When I was growing up, it was common place for women to have one piercing in each ear and no more. Men (usually servicemen and bikers) would get tattoos. It seems that within the last 10-15 years, people (male & female) have been getting multiple piercings-all over their bodies and also getting tattoos.

For all of you with piercing and/or tattoos, my question is this, WHY? I am not asking this question in terms of being derogatory. I truly want to know what motivated you to alter you body's appearance.


I do have pierced ears. For me, it was like a rite of passage-I got them when I was 13 and like I stated above, most women had pierced ears and I wanted to be "grown-up."



Cat

When I was growing up, it was common place for women to have one piercing in each ear and no more. Men (usually servicemen and bikers) would get tattoos. It seems that within the last 10-15 years, people (male & female) have been getting multiple piercings-all over their bodies and also getting tattoos.

For all of you with piercing and/or tattoos, my question is this, WHY? I am not asking this question in terms of being derogatory. I truly want to know what motivated you to alter you body's appearance.


I do have pierced ears. For me, it was like a rite of passage-I got them when I was 13 and like I stated above, most women had pierced ears and I wanted to be "grown-up."



Cat


The most daring thing I have is three holes in one ear one for each kid. But my daughter has her eyebrow pierced, nipple pierced (ouch),
and had a phoenix tattoted on her arm which she designed herself. Designs on both wrists. And in the middle of her back she has the Orrin from the Neverendingstory. Oh yes and her newest one is a tattoo of an artsy anatomically  correct heart over where I have my pacemnaker.
I asked her why she did it a few years ago when she got her first one, she told me it was better than cutting herself. She had huge issues with her father, plus was almost raped and killed one night. It was an outlet for her pain. After that she said that she likes the3 way they look.

She respected my wishes and never pierced her tongue, I let her get her eyebrow pierced when she was about 16. And never got any Tats till she was over 18.
I raised my kids to b e independent thinkers and free spirits, I saw it as a way of her expressing herself. I cringed but it was is her body, and they look great, but she has gotten a lot of garbage for it. A couple of people told her people klike her don't deserve to have kids, because she has multiple piercings and tats they assume she does drugs. It couldn't be further from the truth. I will have to find some pics of her and post them. I think she has some on her face book.

I used to have two earrings in my left ear, a birthstone (diamond) and a small gold hoop. It seemed liked a fun
thing to do at the time, after all it was the 90's.

As far as body art goes, I was always into the artwork of tattoos. My parents hated body art so I didn't get
my first tattoo until i was 28 but once I got the first one I was really hooked. Not just the the beauty of the
artwork but the thrill of feeling the needles. I still want to get work done on my leg in the traditional Samoan
style, you know, the little guy with a bone needle and wooden hammer, I just have to find someone who still
does that kind of work outside of going to Samoa.

My ears were pierced when I was six weeks old, so I didn't really have a choice. :D  I got my nose pierced when I was 19 because I really admire Indian culture and love the jewelery the ladies wore.  Some of those pieces included nose rings and diamond studs, so there you go.

I would like to get some tattoos, but lack fundage.  To me, tats are personal things that symbolize things and events in your life, and should not be taken lightly.

For all of you with piercing and/or tattoos, my question is this, WHY? I am not asking this question in terms of being derogatory. I truly want to know what motivated you to alter you body's appearance.


Cat


For me there was no real "behind the scenes" thought process going on then. I had wanted tattoos for a while, found someone who had a lot of them (some beautiful, some hideous) and asked him about them. He then started dating a woman who did tattoos professionally, so I had access and good prices to boot.

Well, I decided on a custom drawn wizard and had it put on my right shoulder. He was supposed to look badass (and does... in a Santa Claus sorta way) but ultimately I had another custom, more badass wizard put on my left shoulder.

I was going into boot camp a few months later and was overweight at the time, so maybe that subconciously played into my decision to get tats. Everybody in my family said I'd get ragged to death for them in boot camp, but as I was one of four guys (out of 90 or so) who had them the reactions were pretty positive.

I've had them for over 15 years now and have never regretted them for one moment. I think that's due to waiting so long to get them and getting custom work. I haven't gotten any more since then, though I have thought about them from time to time.

