true piercing studio (or a doctor) and have them done with needles. It's MUCH less painful than the gun. Quite easily tolerated.

When I had my belly done, he had already completed the task when I told him to warn me so I could brace myself. LOL

Just a thought.

Siren

I remember when I had my belly button done - no pain at all !! I've heard that the only time it hurts is if you're dead skinny and they can't find any flab to clamp. Even then it's the clamp not the piercing that hurts.

We're lucky in that we have a friend who is a professional beautician etc so know she'd be good.