Health
Body Piercing Can Be Deadly
It’s one thing to have a ring through your nose, but how about an infection that gives
you hepatitis? An ornamental needle through a belly button might seem sexy at first, but
wouldn’t with skin infections later that can lead to death. That’s why Washington State
is considering a law to regulate people who tattoo and do body piercings.
A bartender from Florida, Whitney Nash, who has gone through training in body piercing
was surprised to learn that there were no regulations in Florida. He, like some
lawmakers, know that infectious diseases like HIV/Aids, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and
MRSA can be spread by unsterilized equipment used in tattoos and body piercing.
Another professional body piercer, Troy Amundson, has been lobbying for regulation,
asking Rep. Sherry Appleton five years ago to write a bill to control body piercing and
make sure there are proper health regulations. He represents more than 120 body-
piercing and tattooing shops in Washington, but still there is no agency in charge of
enforcement despite the fact that in 2001 the Legislature passed legislation setting health
standards for tattoo parlors.
In Louisiana, as in other states, body piercing is big business, although Rings of Desire is
closed according to its website. Its graphic depiction of genital piercing remains. Then
there’s a form of special Louisiana body piercing described like this in somewhat
colloquial grammar and spelling: “Popular form of body piercing in the bayous of the
state of Louisiana. It is done by piercing used crab/ or crawfish class to the ears or man
nipples.” A comment just after from someone says that a lot of nipples have been nipped
off that way, a joke of course.
So much for regulations and Louisiana exotic, but what about people offshore and what
is the practice of tattoos there? In Samoa tattoos are part of a particular culture, and
whole body ones aren’t unusual as they are in New Zealand, where that type is used as
well. In fact there many listings for New Zealand places that offer the service of tattoos
and body piercing.
Neither the Louisiana nor the New Zealand listings offer assurances
It’s one thing to have a ring through your nose, but how about an infection that gives
you hepatitis? An ornamental needle through a belly button might seem sexy at first, but
wouldn’t with skin infections later that can lead to death. That’s why Washington State
is considering a law to regulate people who tattoo and do body piercings.
A bartender from Florida, Whitney Nash, who has gone through training in body piercing
was surprised to learn that there were no regulations in Florida. He, like some
lawmakers, know that infectious diseases like HIV/Aids, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and
MRSA can be spread by unsterilized equipment used in tattoos and body piercing.
Another professional body piercer, Troy Amundson, has been lobbying for regulation,
asking Rep. Sherry Appleton five years ago to write a bill to control body piercing and
make sure there are proper health regulations. He represents more than 120 body-
piercing and tattooing shops in Washington, but still there is no agency in charge of
enforcement despite the fact that in 2001 the Legislature passed legislation setting health
standards for tattoo parlors.
In Louisiana, as in other states, body piercing is big business, although Rings of Desire is
closed according to its website. Its graphic depiction of genital piercing remains. Then
there’s a form of special Louisiana body piercing described like this in somewhat
colloquial grammar and spelling: “Popular form of body piercing in the bayous of the
state of Louisiana. It is done by piercing used crab/ or crawfish class to the ears or man
nipples.” A comment just after from someone says that a lot of nipples have been nipped
off that way, a joke of course.
So much for regulations and Louisiana exotic, but what about people offshore and what
is the practice of tattoos there? In Samoa tattoos are part of a particular culture, and
whole body ones aren’t unusual as they are in New Zealand, where that type is used as
well. In fact there many listings for New Zealand places that offer the service of tattoos
and body piercing.
Neither the Louisiana nor the New Zealand listings offer assurances