Question:
Should I let my 14 year old daughter get snake bites?
?
2014-07-11 17:37:20 UTC
Well my daughter has been wanting snake bite piercings for a long time and she's been begging me to get them like she even raised a bunch of money to get them and I'm just not sure cause I don't want her to get judged a lot or I'm afraid it's going to scare her face. What should I do? Should I let her get it or should she wait till she's older?
Eleven answers:
Chrissy
2014-07-11 18:59:48 UTC
If she has raised the money you should reward her for her hard work and let her know you are proud of her. You need to let her be herself and let her express the way she wants to. I know you want to protect her but growing and identifying yourself is a part of life. If she wants snake bites she's a tough girl already and can handle any judgement. I think snake bites are harmless and if anything not letting her get them can only damage the relationship between you all.
anonymous
2014-07-11 17:56:36 UTC
Let her get them, it's her fault if she doesn't want that nasty scar after she takes them out (if she ever does.) she probably won't care about people's opinion. My mom is strict and let me stretch my ears (now at a 0) because it's my fault if i never get a job when i'm older. But oh well, i can always get them stitched if I don't want them when i'm older. It will be expensive, but oh well. And also, there are people my age getting tattoos already. A few of my friends actually, so what's better? A tattoo or snakebites? Snakebites only leave a tiny hole. And not trying to label, but i'm assuming your daughter has her own style and doesn't care what people think, and i have the style where i wear a lot of black. I have pink hair too. Teenagers want to be creative. And there are many people i know that are in the same style i am, though they are guys and they find snakebites attractive on girls. Teenagers need to express themselves, and if she regrets it later on, oh well, it's her fault! I think you should let her! :)
Samantha
2016-03-08 08:49:16 UTC
I understand this, most people including my mother when i first started getting reptiles, think they are evil and unfortunately snakes are really high and that "evil" list. the thing that needs to be taken into consideration is snakes are a living creature and will need care, they are not a cuddling pet but they do learn to trust their owners if the right care is taken out to ensure a long happy life. For you ( and for my mom before i started and now that i am an adult she is good with all my reptiles) is education, it all comes down to things that we are scared of and do not understand fully. Snakes have no legs so it comes to no shock that they would be "different" and "scary" and just plain "evil", like i said since your daughter is only 14 you need to be able to be okay with having the snake in the house, snakes are GREAT escape artists and if there is a way out they will find it, but they wont get out for the sole purpose to kill your pets or to kill you in your sleep, they will seek a warm dark place to hide most likely. For a beginner snake i would recommend either a ball python... a heavier bodied snake who move slowly but get 4-5 and a half feet depending on the sex, but are very docile snake that would rather ball up then bite. they will need to be fed a larger food item. A corn snake is another good choice they can get a bit longer some reaching about 6 and a half feet but again they are really great snakes, they do move more and you will have to be able to keep up with the movements when it is taken out, but they are great beginner snakes as well, and eat small food items then the ball python. there are other snakes but in my books these two are at the very top for the beginner snakes. learn what you can about snakes, things might even surprise you. for instance did you know that Hog nose snakes ( located all across north america) if threatened will roll over and play dead, their tongue sticks out and everything, it has to be one of the funniest things i have ever seen. i hope you let her but again it is your house and it is your decision in the end =) hope this helps a little bit =) if you have any questions i will be happy to answer all of them.
?
2014-07-11 17:41:13 UTC
Im pretty open minded...I got my belly pieced at 15. I still have it 20 yrs later. BUT she is really young...think about the type you people she will attract...certainly not the type of girl I would want my teenager to hang out with. I would question why her parents allowed her to do it then figure they are absent parents. Whats next a tattoo at 16?
anonymous
2014-07-11 18:02:09 UTC
HEELLLLL NOOO. That will make her look like either an emo or stripper depending on how she styles them. Tell her no, she will regret it in 10 years and she is way too young! Plus it will make you look like a bad mom to other parents! She will attract crack head friends that buy drugs and listen to heavy metal music. It will attract a bad crowd and she's way too young.
Bubbles
2014-07-11 18:23:34 UTC
lol sounds like your daughter needs to speak to someone whose had them for more than 8 years & has the experience to say whether or not it's a good idea.



Whether or not you think your daughter will look good with them should be irrelevent. She clearly thinks she will. She may get the piercing when she is older even if she is a teen. The best thing is to try and wait it out for at least 6 months to 1 year. If she still wants the piercing then allow her to get it. Otherwise, this could be just a fad or trend she is interested in now, but will regret later. Oral piercings are different than an ear piercing (however you can't clear up the holes entirely on those, cartiladge heals well on the ear tho like a helix piericng). There's long term effects to consider.