Interesting question though, Catwoman. I'm guessing you mean "permanently alter your body's appearance", because dyeing one's hair, putting on makeup, shaving, etc. all alter our body's appearances. None of those are permanent though.

As for piercings, I've never felt the need for one or more. If I ever wind up with a chunk of metal embedded in my penis or face, it would be by serious accident, not by design or intention. I'd be calling OSHA and an ambulance instead of handing someone 50$, lol.


To me, tats are personal things that symbolize things and events in your life, and should not be taken lightly.


Exactly. Anyone who is considering getting a tattoo should get henna first (lasts 2-4 weeks) and see if they still like it. Laser removal of tattoos costs a fortune and doesn't always work. I doubt it's covered by insurance either.

My tats symbolize the good and evil that are in me, in everyone of us.

Ant

I got my ears pierced for my 14th birthday.  Typical teenage girl experience.  Got them double pierced when I was 27.  I had a labret piercing which is below the bottom lip.  I did that because I felt like it and figured if I didn't like it I could let the hole close.  The tongue piercing was done I . . . forget why.  Anyway I had to take my piercings out for my back surgery and was too doped up on pain meds for a month to think about it.  The holes closed. ::)  I'm over the piercing phase now.

Would I ever get a tattoo?  Nope too permanent.  plus they look like crap if you end up with wrinkled skin when you age. 8-P

I have 7 piercings but I've had 9 in total -

I got my ears pierced when I was 9 - got taken to have it done by my grandparents - as is quite normal for a lot of girls and has been for ages.
Then when I was 13 I went with a friend to get her ears pierced and she was nervous, so I got my ears pierced again for the second time with her.
Then at 15 I got my nose pierced - simply because I wanted it done and my family was cool with it.
That closed up so at 17 I got it done again.
I then got the top piercing in my right ear - cartillege (oww) on complete impulse! It was my mates birthday and I just thought it was something to do while we were in town...
Next I got my labret done - (lip) I wanted it for ages - thought it looked good basically! But I got it done on impulse - was walking past a piercing place and just went and got it done!
Then my second nose piercing closed up - so I went from 7 to 6.... I had always liked having"lucky 7" so last year I got a 3rd piercing in my left ear to make up the numbers!

Why do I have them? I don't know. Honest answer - I like them - simply that.

Sailors wore golden earrings, for if found drowned the gold in the earring would pay for the burial.

Yeah, it seems like tattoos (on non-tough guys and women) and especially piercings really picked up in the early-mid '90s and is really mainstream now.

I don't have any myself, but I think it's just another form of self expression. Just like you'd put posters or pictures on your walls or decorate your house for the holidays, I think it's just a way of "showing off" something that you either like or believe in. Part of the fun is letting other people see it.

Some people still associate it with badass/prison bound/tough guys, or just edgier people in general, but I guess it's just a matter of not understanding it.

I have 7 piercings and 3 tattoos.
My ears - three holes on each side, with size progression gold hoops in them. Pretty basic.
My right ear - has my birthstone stud in cartilage.

Tattoos - my first one came when I was 25, on my right ankle. It is an Indian Hunting Arrow with feathers - to pay homage to my Grandmother.
Second one came when I became truly Patriotic, on my right shoulder, a heart with a Cdn flag inside of it.
My third one came this summer. It's a little lamb on my upper back at the base of my neck. Underneath it says "Psalms 23" - for my Aunt who passed and my faith. (Psalms was pluralized, because I thought I was getting more added to it at the time, however I will be looking for a good artist up here in order to get it finished.


To me, tats are personal things that symbolize things and events in your life, and should not be taken lightly.


This is so true Jess. My husband had a few tats, his kids names and his Patriotism, but when he returned home from Iraq the second time, he went on a mission to get tattoos that meant things to him from being over there. On his leg he has a tattoo of The Fallen Comrade, a symbol of those he lost. He also has on the same leg the Chinese symbols meaning Courage, Honor and Warrior. It is almost designed like a leg sleeve, with room for more to be put on the back of his calve. He also had animal faces put under his kids names - representing their Chinese Zodiac. On the inside of his right forearm, he got a dream catcher, to represent my heritage.

