Am I getting old or is this the most gopping form of body jewellery?

What is the attraction?

You must be getting old. I can think of one forum member who has it done actually…

🙂

poddy to the thread please 😉

LOL – I'll admit that I don't think that they're remotely aesthetically pleasing but if the person wants it, why not?

FWIW, I think PP's quite suit him in a Lord of the Rings kind of way 😉

I think it is absolutely horrid. How is that going to look in a few years and, in reality, how is it going to affect your chances of succeeding with careers and stuff?
I know it is an old fashioned view, but people are judged on appearances, like it or not, and I can only assume that perceptions of you will be tainted by that sort of thing just like facial tattoos. Why make your life more difficult?
I expect the answer will be "I don't care what other people think" and that is fair enough, but what other people think of you affects your life, like it or not, and I can't imagine that it's a possitive impact with something that most people don't really want to look at.

Go on, flame me for that!

That's a very narrow view though isn't it – sure it'll affect aspects of your life and career but then some people don't mind that. Your accent also affects you in much the same way yet you aren't arguing for people with less desirable accents to go off for elocution lessons, are you?

Different priorities/etc and all that…

on the subject of "I don't care what other people think" I found this the other day. These little vids are all very funny but I thought this one was spot on for this forum – particularly people like SFB 🙂

http://www.meetthebulldog.com/page/view/soap-box-spelling

I don't like 'em at all, I'm afraid.

Then again, I also don't like navel piercings. Look rather cheap to me.

Then again, I did have a dalliance some years ago with a young lady who had three piercings, none of which were on public display. She neglected to inform me of this until one dark night when I came across them (as it were). They were rather nice forms of piercing.

Career was just an example. I am sure that people will treat you differently in every aspect of your day to day life with the exception of those who know you personally.
I remember that shop security guards followed me around when I had a grade 1 haircut and I also notice how differently I am treated when wearing smart work clothes compared with scruffy clothes.
Choosing to do something like that is a clear statement to "the establishment" that you don't care about careers or whatever, I was thinking about going to the supermarket, asking for directions or having dinner in a restaurant.
I know I sound middle class about this (I am not a Daily Mail reader) but that doesn't mean I'm wrong…

While I am happy to accept that people are free to choose how they look I still cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can think that facial metalwork and piercings are in any way attractive. Not sure it's just an age thing either.. 😕

piercings or tattoos are fine, I have no problem with them at all (I have a tattoo) but I think it is short sighted to have something done that cannot be concealed when necessary.

LOL – I'll admit that I don't think that they're remotely aesthetically pleasing but if the person wants it, why not?

My sentiments as well, I'm not at all in favour of homogenisation, I'd just like to know why. Is it a similar type of expressionism as tribal tattoos on white folk?
And I'm curious as to whether you still get that nice feeling when somebody nibbles on your earlobe. 🙂

Some folk just have to define themselves externally. What can you do? So in 30 years their ears will be all weird and f***ed up looking but it's better to regret the things you did than those you didn't. An Orbital record taught me that, at least.

Oddjob – I don't disagree with you but not everyone is willing to conform for the sake of an easy life.

FWIW I take issue with it being "a clear statement to "the establishment" that you don't care about careers" – I worked with a guy who'd leak worse than a collander due to piercings but he's very well respected at work and in a senior position though people did take a while to get over their preconceptions.

Ppeople do treat you differently based on appearance but I do disagree that that's of critical importance. In fact, people often treat cyclists as being anti-social when you tell them you cycle/commute on a bike so should we all stop cycling?

how anyone can think that facial metalwork and piercings are in any way attractive

I always thought the idea was not to look attractive but to look 'different' – but different in the same way as other people who want to look 'different', so really it's a membership badge for the 'look at me I'm different' club……

Excellent stuff – more lip plates & neck rings.

hilldodger – there's definitely an element of that 🙂

I was going to get my eyebrow pierced before heading off to uni since I always (still do actually) thought it looked quite cool but when I got there I decided against since it was so common and I felt like it'd just be a cliché. I guess in a strange way, conforming by not having a piercing was the harder option 🙂

They're not exactly non-conformist, loads of people have them

Handy place to store spare trouser buttons.

I have one in each ear. Mine aren't tunnels through, they are strips of bone, about 1cm round, so not massive like some people's. I'm going to find some bigger bits soon though. It's a fascinating feeling having something poking through your skin, at least something that's supposed to be there, not a stick when you fell off at Fort William…

Piercing is something that every culture in the world partakes in. That's quite amazing really, I think.