You & she have to consider a few things. Over time her snake bites (& tongue piercings) will cause tooth decay. The piercing rubs over the teeth constantly eroding the enamel & the gums, it also dries out that area of the mouth causing cavities & other dental issues. It starts with tooth sensitivity, if your daughter already has sensitive teeth I don't recommend it. Additionally, if your daughter does or should she decide to smoke cigarettes it will increase the amount of oral health issues she will have. If she does smoke before she gets the piercings it may effect the way it scars. The scars are usually thicker. That's why you are told before and after every surgery not to smoke. So these are some things to consider. Make sure your daughter is properly educated about these things. Most girls have them in for a few years, they get some dental issues, or they don't clean them properly so they have a few infections that cause the wound to puff up/ooze/discharge/turn reddish pink/or what we call the volcano effect (looks like a crater with reddness around the area).....& after any of these happen for a few years or their dentist informs them it's due to their piercings they usually take them out.



I've done piercings for 10 years. You are supposed to be informed of these risk before you & your daughter make the final decision. In teens, we are supposed to encourage our teenage customers and their parents to take at least 24 hrs to reconsider the piercing. If you do choose to allow her to ge the piercing be sure to go to a reputable shop that follows the rules b/c most don't. & if your daughter does have issues take her to the doctor. They will ask her to remove the piercings. If she goes to a shop they will ask her to leave them in while it heals & it can cause more scarring/infections. Even if you are given the proper solutions to clean the piercing. It is a safe place, but if you do end up with an infection or scarring it's best to take the piercing out immediately and allow it to heal. She may get it repierced near the scarred area. Re piercing scar tissue or infected tissue is not recommended. If her infection, redness, puffiness, and oozing doesn't reduce within a few days of using the solutions please visit your emergency room/urgent care center. Your daughter may be allergic to the metal in the piercing even if it's hypoallergenic.



If the piercing does heal well I would recommend your daughter see a dentist every 6 months even when she's an adult. She should not smoke. She needs to drink plenty of water constantly throughout the day to keep her mouth moist. She needs to clean the piercings constantly (2-3 times a day, when she wakes up, after she eats lunch, and before bed - forever), even after the initial period. She might want to try sensodyne. She needs to avoid acidic foods & drink. This will help her avoid any extra damage to her teeth. Also she won't have to worry about infections later on. & another thing to consider since she is young. Black heads and pimples. Around the piercing. She can't pop them, she needs to use an extractor. Her fingernails will cause a mean infection/redness/swelling/bleeding. She may have some that literally grow right on the piercing and cause pain when the piercing is in. It's pretty nasty & she will have to take the piercing out. If it scars ( the pimple) she might not be able to put the piercing back in. That has happened to a few of my customers whose parents allowed them to get theirs at 14. At about 16 they were back in the shop asking for help & we needed to repierce it, creating a new hole next to the orignal. The original scar was pretty nasty, but everyone scars differently. The issue is it's on your face so it's very noticeable.



Additionally, she may not be able to get certain jobs in the future. I've had friends take them out because they wanted to work in an office or at a nicer place. One friend actually had to change for work once, she was going a bit fast & she ripped one of her piercings out b/c it got caught on a string on her shirt. She was fired b/c she had a medical emergency in the middle of a busy day.



Some places say they will hire anyone, but they can, have, and will really scoff behind the persons back just b/c they have a piercing, or worse a scarred piercing. You both have to consider this. Fortunately, some places do ask you to just take them out, or they will allow you to wear them. But a face piercing is a face piercing. It's nearly the business equivalent of a hand tattoo. It has to be covered up on most occasions, or they just say thanks for the interview and whisper (what was she thinking wearing that in here). At least that's my managerial experience. It's sad, but it's a fact. People discriminate - even businesses.



So now that you know what to consider, please do reconsider with your daughter. Snake bites are really great, like any piercing, but she really has to understand the weight of her decision. Most people don't consider all of this BEFORE getting the piercing, they just run into the issue after. Yes, they look awesome, but if that's the only reason - and you have this list of other reasons...she might not want it in 5-10 yrs if you know what i mean. & that's always the reason for reconsidering a piercing. What will she want somewhere down the road. So please make her sit on it for some time before actually letting her get it. It does bleed a lot so she shouldn't freak out during the procedure. They are really cute, but not everyone is open to them.
Connor
2014-07-11 17:40:21 UTC
Snake bites are just like any other piercing really if she decide to take them out it will only leave a tiny hole. Plus they look pretty awesome :)
anonymous
2014-07-11 17:39:54 UTC
From a young guy perspective: they aren't very attractive
?
2014-07-11 17:52:16 UTC
If i was her father i would make her wait, this could be something that she will regret for her whole life! Maybe also blame you, also many of teenages get stupid ! Including me, although im a boy but i used to be like her! For like a year, my brothers still like that :s



Anyway i think it looks super ugly !!!
?
2014-07-11 17:38:13 UTC
I would let her get them. I mean, she even got the money herself, I think she deserves to get them.
anonymous
2014-07-11 18:36:13 UTC
it is her face, whatever judgement she gets will be her problem. if she doesnt mind it, why do you


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...