Currently, he is contemplating getting a tattoo on his ring finger (no names) because the job he does, his ring is forever getting caught. Lord knows I wouldn't want him to lose a finger or possibly a hand because I was insistent on him wearing a ring. So he is trying to figure out what he wants, and we have to still look for a good artist up here.

Currently, he is contemplating getting a tattoo on his ring finger (no names) because the job he does, his ring is forever getting caught. Lord knows I wouldn't want him to lose a finger or possibly a hand because I was insistent on him wearing a ring. So he is trying to figure out what he wants, and we have to still look for a good artist up here.
That's why my dad wears his wedding ring on his other hand, nearly lost his finger at work when it got caught on something.  :-\\


I have two piercings now, one in each ear. I had them done when I was 7 because i drove my parents mad nagging to have my ears pierced. I did have my bellybutton done but it went septic, my stomach swelled up and i had to take the ring out with a pair of pliers!?! 8-P (now my stomach is just swelled up from all the food I eat!  ;D )

I have wanted a tat for many years and have the design ready to go (a purple cat) but in a nutshell i hate pain so have always chickened out!  ;D

I have 3 holes in each ear (although I only ever wear earrings in the first anymore).  Regarding these, I've always loved the look of all that fun stuff going up your ear

I got a tattoo on my ankle when I was 21 (a heart with a vine), as I always drew this after signing my name.  I;m glad I still like it.  On the day I got this done, there was a young guy looking to get Bart Simpson on his leg.  I pictured hime waking up in his 30's saying "What the hell have I done..." 

I have 3 holes in each ear (although I only ever wear earrings in the first anymore).  Regarding these, I've always loved the look of all that fun stuff going up your ear

I got a tattoo on my ankle when I was 21 (a heart with a vine), as I always drew this after signing my name.  I;m glad I still like it.  On the day I got this done, there was a young guy looking to get Bart Simpson on his leg.  I pictured hime waking up in his 30's saying "What the hell have I done..." 




Haha that's pretty cool. Bart is so iconic now that he might still dig it (the Simpsons is like a part of 1990 that's still cool and never really died). I guess that's the thing with tattoos though, that you'd better be really sure you want it, because it'll be there for life. ;D

I've very mildly considered getting one done in the future, but I'm pretty much a wussy to pain lol. How bad does it hurt (I guess it depends how big it is too and what kind)?

I've very mildly considered getting one done in the future, but I'm pretty much a wussy to pain lol. How bad does it hurt (I guess it depends how big it is too and what kind)?


It all depends on the size, location you want it, and the amount of color, if any.

The one that hurt the most for me was on my shoulder - a lot of fatty tissue there and a lot of red ink.
I would recommend for the first time something without color for sure! ;)

The tongue piercing was done I . . . forget why.  Anyway I had to take my piercings out for my back surgery and was too doped up on pain meds for a month to think about it.  The holes closed. ::)  I'm over the piercing phase now.


I've occasionally thought of getting my tongue pierced actually, but am worried about the pain--plus I'm allergic to metal so it'd probably mess up my mouth after awhile anyway, lol. :P

I know a guy who has a Prince Albert.  Of all tatoos and piercings, I really don't see why anyone would want one like that

I know a guy who has a Prince Albert.  Of all tatoos and piercings, I really don't see why anyone would want one like that


I knew a guy with one of those.  He had a chain going up to his pierced nipple.

I've occasionally thought of getting my tongue pierced actually, but am worried about the pain--plus I'm allergic to metal so it'd probably mess up my mouth after awhile anyway, lol. :P


Getting the labret pierced hurt worse than my tongue.  However having my tongue swell up was almost unbearable.  Yeah, they have to use metal for the initial pierce.  Not sure what kind of metal they use.

Getting the labret pierced hurt worse than my tongue.  However having my tongue swell up was almost unbearable.  Yeah, they have to use metal for the initial pierce.  Not sure what kind of metal they use.


Ugh, yeah, I bet it was like--hard to eat and stuff when it was swollen? 

