What comes to most peoples minds when they hear "DIY mods" is usually underage people carelessly poking themselves with needles. While I won't deny this is what happens in some cases (just read a few experiences on BME and you will find them) it certainly isn't always that way. The simple fact is there are and always will be various reasons to want to modify yourself with your own hands. I'm 20 years old. I have the legal ability to seek modifications on my own, I know who all the best local artists are and how to get to them, and I have the money to pay for a professional. Despite all of this about 1/3 of the modifications I've had since the age of 18 (including some of the heavier and more meaningful ones) were done by myself at home.
At A Glance Author Uberkitty IAM Uberkitty When N/A Why? Yes, professionals are absolutely wonderful; I'll be the first to tell you that. They spend years learning how to minimize risks and leave you with the most aesthetically pleasing outcome. But when I go to a professional I'm still trusting my body to someone else, something external, so from time to time I enjoy returning to my roots so to speak, and take it into my own hands. When I trust myself with the scalpel or needle I am truly the only person in control at that moment, and that's a very powerful feeling, you could argue it's the entire point of body modification.
It's not the only reason to choose the DIY method of course. In the same vein as trusting your body to yourself is trusting your body to your lover. Allowing your partner to modify you at home (or likewise you modifying them) can strengthen both the physical and emotional bond.
These are just two of the reasons some of my mods where not done by a professional but that doesn't mean any of the others are not as legitimate. Back to the issue of minors and DIY: Many people feel a very intense drive to modify themselves and not all of them have access to professionals, either due to complete lack of funds, no transportation or yes, being too young to sign for themselves. I'm not about to condemn every minor that turns to DIY when they can't get to a qualified artist. Yes, they can probably find a hack somewhere that is willing to do it for them but given it's often illegal the shop may have choose to cut other corners and sacrifice safety. A minor piercing them self at home many have less chance of being exposed to the worse of the bloodborne pathogens than if they wondered into a shop that has no autoclave or reuses needles. Some people say "They should wait. They'll be 18 soon enough and can go to a qualified artist." I think this is certainly an option that would work for most cases but saying this should hold as a solid rule in every case a minor wants a modification the parents won't allow reduces a child to being nothing more than another piece of there parents property (which I believe is an incredibly depressing thought.)
There are other things to be considered as well; mostly the fact that there are also downsides to DIY. They are less safe because few people have access to truly sterile instruments and will know less about the risks than a professional. Another thing which is often ignored is that most people are naturally hesitant when it comes to injuring their own body. A pro can push a needle through in less than a second. Do it to yourself and it may take several minutes, or even longer, to slowly provide enough pressure to push a needle through. Not only that but many people pierce themselves too shallow. This not only tends to look unappealing but it can increase the risk of things like migration and rejection. Do you own scarification and you may not be willing to cut deep enough, causing it to not scar properly (or conversely, accidentally go to deep which obviously causes even more severe problems...)
What should be done about it? Anyone considering a DIY mod should learn as much about the risks they can. Be prepared for what can go wrong. Know the difference between sterile and disinfected. Rubbing alcohol will not sterilize (it disinfects), neither will a flame (which can actually cause more problems then if it weren't done at all) or boiling water (just not hot enough to kill all then microbes.) Learn how to avoid cross contamination. Learn about what materials and instruments are best. Then consider the options. Would waiting for the chance to go to a professional be better in the long run? What is your motivation? Would doing this yourself make it more meaningful to you or not? Weigh the risks of not going to a pro vs. what you would get out of the DIY experience. Make an informed decision.