Local MP, Gordon Prentice, today expressed concern that, despite more stringent legislation to regulate businesses carrying out body piercing, there is still a one- third chance of complications of some sort arising from these procedures. Of these, half require professional help and one in a hundred require hospital admission.

The MP received the shock figures after raising the issue of cosmetic piercing with Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo.

Speaking from Westminster, the MP commented: “I am concerned at the increase in body piercing and the number of cases, mainly of young people between the ages of 16 to 24, that end up in hospital. These procedures can go terribly wrong.”

“There is a plethora of laws surrounding skin piercing procedures. In 2004 the government gave local authorities specific statutory powers to regulate these businesses which has provided more safeguards.”

“But I support the view that if a doctor performing a similar procedure would have to ask for written consent, with discussion of the risks being documented, then the public should not have to accept lower standards of information and consent from less qualified people.”