I see, do you know if you can choose to ultimately have a piercing with no metal in it--like for the actual object that stays in your tongue?  ('Cause like--metal doesn't bother me if its on my skin temporarily, but if it's constant it becomes a problem).

Sailors wore golden earrings, for if found drowned the gold in the earring would pay for the burial.


Thats cool. I knew saliors wore gold earring but never knew why!

When I was growing up, it was common place for women to have one piercing in each ear and no more. Men (usually servicemen and bikers) would get tattoos. It seems that within the last 10-15 years, people (male & female) have been getting multiple piercings-all over their bodies and also getting tattoos.

For all of you with piercing and/or tattoos, my question is this, WHY? I am not asking this question in terms of being derogatory. I truly want to know what motivated you to alter you body's appearance.


I do have pierced ears. For me, it was like a rite of passage-I got them when I was 13 and like I stated above, most women had pierced ears and I wanted to be "grown-up."



Cat



Here is a pic of Kats Tats, and guys no cracks about her cleavage shes my little girl ;)

Ugh, yeah, I bet it was like--hard to eat and stuff when it was swollen? 

I see, do you know if you can choose to ultimately have a piercing with no metal in it--like for the actual object that stays in your tongue?  ('Cause like--metal doesn't bother me if its on my skin temporarily, but if it's constant it becomes a problem).


Are you just allergic to 'metal' or to one specific metal?  Nickel is the usual culprit.  You might be able to get a higher purity of gold/silver with no nickel in it for the piercing if you really want one.

Well (deep sigh), I used to be so happy that my daughter was so afraid of needles and pain that she would never have anything else pierced (got her ears pierced when she was younger).  However, last week she surprised me by getting her tongue pierced.  I was definitely not happy, but I guess that she is over 18 I don't have much say.  I'm sorry to say that I told her I was disappointed and shocked and that I was concerned that it might affect her job prospects.  She told me she wasn't planning on having it THAT long.  I was worried when she accompanied me to the lake, but I guess the upside to my parents being in their 70s, almost blind and definitely hard of hearing is that they didn't notice (I also noticed that she didn't laugh like she used to in case they'd see it).

No offense intended to anyone with their tongue pierced, but I was bummed out that she did it and still have trouble getting my head around why she would want to put a hole in her tongue.  Usually people get piercings in places where people can see it so they can wear lovely jewelry.  All I can see of this is that she now has a hole in her tongue and something that she has to now talk and eat around.  I guess I'm just old...or at least old-fashioned. 

Are you just allergic to 'metal' or to one specific metal?  Nickel is the usual culprit.  You might be able to get a higher purity of gold/silver with no nickel in it for the piercing if you really want one.


I honestly don't know, but things like metal fillings bother me.  Metal snaps on clothes that fall directly on my skin can be a problem too (I usually have to sew a piece of cloth over the snap).  I really don't know, but it seems to be any type of metal I've come into contact with in my lifetime.  I'm not totally set on getting one or anything, but that would be one of the things that's holding me back.

I knew a guy with one of those.  He had a chain going up to his pierced nipple.


Now that's bizarre :o

Now that's bizarre :o


So was he!

I knew a guy with one of those.  He had a chain going up to his pierced nipple.
Could you hear the chain rattling around?

Could you hear the chain rattling around?



2 from Oz ? You might think so ...














No ... the other is 'snoz' !  :P    :D






Although, I'm just about to go ...

2 from Oz ? You might think so ...














No ... the other is 'snoz' !   :P    :D






Although, I'm just about to go ...
Are the two from Oz wearing such chains?

Could you hear the chain rattling around?


I can't say that I recall noticing anything.  Mind you he generally wrapped himself in a big green cloak.

Just have one set of pierced ears, that I got in a show of support (at age 16) when my 6 year old cousin wanted pierced ears (she chickened out after me and our aunt (who was 47 at the time) got ours pierced.  Now my one hole has grown over, I've tried to reopen it by gently pushing the earring through, but it's not happening.  It hurts too much.  lol  And I'm such a wuss to pain.  ;D  I'd like to start wearing earrings again, but I'm not looking forward to the pain of the actual piercing. 

