Body piercing is the practice of puncturing any part of the body for the addition of jewelry or ornamentation. Body piercing is a practice that is governed and regulated by various state and county agencies, most frequently health departments. A body piercer must meet specific requirements and have specific training before he or she is lawfully permitted to perform body piercing on the public.
It may surprise many people to learn that before a person can offer body piercing to the public in a lawful environment, he or she is required to have health related training. A basic study of both anatomy and physiology, along with a course in preventing transmittable diseases and blood borne pathogens, is required in most locales. Other courses may be necessary to obtain a license and registration for body piercing as governed by each state or county.
Many people mistakenly believe that body piercing is unsanitary and a high health risk. It’s true that infections can occur, even in a sterile environment with a properly trained piercer, but in actuality, there are many body piercing studios that provide a more sterile service than the mall jeweler shooting a piercing gun all day. In fact, several experts recommend not piercing ears with a piercing gun, because the machine can not be properly sanitized and because it creates unnecessary blunt force to the skin and tissue, not to mention that the person wielding the gun is probably not licensed or trained in any way. A body piercing by a licensed and registered piercer will be accompanied by thorough instructions regarding caring for the fresh piercing and preventing infection during healing. All body piercing done by a licensed piercer uses sterile needles, which are disposed of after single use, and any body piercing equipment that is reusable is capable of being thoroughly sanitized.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to follow expert advice and skip the mall piercing gun when young girls want their ears pierced, because some licensed piercers will not pierce children under a certain age, sometimes as old as 16, even with parental consent. It’s also important to realize that no one under 18 should be able to receive a body piercing without parental consent. Check with licensed professionals in your area if you are interested in an ear or body piercing. A professional will offer to consult with you regarding risks and procedures to help you decide what you would like to do.