Children and young people tattoo and piercing safety campaign
Body art has seen a rise in popularity over recent years with a significant increase particularly in the number of people having body piercing, tattoos and sub-dermal implants.
There are many reasons why people choose to have body art. For some people it is experimental, or a personal expression, and for others they have religious and cultural significance.
However, unlike other forms of self-expression such as hair colouring or clothing, piercings and tattoos leave a permanent mark, and more importantly, if not carried out by a trained practitioner can lead to serious health risks.
Luton Borough Council’s Public Health and Environmental Health departments, working with other authorities within Bedfordshire, are raising awareness of the risks and health issues that come with these forms of body decoration.
The risks are especially associated with poor hygiene standards in unregulated premises, and the links with blood-borne virus’ transmission through poorly decontaminated equipment.
This is also an opportunity to encourage young people to ‘think before you ink’ due to the permanent nature of a tattoo.
The project, aimed at young people, involves resources and a poster campaign that forms part of a wider awareness-raising campaign to be rolled out through secondary schools and colleges that encourage young people to explore the range of issues associated with tattooing and piercing.
If you have any concerns about a piercer in Luton or want to find out if they are registered, you can contact the council on 01582 510330 or by filling in the form below.
For further information go to www.nhs.uk and search 'piercings'.
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