Never had anything else pierced or tattoo'd, again I site not liking pain too much.  8-P

I can't say that I recall noticing anything.  Mind you he generally wrapped himself in a big green cloak.
Was there a chain attached to the cloak?

A question for all of those with tongue piercings: Do you now talk with a lisp?



Cat

A question for all of those with tongue piercings: Do you now talk with a lisp?



Cat
...or those lip piercings, do you avoid having soup now?

Just have one set of pierced ears, that I got in a show of support (at age 16) when my 6 year old cousin wanted pierced ears (she chickened out after me and our aunt (who was 47 at the time) got ours pierced.  Now my one hole has grown over, I've tried to reopen it by gently pushing the earring through, but it's not happening.  It hurts too much.  lol  And I'm such a wuss to pain.   ;D  I'd like to start wearing earrings again, but I'm not looking forward to the pain of the actual piercing. 

Never had anything else pierced or tattoo'd, again I site not liking pain too much.  8-P


I had mine re-pierced recently and it only stung a little.

A question for all of those with tongue piercings: Do you now talk with a lisp?



Cat


I don't think it was a lisp.  I ended up talking slower so I could be understood.

Well (deep sigh), I used to be so happy that my daughter was so afraid of needles and pain that she would never have anything else pierced (got her ears pierced when she was younger).  However, last week she surprised me by getting her tongue pierced.  I was definitely not happy, but I guess that she is over 18 I don't have much say.  I'm sorry to say that I told her I was disappointed and shocked and that I was concerned that it might affect her job prospects.  She told me she wasn't planning on having it THAT long.  I was worried when she accompanied me to the lake, but I guess the upside to my parents being in their 70s, almost blind and definitely hard of hearing is that they didn't notice (I also noticed that she didn't laugh like she used to in case they'd see it).

No offense intended to anyone with their tongue pierced, but I was bummed out that she did it and still have trouble getting my head around why she would want to put a hole in her tongue.  Usually people get piercings in places where people can see it so they can wear lovely jewelry.  All I can see of this is that she now has a hole in her tongue and something that she has to now talk and eat around.  I guess I'm just old...or at least old-fashioned. 



For what it's worth, I think stuff like that is just self-expression. It depends on the person, but I think piercings can still be kind of "a shock" to the older generations (i.e. over 50 maybe). Tattoos are probably a little more common with the older crowd though, like I've seen 60ish year olds who were probably hardass bikers back in the day or something that still have them on their arms or something, lol.

In the '90s I think it was something people did to "rebel" or just to be edgy. Now it's still kinda edgy but more mainstream, I see lots of people with nose and lip-rings, for instance.

Yeah some employers can still be uptight about things like that (i.e. part of the establishment), but I'd probably say as long as you get one in a place you can cover it up, it should be cool. Although on the otner hand, what fun is it if you can't share it with other people? ;) I can understand a Fortune 500 company maybe, but I don't know why it matters if you're working at the supermarket lol.

A question for all of those with tongue piercings: Do you now talk with a lisp?



Cat


I've had my tongue pierced for...let's see, about 6 years now. When I first got it done...the actual piercing didn't really hurt...just felt strange..BUT, the few weeks after the piercing...were hell. My tongue was swollen, I couldn't talk..and at the time I was a server at a restaurant...so ya.  I found out that I was having an allergic reaction to the jewelry...so I had to go back and get a titanium barbell.  They do make tongue rings that are like plastic ones....they are good because if you accidentally bite down on it..it doesn't crack your tooth or hurt like hell...BUT, they do tend to break easily.

Anyway, after getting my tongue pierced, I had to adapt to the jewelry in my mouth...so yes, I had to talk differently than what I was used to. I *sort of* had a lisp..nothing major....but I am so used to having it in my mouth now..that when I take it out...it's like a part of me is missing. LOL! :P

That pretty much answered my question, hehe, thanks Erin. :)

I know a guy who has a Prince Albert.  Of all tatoos and piercings, I really don't see why anyone would want one like that


One time I was shooting pool with a couple girls, and one of them mentioned that she worked at a tattoo/piercing shop and that she did body piercings. I asked her if she'd done any Prince Alberts and she said yes, she's done a few.  Being a smartass, I then asked her if she'd ever "had Prince Albert in the can."

