Iowa parents say body piercing needs regulation

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Jared McCulley got his first piercing at 15.

Using peroxide, his friend pushed a safety pin through his bottom lip.

More facial jewelry followed four more piercings in his lips and gauges to stretch his earlobes.

For those, he went to area parlors. No parental permission was needed.

Iowa is among more than a dozen states that let minors get a tongue stud, navel ring or pierced eyebrow without approval from mom or dad.

The state has no permit process or inspections for body-piercing establishments. Legislation introduced nearly every year never gains traction.

I wouldnt be at all surprised to see it come up again this year, although I dont think its one of the main priorities, said Jon McNamee, environmental health program manager with the Black Hawk County Health Department.

Some areas like Cerro Gordo County, as well as many piercing establishments, impose their own policies or age limits.

Public health officials have long advocated procedures be controlled across the board.

Its the same reason we were so strongly in support of stronger regulations on tattoo artists, he said. If done wrong, it has public health ramifications.

Three of McCulleys siblings also have piercings.

His mother, Angel Apling, is not as concerned about tongue rings, which are more concealed.

But when another son, Braden McCulley, 15, recently came home with pierced dimples, she was angry.

They say children under the age of 16 cant really make a decision for themselves as far as if they want to have sex or not, so what makes it any different for them to do this body desecration to themselves? she said.

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, who supports piercing regulations, said teens may not make sound choices because their brains arent fully developed.

You can do things to yourself that you could regret later on in your life, Dotzler said. Thats kind of why I never got a tattoo. What I thought was cool one time, I look back 10 years later, and I go, What the heck was I thinking?

Dotzler goes so far as to say underage piercing should be forbidden.

Some parents dont exhibit the best judgment, either, he said.

Dotzler is aware youths want to make a statement. He challenged his school dress code by not wearing socks or belts and letting his hair grow over his ears.

We didnt think our parents and school officials really understood us, he said. Today, things are elevated at a much higher level, so it is a problem.

Braden McCulley said with the new Waterloo school dress code, piercings are a way to express himself.

But while they arent as much of a commitment as tattoos, they can result in scarring. As Jared McCulley, now 16, looks to his senior year of high school, he has removed all but the holes in his ears, and he fears the permanent marks may hamper his job search and future in the medical field.

I have scar tissue, like bubbles, he said. Its the first thing I see when I look in the mirror. It looks horrible.

Adam Nicholas, a piercer at Ritual Body Arts in Cedar Falls which serves minors has talked to plenty of upset parents.

Someones like, Oh, my God, you pierced my 16-year-old girls belly button, he said. Im like, OK, lady, I understand your problem. Youre upset, mainly because your daughter did something without telling you. In my experience, if a kid really wants to get their belly button pierced, theyre going to get it done.

Nicholas worries about teens attempting to pierce themselves. He would rather they seek professionals, who use sterilized needles and appropriate jewelry and are aware of potential nerve damage. His clients are given aftercare instructions and advised to keep in touch if infections occur.

We never do a piercing and then are like, Hey, kid, dont tell anybody where you got this, Nicholas said.

Ear-piercing guns used by unqualified retail store clerks are not always sterile and can spread disease, according to Nicholas. They blast a piece of metal through the ear or cartilage, and the body may react negatively. Hollow gauge needles are cleaner, designed for piercing and less invasive, he said.

Several states regulate body piercing, with most requiring some type of parental consent for minors, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The penalties vary by state. Often ear piercing is exempt.

People who illegally pierce minors in Oklahoma could face up to 90 days in jail and $5,000 in fines. Violators in Virginia are guilty of a misdemeanor.

Nicholas thinks Iowa lawmakers cant decide what constitutes a body piercing, which is slowing the process of passing regulations.

I mean, its OK to take a 3-year-old out to Walmart and get the kids earlobes pierced, but not if a 14-year-old comes in here to get an industrial, he said. Those are all ear piercings, technically.

At Ritual, Nicholas pierces on a case-by-case basis.

Plenty of my clients are not 18 yet, but they already have children of their own, he said. If youre going to go out and make other humans, me piercing your belly button is not that big of a deal, he said.

Omega Red at College Square requires anyone younger than 16 to come in with their parents. The teens and parents must sign a waiver and show their IDs.

Thats just basically us trying to be socially responsible, said piercer Maggie Rees.

New piercings require proper care to prevent infections, and youngsters are more apt to play with the jewelry and not follow instructions, Rees said. The artists make sure parents and teens are aware of the responsibility and risks.

But Trevor Deutsch, a tattooist and body piercer at Area 51 Tattoos and Body Piercing, does not think state mandates are necessary. Parlors should be responsible enough to set their own policies, he said.

I think each piercing artist themselves, they have to have some moral standards and stuff, you know? he said. If youre in this kind of business, you should have the right mentality to be able to regulate that yourself, whats acceptable and whats not.

I sure wouldnt pierce a 12-year-old who came in and wanted their nipples pierced, he added. You dont need it, you know? Youre 12 years old.

- By Tina Hinz, Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier