Underage Body Piercing of Children in Foreign Countries

Remarkably, as lax as some of our laws here in the States are about tattoo licensing, body piercing, and underage tattooing, in other countries the situation is far more dire.

For example, in Australia, there are virtually no laws whatsoever governing body piercing. Consequently, anyone in Australia, regardless of age or parental consent, can have their body pierced anywhere on the body that is not intimate.

An article concerning this startling practice, as well as the rush for legislation to be passed that would place body piercing along-side tattooing in terms of licensing and age restrictions, follows below in its entirety.



Child piercing chill prompts shake-up
Jackie Sinnerton
January 01, 2011

A SURGE in extreme piercing of children without their parents' knowledge has sparked a cry for urgent changes in the law.

Children as young as 11 are nudging towards body modification practices once reserved for hardcore punks.

There are no laws in Queensland outlawing the piercing of young children, except in genitals. Yet, tattooing, on anyone under 18 is illegal.

The growing demand for more permanent body jewellery in the form of transdermal implants, which can only be removed surgically, has fuelled calls for legislative action.

These are implanted deep in the body tissue, most commonly on the sternum, back, forehead, back of legs, stomach.

The Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas said he intended to take a submission to Cabinet in the New Year.

"I share the concerns of parents when it comes to body piercing and minors," he said.

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"I'm not talking about piercings such as simple earrings or studs in ears, but the sort of piercings that can permanently damage children's faces or other body parts.

"If that sort of body decoration is something people want to do, then I see no reason why they can't wait until they are 18 to do it on an informed basis.

"It is for this reason that I have asked Queensland Health to investigate legislative options for prohibiting the non-intimate piercings of minors."

The Australian Medical Association Queensland is backing the shake-up.

AMAQ president Gino Pecoraro said the laws for piercing should be the same as tattooing.

"Parents should be taking these people up on assault charges," he said.

He said microdermal anchors amounted to surgical procedures and "should not be carried out by anyone not fully qualified and certainly should never ever be carried out on a minor".

"If they become infected ... and left untreated, an infection runs the risk of bacteria getting into the blood and can be very dangerous to the heart," Dr Pecoraro said.

Also backing the plea for new laws is Brisbane body piercer Ben Thorsen, of Spring Hill.

"Microdermal anchors are in big demand and, basically, they go in but they don't come out," Mr Thorsen said.

"I can tell you that it takes years of training to do this kind of thing safely and I'm scared that children are going to people who are just not experienced."

Sunshine Coast schoolgirl Max Lamb, 15, has 21 piercings and is proud of every one.

"I have always gone to piercing shops that have a good reputation and they all have insisted on my mum giving permission," she said.

Tanya Lamb, said she supported her daughter's love of piercings.

"I would be horrified if someone pierced my child without me knowing," she said.
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Be Informed Before You Get Pierced

The prevalence of all manner of body piercings has made much more than simple ear piercings main-stream and acceptable. There are however, some very important guidelines and facts that must be considered prior to any form of body piercing in general.

First and foremost, if you are a person who is prone to infection, then body piercing is probably not a great idea for you. Some people even develop scarring for simple ear piercings. If this describes you, please consult your physician prior to considering any kind of body piercing at all, and even if you are not prone to infection, a simple consultation with your doctor before attempting a body piercing is a good idea regardless.

With that being said, the majority of body piercings are performed in sterile facilities by trained professionals with virtually no complications of any kind. It is of great benefit to at least have an idea of some of the things that can go wrong with some very common piercing sites on the human body before moving forward with your own however.

According to doctors who treat the infections common after body piercings, the site most effected by infection occurs in women who have had nipple piercings. The nipple area is the main point of access and egress to the mammary ducts. Errors in communication can occur between these ducts and a pierced nipple, to the degree that women can experience breast infections in the form of a painful breast abscess that can happen at any time, even after the piercing has been removed for months or years. Surgery may be required to remove the duct and some breast tissue, or the infection can even leave the breast deformed.

A second high risk area for body piercings can occur in the tongue and lip area. Aside from the obvious infection and healing issues, a commonly misinformed side-effect has to do with oral hygiene and dental complications due to reactions in the mouth and teeth to the metal used in the jewelry in these kinds of piercings.

As with all body piercings, strict hygiene and after-care can easily prevent many kinds of infections and serious side-effects. Research tattoo studios in your area and choose wisely from those that are licensed, sterile facilities only and who employ the highest quality, licensed tattoo artists trained in sterile procedures and patient after-care.
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If you are looking for a RI Tattoo Studio that is clean, safe and sterile, visit Inflicting Ink Tattoo Studio in Portsmouth RI for the Best Tattoo in RI. And if you're looking for a way to have Us come to You, consider hiring our Win Traveling Tattoo Studio or hosting a Private Party with the Inflicting Ink Traveling Tattoo Truck.