Clubber, I don't think people should necessarily decide to get these things done or not based on having an easy life and I am sure there are successful people with all manner of wierd piercings. My point is that I don't understand why anyone would want to make their own lives difficult on a permanent basis.
Of the subject of "the establishment" I am reasonably confident that there is an element of rebellion in 99.9999% of people who do this whether they want to admit it or not.
Why not just wear an offensive Tshirt until you grow out of it 😈

If they are not that uncommon then I guess I am out of touch with society. I guess I have only seen a handful of people with them in my (sheltered apparently) life 😕

Aah – a chance to ask a naive question. My daughter has what amounts to a very thick ear piercing, maybe about 4mm in diameter. She says if she takes it out it will go back to normal. I'm not sure I believe her. Is there an expert in the house?

My point is that I don't understand why anyone would want to make their own lives difficult on a permanent basis.

We all make our lives difficult in one way or another with the choices we make. Having a baby has made my life permanently more difficult but it's well worth it.

And I'd abbreviate your other paragraph simply as "I am reasonably confident that there is an element of rebellion in 99.9999% of people"

Its not always about being a 'rebel'. Ever thought that they might like the look of them?

nice, i assume your ear will always be stretched if you change your mind?

I am Peterpoddys brother. I personally wouldn't have any piercings but I think they suit my brother, or at least suit his personality. He has never cared what people think of him and I know he just likes them. And they can be replaced with something else or taken out altogether and you wouldn't notice it.

I think he looked VERY respectable at his wedding, and I'm sure someone on here will agree!!

My daughter has what amounts to a very thick ear piercing, maybe about 4mm in diameter. She says if she takes it out it will go back to normal. I'm not sure I believe her. Is there an expert in the house?

Apparently so. I don't know how long it takes, or how much stretch til the effect becomes permanent though.

Ever thought that they might like the look of them?

Still waiting for somebody to say that though…

Maybe I'm just a product of my conservative upbringing and education 😆

I still can't help wondering why though…

As for the kids changing your life permanently – I agree 100%, but not the first impressions that people have of you personally and they way they will therefore treat you until they get to know you. (Assuming they take the time to)

BTW can anyone argue that the picture up there ^ with the green thing dangling from his/her ear isn't really minging?

I guess that the same arguement would apply that I use when talking about people who'll judge me based on my house or the car I drive (both a good bit cheaper/less flash that I could afford but not things that I care about for the bragging aspect of ownership) – simply that I really don't care what they think. Sometimes that might affect me and I could argue that my unwillingness to play the business game of golf/flash cars/etc in order to get in with the crowd has affected my career but then if that's what I have to do (I actually don't think it is) then I don't want to do it…

She says if she takes it out it will go back to normal. I'm not sure I believe her. Is there an expert in the house?

no expert but; I used to have a pair, circa 8mm, and they have grown back had shrunk to being not noticable within weeks- certainly to the point that people don't know i ever had them although my piercings are more noticable than 'normal ones' i also streetched too fast and pulled out the skin! ow! and so have some scar tissue there – i'd be cofident that 4mm would return.

It is a lot to do with skin/ flesh type how big you can go (in the first instance) and how permanent the deformation will be.

You're just gettng old.
Coffeeking, earlier that week keeping it real with the yoof…

I quite like relatively small flesh tunnels in the ear lobe (i.e. less than 1cm) and in my younger days would've probably considered having one, but I do cringe a bit when I see really young people (i.e. under 20) with really large flesh tunnels (saw a kid at PORC yesterday who had massive ones in each ear and he only looked about 14!) as it is bound to affect their future career choices and opportunities.

Clubber
I think we have similar opinions at the end of the day (I have a similar view of cars and golf)
I just wouldn't want to go through life scaring old ladies! It's your choice, but I wouldn't want to deal with other peoples prejudices.

I was going to get my eyebrow pierced before heading off to uni since I always (still do actually) thought it looked quite cool but when I got there I decided against since it was so common and I felt like it'd just be a cliché. I guess in a strange way, conforming by not having a piercing was the harder option

clubber, if you ever ever pierce your eyebrow, I'll laugh and when I can't laugh anymore I'm gonna pay one of my temps to laugh for me, then when I've rested I'm gonna carry on laughing.

Seriously mate, I'm glad you never did it, just wouldn't suit you.

Sorry If I'm too honest.

😉

You're probably right enough, KT 🙂 I still think it inherently looks cool (though by the sounds of it, on other people rather than me…)

On the other hand, KT, you really do look like you should have some tattoos and piercings, particularly facial ones 😉

The only difference between a tattooed or pierced person and one without is that we're not bothered that you don't have either.

I still think it inherently looks cool

Next you'll be telling us you like Steven Seagal films.

That's not entirely true is it though, PP – I know tattooed/pierced people who say that those that don't partake are squares/etc…

Oh, and Under Seige ROCKS! 😉