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Summary
Body adornment through tattoos and piercings is on the increase, making adverse side effects more common. Practitioners should be prepared to give advice, either before the event, or post-procedure in written and oral forms. The aim of this article is to inform practitioners of the sites and types of piercings, likely adverse side effects and estimated healing times.
Key words
* Allergy
* Body image
* Infection control
These key words are based on subject headings from the British Nursing Index. This article has been subject to double-blind review.
Chivers L (2002) Body adornment: piercings and tattoos. Nursing Standard. 16, 34, 41-45. Date of acceptance: February 13 2002. ate of acceptance: February 13 2002.
BODY PIERCING and tattooing are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with teenagers and pre-adolescents. Young people are known to save up their pocket money to have their bodies adorned, often without their parents' or guardians' permission. Tattooing, acupuncture, electrolysis and ear piercing (but not other non-genital piercings) are covered by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Therefore, if a piercer does not pierce ears or genitals, but only other body parts, he or she is exempt under the law. Female genital piercing is illegal in the UK, because it is considered female genital mutilation. Tattooing people under the age of 18 years without parental consent is illegal under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969, unless it is carried out by a medically qualified person. Inspection of tattooists' and piercers' premises comes under the jurisdiction of an environmental health officer, who can inspect premises without notice.
It could be argued that these laws might not affect nurses, unless they are directly involved as parents or patients. However, increasingly, people present at GPs' surgeries or A&E departments with problems caused by these invasive procedures.
Choosing the right outlet at which to have your body adorned is not easy. For many young people with limited funds and access only to public transport, the only choice might be the back of the local shop. There is currently nothing in statute (outside London) that regulates the size of premises.
And with only an annual inspection, usually by the environmental health officer, hygiene standards might be less than ideal. Body piercing and...