#2: Know your child

If you refuse them, would they conceivably do the job themselves? Be sure your teens understand that there will be severe consequences if they pierce or tattoo themselves or a friend.

#3: Negotiate a deal

If your teen has her heart set on a tattoo, ask her to start off small, with a tiny rose or sunburst, or to pick an inconspicuous place, such as her ankle or shoulderblade. (You can also insist that you go with her to get the tattoo, which, in some cases, may be embarrassing enough to have her put it off!) You can also use delay tactics, such as telling your teen that he needs to "earn" his body decoration, perhaps through chores, or you can just flatout tell him he has to wait. Since body decoration can be an impulsive act, they might not want one anymore after they've grown up a little.

#4: Talk about all kinds of pain

It's no secret that getting a tattoo hurts-really hurts. And although some teens might find enduring the pain of a tattoo sort of a war story of adolescence, they may feel differently when it's time to get one removed-an excruciatingly painful process. (And also expensive. In 2001, the AAD reported that a tattoo that costs $50 to $100 to obtain may cost $1,200 to $1,500 to remove by laser, with the average cost of an individual tattoo laser treatment ranging from $350 to $600 per treatment.)

WHAT IF I GIVE IN TO MY TEEN'S REQUEST?

Still, if you and your teen decide to go forward with body decoration, how do you pick the safest procedure and best venue? According to Fleming, each state has different regulations with regard to tattoos and piercings, but ". check to be sure the establishment is properly licensed," he says. "Also, like restaurants, the cleanliness of the floor, walls, and bathrooms is a rough index of the sanitary conditions. I would also observe for good sterile technique in terms of use of sterile gloves, disposable needles, and properly sterilized instruments." A piercing gun should not be used since it cannot be properly sterilized, and needles should never be reused. Fleming notes that for hair cutting, shaving, and dying, a sterile technique is not necessary, but it is again important to check out an establishment's license and cleanliness. Additionally, make sure your teen is fully immunized against hepatitis B and tetanus before getting a piercing or tattoo, and, with piercing in particular, The American Academy of Pediatrics/New York Chapter 2 recommends that they use only jewelry made of surgical grade stainless steel, 14 karat or 18 karat gold, niobium, or titanium and that you keep pierced and tattooed areas clean until they are completely healed (see chart).

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Issue: October 2008