She really didn't respond in any way but I think she was just pretending like she didn't get the joke.  ;D

I've had my tongue pierced for...let's see, about 6 years now. When I first got it done...the actual piercing didn't really hurt...just felt strange..BUT, the few weeks after the piercing...were hell. My tongue was swollen, I couldn't talk..and at the time I was a server at a restaurant...so ya.  I found out that I was having an allergic reaction to the jewelry...so I had to go back and get a titanium barbell.  They do make tongue rings that are like plastic ones....they are good because if you accidentally bite down on it..it doesn't crack your tooth or hurt like hell...BUT, they do tend to break easily.

Anyway, after getting my tongue pierced, I had to adapt to the jewelry in my mouth...so yes, I had to talk differently than what I was used to. I *sort of* had a lisp..nothing major....but I am so used to having it in my mouth now..that when I take it out...it's like a part of me is missing. LOL! :P


I always found changing the jewelery to be a pain in the ass.  Can't tell you how many balls I accidentally swallowed. ::)

I can't say that I recall noticing anything.  Mind you he generally wrapped himself in a big green cloak.
That's the sound of the man working on the chain gang.

A question for all of those with tongue piercings: Do you now talk with a lisp?

Cat


I work with a bunch of Gen Y'ers with tongue peircings and every single one of them has a terrible lisp to the point where they have to hand the phone to me to translate stuff to their clients who cannot understand them.  They all have also admitted to me that the back of their top teeth are badly damaged from bashing into the stud thing constantly.

Me - well I had two earring holes in each ear back in the mid 80s when I was mid teens. I let them close up in the early 90s when I grew bored with jewellery.

I got my first tatt in 2001 when a bunch of American net pals flew to Oz to visit me. It was like a bonding thing that we all did on their final day in Oz. They all got things like Koalas etc. I got a medieval graphic featuring the Libran zodiac symbol. One thing that will never change about me is my star sign! Its on the inside right ankle.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q200/kj68/Spare%20stuff/tattoo.jpg

The second one I got just before christmas last year. I was wanting some kind of smile to represent my major oral surgery and new grin that had taken place that year. I had narrowed it down to a few cartoonish smiles when I realised it was also 30 years since I first experienced Rocky Horror and had watched it nearly 2000 times in the years since - so it seemed natural to get the RH lips/smile. As an addition - because I had been flying across the country to see the same musical every few months (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) I added a purple ostrich feather swishing underneath the lips and the year 2007.  Its all quite large - about the size of my palm - and is on the inside of my left ankle.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q200/kj68/Spare%20stuff/Dec07Melbourne013tatcrop.jpg
This was taken the night I got it done so it was still very red - especially around the feather.

In winter they are only visible to to those I am prepared to roll my jeans up for. In summer I wear capris and sandals so they are visible if someone happens to look down.

I want 2 more eventually. One is a monkey holding scales - which would represent both my chinese and western zodiacs. I want it in black brush strokes like a fountain pen or paint brush stroke. I can picture what I want but cannot draw to save my life!
I also want a bracelet that looks like a jigsaw. in black and purple. The closest I can get my design to is actually similar to a famous jewellers ring designs.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q200/kj68/Spare%20stuff/fusion3piece2.jpg

I always found changing the jewelery to be a pain in the ass.  Can't tell you how many balls I accidentally swallowed. ::)



Um... :-X


;) :D :D ;D ;D ;D



Cat

Um... :-X


;) :D :D ;D ;D ;D



Cat


No, not THOSE!!!

Part of the jewelry. 

No, not THOSE!!!

Part of the jewelry. 


Thanks for clarifying, lol.  ;D

Thanks for clarifying, lol.  ;D


Yeah well, sometimes Cat's impure thoughts go out of wack. ::)

Yeah well, sometimes Cat's impure thoughts go out of wack. ::)



Moi? I'm a pure as the driven snow.

http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/25.gif



Cat

I have an earing in my left ear, had it for about a few years now. I saw my mates had their ear pierced and I thought; "That seems like a good idea". Nothing more to it than that.

At the moment, I won't get any tattoos purely because they are irreversible and I am too indecisive.