[Piercing and tattooing: regulation is needed to reduce complications]

Abstract

The increasing popularity of piercing and tattooing, and the resulting increase in complications, calls for legislation in order to reduce the number of incidents and accidents. The most frequent complications are local and systemic bacterial and viral infectious. Some are serious, such as gangrene and endocarditis. Cases of tuberculosis and viral hepatitis have also been reported. Allergic complications are far from rare, including a risk of acquired sensitization with later harmful consequences. Late systemic complications include pseudolymphomas and sarcoidosis. Attempts have been made to regulate this activity in several countries, and at the European level. In France, members of parliament have prepared draft legislation. The French National Academy of Medicine considers that such procedures, and especially piercing, with breaching of the skin or mucosae and foreign body insertion, constitute real physical insults that require precautions identical to those of minor surgical procedures. This particularly applies to certain parts of the body (cartilage, mouth and tongue, nose, nipples, genitalia). Simple earlobe piercing could be exempt from these regulations, but nonetheless necessitates proper disinfection. The Academy has drawn up a list of eleven measures concerning information for future customers on possible risks, parental authorization for minors, norms for premises and materials, training, legal responsibility, health authority controls, and exclusion from blood donation for the year following such procedures.