Should there be an age of consent for "beauty" treatments?

[maybabydoll]

Hi All,

I've seen various posts/articles recently about parents choosing to give their children "beauty" treatments (i.e piercing their babies' ears/cultural tattoos/giving children botox). So a few questions to discuss...

1. Do you think there should be an age of consent for treatments/procedures? Should some treatments have different age limits? If so, why?

2. Some treatments seem more "acceptable" such as ear piercing than others. Should this be the case? If so, why?

3. Which do you tend to agree with "my child, my choice" verus "not my body, not my choice"?

Hope this doesn't offend anyone, I've posted it in this section as I'm interested in hearing people's thoughts. x x

 

[Lightworker]

Technically, the Convention on the Rights of the Child outlaws cultural markings so those are illegal. Depending on how you interpret it, piercings are also illegal just that different jurisdictions have not implemented them. IMO these should be prohibited until the child becomes an adult. Problems however will come in drafting the actual legislation as beauty treatments vary greatly and to get an all-compassing law would be tough, but I am all for it.

 

[Lightworker]

With regard to why some treatments are more acceptable, I think its because of the intention behind the action ie the treatments are used to "beautify" the child and so its ok. People will only think something is wrong if there malice and intent to harm behind the action but IMO, as long as it hurts the child physically, emotionally, then it needs to be legislated against. You mention things like piercing but there's other stuff like hair straightening which may seem mild but grossly undermines confidence.

 

[maybabydoll]

Technically, the Convention on the Rights of the Child outlaws cultural markings so those are illegal. Depending on how you interpret it, piercings are also illegal just that different jurisdictions have not implemented them.

Interesting stuff, I did not know that. Thanks for sharing. I wonder how come so many babies can get their ears pierced so easily then?

With regards your comments about the intentions behind the action, I know what you mean. But it's funny how extreme the reactions were to botox but not to ear piercing, when technically they could both be seen as the parent choosing to "beautify" their child. Could it be double standards??

I also agree that other "milder" treatments, although temporary can be damaging in other ways. i.e. hair straightening (as you say) and also skin lightening/fake tan/make-up etc etc

Personally, I wouldn't do any of these, but I'd like to understand how others feel about them. x x

 

[Kimmer]

I think there should be an age of consent. I believe it should be about 16 for piercings.

I'm very much in the 'not my body, not my choice' way of thinking. I don't know anyone that would get their babies lip/eyebrow/septum or whatever pierced when they're tiny.. yet plenty of people are fine with punching holes in a babies ears. Babies aren't dolls, they don't need any of that rubbish.

I know I wouldn't want anyone doing anything to my body if I didn't have a say.

I recently saw a picture of a baby (about 6 months old) having it's ear stretched. Meaning it had a piercing in it's ear and the mother and a few others were pushing a big black tube through its ear to stretch the piercing. In my opinion that is totally wrong. I'm aware it's a cultural thing (I have my ears stretched to 30mm) but I know how much it hurts. The baby in the picture was screaming its head off!

I don't understand why anyone would tattoo a baby, never heard of that happening. Surely it would stretch out and look weird within a few years?

I'm of the opinion that no one has the right to inflict any kind of modification onto another person without their consent, whether it's circumcision, ear piercing, tattoos, botox, cosmetic surgery etc.

 

[maybabydoll]

I'm very much in the 'not my body, not my choice' way of thinking. I don't know anyone that would get their babies lip/eyebrow/septum or whatever pierced when they're tiny.. yet plenty of people are fine with punching holes in a babies ears.

See, I thought I was of the opinion of it's your child, it's your choice, especially on the topic of if you wanted to pierce your baby's ears. Then when I think about botox or as you say other types of piercing or stretching shock, I find myself thinking "hang on a minute... it's not my body, it's not my choice". Why should one type be fine and not the other.

The more I think about it, the more I think there should be an age of consent for any cosmetic modification. I agree I think 16 sounds sensible, if not 18. x x

 

[tallybee]

I am of the opinion that doing these things to children too young to ask for it is wrong. I think things like botox should be 16+. Hair straightening and ear piercing ought to be available younger though. But only if the child wants to - parents or anyone else making them feel they NEED it is just not right IMO.

 

[polo_princess]

I think any "cosmetic" procedure, be it piercings, fake nails, eyelashes, hair colouring, extensions etc etc that are done by outside persons need to be 16+ in an ideal world

I walked past a nail bar the other day and a sign said in the window "20% off acrylic nails for under 16's" and thought why do kids need that? They are still kids under the age of 16 whether they like it or not and a lot of cosmetic treatments can be detrimental with continued use, acrylics will ruin your nails, continual colouring of hair will damage it.

 

[nov_mum]

I am not a fan. I'm all for kids being kids before we push our views of beauty and acceptance on them. I know that often it is intended to be kind and adorning but perhaps it also sends the message that they need adornign to be beatiful?? Check out this article. Obviously a little different than popping a face mask on a tween but where is the line??

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/5004760/US-beauty-pageant-mom-gives-8-yr-old-Botox

 

[Sarahkka]

Definitely in the "not my body, not my choice" camp.
I feel that my job is to protect and nurture those little bodies and to allow my sons to make their own choices about permanent procedures to their bodies.
For me, that includes everything from circumcision to piercings to tattoos.
Most of all, I think our kidlets need the love and support necessary to give them the self-confidence they need to accept and love themselves just as they are. That's way harder than taking your 8 year old to the botox clinic.

 

[tallybee]

I've just remembered that my daughter's friend (aged 5) sometimes has her curly hair straightened (by her mum). The lass loves it, and so does her mum because it can actually be brushed and kept tidy then. Left in its natural curls, it is really difficult to deal with and gets very matted very easily. I know this, I've taken the girls swimming etc

What do people think of this? I don't think it's in the same league as botox or piercings.

 

[Lightworker]

Initially, when I said straightening I meant Afro hair being chemically straightened. Afro hair can be HAARD to deal with and people do it for ease and also for aesthetics. But whether it is chemically or manually straightened, and for whatever reason, I still feel you are rejecting your child's natural hair and compromising her self-esteem. It's like saying "in order to look acceptable your hair needs to be straightened." My daughter's hair is hard to manage but I put in the work, I don't straighten it. X

 

[maybabydoll]

Sorry, yes I had meant chemically straightening too. I think non-permanent treatments are different, but that said I think it's sad to see young girls in make-up too.

So far everyone has had similar views, anyone from the pro-beauty treatments camp out there? Would be good to hear from both points of view? x x

 

[moomin_troll]

not my body not my choice!
i think there should be a age limit on all beauty treatments