<p>Like Irishdoctor, I think an ear cartilage piercing looks cheap compared to a single piercing in each earlobe. I don’t know, it’s the same way a mullet haircut doesn’t look good. It’s pure aesthetics from my point of view; my objections to my kids getting them would be based on aesthetics, not OMG-they-might-die-from-it. Having said that, once they are of age, it’s their business. I just think seeing a beautiful young woman in a strapless dress with some big butterfly on the back of her shoulder – it’s not elegant, it ruins the look.</p>
<p>Another physician here. The issue is the cartilage- a different tissue with different reactions to piercing- much more problematic as far as the body is concerned. I personally had my ears pierced as an adult since the pain of wearing clip on earrings for events was awful. I wear simple earrings all of the time so the holes don’t close, removing them for hair washing showers. I can’t comment on nose piercings since my mother-in-law from India has one- she downplays it when here. It was a stressful anesthesia case once for a young woman with a newly pierced tongue (and emotional issues)- safety issues.</p>
<p>Once talked to a younger man and found he had spent more than ten thousand dollars on tattoos- he had a young son and it looked as though he didn’t have much money for him. An investment better spent on his child’s welfare in my book.</p>
<p>I am all for remembering people and events in life. I think a nice photo on the wall or an album is a much better way to accomplish that without harming your future. Few business people outside a few limited areas are working with visible odd piercings or tats.</p>
<p>Most people( I have been a massage therapist) that have tattoos don’t have them visible in areas not covered by business attire. You would be surprised by how many have tats. I know I was.</p>
<p>Ok, I am clearly in a minority here, but as a parent whose son has both a piercing (just one ear lobe) and a tattoo, I have had no objection to either. Made sure he went to reputable facilities for both, but I had no control over that tattoo, as he was over 18 by then and did not need our consent. I think his earring looks good on him, and the tattoo is of his own design that has a special meaning to him. I know he will never have a job in the corporate world, so not worried about future negative career implications.</p>
<p>I believe, too, that there is no point to taking health risks, but honestly, all the parental brouhaha about how unsavory the piercings/tattoos are strikes me as that kind of universal generational complaining about how the younger generation doesn’t meet the older generation’s standards. Our parents complained about boys’ long hair and when, at 15, I went and got my ears pierced, my mother was horrified: “How could you do something so barbaric to yourself?”</p>
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<p>H sees women naked in the course of his profession, and estimates that probably 30% of all his patients have tattoos – rising to maybe 50% - 60% among the younger crowd. I totally agree, people who appear conservative on the surface may indeed have who-knows-what below the surface. I don’t make a moral judgment about tattoos, however – just an aesthetic one – and fully recognize that people don’t have to care about my aesthetic approval of their choices.</p>
<p>I will also add that I always wanted my nose pierced, since a friend did when she was 16. ( I was also 16, so it has been 37 years ago)
I still like the way it looks, however I never had it done.</p>
<p>My younger daughter had it done before she went to India & she hasn’t had any trouble with it. ( She also got a tattoo when she turned 18, from a well researched shop).
I would feel silly getting a nose piercing after she did, however, I have been researching tattoo designs. ;)</p>
<p>Ok - I am going to say it - there is defintely a bias against multiple piercings and visible tattoos in the business world particularly for customer-facing positions.</p>
<p>Is it against the law? Yes. Can they prove that they didn’t get a job because of it - no. True story - 5 great new grads competing for one open position. All had similar credentials, it was just down to who was the best fit for the organization. The kid with the spider tattoo on his neck peeking out of his button down shirt - first to be eliminated. Why? Not the best fit. Truth - concerns about how he would be perceived by customers. Plus, I don’t think he will ever live down the spiderman comments…</p>
<p>And that after paying $200+K at a private university. </p>
<p>So, as much as it isn’t fair the bias does exist.</p>
<p>Emerald, I totally agree about the nose piercing. I love the look of the little stud on the side of the nose, but at 54, I think I would just look ridiculous.</p>
<p>Oh sure, I really dislike piercing and tats and am on record. That said, my H has one that no one but I and his docs have seen (I hope). But some kids are over the top with multiple piercings on their face and large tats sticking out of their clothes. Aesthetically they are totally unappealing to me and quite distracting in a business setting. Kids can talk to me until they are blue in the face about personal choice and all that and yes it is ultimately their personal choice but my attitude is don’t cry on my shoulder if someone thinks you are loony for doing that to your body. I told the kids if they want one make it small and put it somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine. One friend (female) of my son was visiting and she’s gone alittle over board with the tats and holes this year and both my H and my son both remarked that she’s going to be very sorry someday she did that to herself.</p>
<p>My teenage son commented the other day that so many people have tattoos, that is now unique not to have one.</p>
<p>My dad had a large naval insignia tattooed on his forearm during first week he arrived in San Diego for service in 1943 at age 17. He had had a few beers and, unfortunately, he was in the front of the line at the tattoo parlor. It was something he regretted until he died a couple of weeks ago at age 84.</p>
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<p>I don’t think people with tattoos are in a protected class. It may be unfair, but I don’t think it is illegal.</p>
<p>I don’t like tattoos; haven’t seen one I like, and I’ve seem some done with love and care in memory of a loved one. Some parents who have lost children have chosen to have tattoos in their memory. The sentiment is one that I can understand, but I personally don’t care for the tattoos.</p>
<p>The same goes for extreme piercings. I have cousins with ear lobes with huge holes as part of the piercing decor. Looks creepy to me.</p>
<p>If you can find a job where they don’t care and it does not interfere with your making a living wage, go to it. It’s your business. Even on Wall Street, most tattos can be covered, and the studs can come out. I know someone who selectively wears on tongue stud. </p>
<p>My friend’s daughter who lives hand to mouth has a huge tattoo on her shoulder, arm, back and wants another. Just loves that ink. Hard for me to see this, but that is what she so enjoys. It has cost her her grandmother’s financial support. Not a dime from grandmom until the tattoos are gone. </p>
<p>But given some other issues that can arise with young adults, I don’t have really strong opinions about tattoos and piercings. Just don’t ask me to pay for any.</p>
<p>Thank you Irishdoctor for the information. I apologize if you think your response on the other thread was ignored by me. Just because I hadn’t replied yet doesn’t mean I had ignored it. I was waiting for as many replies as I could get to have my daughter read through them.</p>
<p>We have told my D that she will receive no tuition assistance from her parents if she chooses to get tattoos/piercings. Once she is in her first professional position and she is done with school, then it is her choice.</p>
<p>But twice in the last sixty days, two qualified candidates did not move on the process in this tight job market becasue of their appearance - one for a spider tattoo and one for a prominent nose ring. Both went to excellent private universities and had at least one internship - both were labeled as “not a fit.”</p>
<p>It may be a generational thing but the people with the money and the decision making power are in the driver’s seat.</p>
<p>momofboston, I can tell you wil absolute certainty that my small and nonvisible tattoo has not held me back in any meaningful way (obviously, as no one at work would see it) and nor has my cartilage piercing (more visible but still usually covered by my hair). Has it <em>possibly</em> shut me out of some job somewhere? Probably. But it didn’t stop me from getting either my expensive LAC education, my pre-acceptance to the #1 business school in the world, nor my prestigious and very conservative client-facing job in a B2B industry (and that from a 65 year old hiring manager who is NOT a fan of anything alternative or off the beaten track). </p>
<p>The bias may be common but it is certainly not universal. I am currently in a position where I have hired several new people - 4 have tattoos, 3 of which I didn’t know about when I hired them, the 4th I thought I saw a hint of when a shirt rode up. </p>
<p>Here is a list of fairly conservative companies where I <em>know</em> people with tattoos are working:
Goldman Sachs
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
IBM*
Skadden, Arps and I forget the other names… (the law firm)
McKinsey
BCG*
Bain
Procter & Gamble*</p>
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<li>these are the companies where I know someone working there who has a theoretically visible tattoo (ankle/forearm/wrist etc) though obviously I’m not privy to what was shown/not shown during interviews.</li>
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<p>I could probably list more, if I thought about it. Do I think it’s wise to cover your face in tattoos? No probably not. Do many successful people have tattoos, more often nonvisible but sometimes visible? Absolutely.</p>
<p>While I understand the risks and I’ve heard them all before, I have tons of friends (as a 20-year-old) with piercings/tattoos and no one has ever had problems. This is because we all took the time to do our research and go to reputable salons.</p>
<p>I have both earlobes pierced, my right upper cartilage and my nose on my left side. It is a VERY small stud in my nose (though I’ve always wanted a hoop and am going to try and get one in the next month or so). Most people don’t notice my nose piercing until I tell them I have one because the stud is so small.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why people would judge someone solely based on a piercing or tattoo. Just because you personally don’t like the look of it doesn’t mean they’re a bad/unprofessional/uneducated person. All of the people I’ve met who work in tattoo/piercing parlor have been some of the nicest, friendliest and most professional people I’ve met.</p>
<p>I have had my nose ring for 5 years now, and I have never had anyone treat me differently because of it. I work as an RA and a Summer Orientation Leader for my school, both of which put is into contact with a LOT of high-ranking officials and parents of students, and I have never had anyone complain about my piercings. In fact, many of my supervisors also have piercings/tattoos. Maybe it’s the Higher Ed/Student Affairs field (since many universities tend to be more liberally-oriented), but I just don’t see it being a problem.</p>
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<p>I just don’t get it. It’s not like your clients are going to run screaming from the room if they see a piercing or tattoo. What’s the big deal?</p>
<p>People need to move away from the “people might not like this” and the politically correct atmosphere. Hire whoever is the most qualified and will do the best job.</p>
<p>“…no one has ever had problems.”</p>
<p>They do not know unless they get tested for HepC/HIV/etc.</p>
<p>I know plenty of people with tattoos and piercings that are regular blood donors. The Red Cross notifies you confidentially if your blood tests positive for any blood borne pathogens that they standardly test for (I know HIV and HepC, not sure what else).</p>
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<p>There was recently a huge thread started by a mom who gave a similar ultimatum to her daughter, and then regretted it:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1165940-daughter-hid-tattoo-parents.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1165940-daughter-hid-tattoo-parents.html</a></p>
<p>Don’t back yourself into a corner before something even happens.</p>