Why shouldn't teenagers get tattoos or piercings?

Of course, there is no objective proof that teens should not get tattoos or piercings.  It is, instead, a matter of opinion.  Most people agree that teens should not, but it is not a fact that this is so.  The reason that most people would give is that tattoos and piercings are permanent changes to a person’s body that can change his or her life.  Most people feel that teens are too young to make...

Of course, there is no objective proof that teens should not get tattoos or piercings.  It is, instead, a matter of opinion.  Most people agree that teens should not, but it is not a fact that this is so.  The reason that most people would give is that tattoos and piercings are permanent changes to a person’s body that can change his or her life.  Most people feel that teens are too young to make decisions of this sort.

Although tattoos and piercings are becoming more mainstream, there are still many people who disapprove of them.  Because some people disapprove, there are people who will not hire those with visible tattoos.  As an example of this, the link below shows that the US Army has many restrictions on the types of tattoos a person can have if they wish to enlist.  A person who tries to join the Army will be refused if he or she has tattoos that violate the policy.  The Army is by no means the only employer that refuses to hire people with tattoos.  There are others who may feel the same way about some kinds of piercings.

What this means is that a teen could change their entire life by getting a certain tattoo or piercing.  They might be disqualifying themselves from various jobs that they could one day wish to have.  In our society, we believe that teens are not old enough to make various kinds of decisions.  We do not let them get married.  We do not let them vote or enlist in the military.  We do not let them decide to smoke tobacco products or drink alcohol.  We do not punish them as severely as adults if they commit crimes.  In general, we believe that teens are immature and unready to make important decisions. 

Because we believe that teens are not grown up enough to make truly important decisions, and because the decision to get a piercing or a tattoo can change a person’s life, we tend to believe that teens should not be allowed to get tattoos or piercings without parental permission.