BACKYARD body piercers continue to operate in Wyndham, often leading to horrific health problems for their clients, claims one industry professional.
Werribee Ink Body and Ear Piercing owner Vivian Piper told the Banner she expected untrained and unregistered operators to be sent out of business as a result of the tough new laws, now before the State Government.
The proposed laws will made it an offence for commercial operators to perform intimate body piercings on people under 18, and non-intimate body piercings on people under 16 without parental permission.
Ms Piper said the consequences of piercings performed with unsterilised and unsanitary equipment were often devastating.
"If it's performed incorrectly, a tongue piercing can be life-threatening," she said.
"With nose piercings, if the jewellery is not sterilised it can cause septicaemia and blood infections in the nose and these can travel to the brain.
"The body can reject piercings, if the operator doesn't know the location of pressure points on the face. In some cases it can cause facial paralysis."
Ms Piper said many people visited her clinic to clean up failed piercings.
"The Christmas before last, a lady came in following a belly-button piercing. I told her it was septic and she was at immediate risk of blood poisoning," she said.
"I told her she could go to hospital or do nothing and possibly have to be buried by her children. That type of thing happens if you're not provided with the right after-care.
"All body-piercing equipment needs to be sterilised like it is in a doctor's surgery, and that doesn't generally happen when it's done in a garden shed," she said.
Wyndham Council chief executive Peter Marshall said body piercing operators were closely monitored by its environmental health team, with the occasional reports of backyard operators investigated promptly.
"Any reports of this type of activity are treated as a priority given the potential health and safety risks to the community," he said.
"All registered body piercing premises are inspected at least annually, with most premises receiving two or three visits per year.
"The presence of unregistered premises come to our attention through planning or building applications, information received from the public, or local press advertisements.
"These premises are inspected by our staff and pursued until they are compliant. All operators are inspected and checked against the requirements of the regulations and guidelines specified by the Department of Human Services.
"Standards of hygiene, condition of premises, sanitation and sterilisation of equipment are key requirements for compliance."
Attorney-General Rob Hulls said Victoria's health regulations required body-piercing operators to be registered and to comply with health standards. "The current body-piercing legislation, which is before Parliament, places age limits on certain piercings and applies to commercial operators, or people who pierce for a fee," he said.
"The Government does not have any evidence of an increase in backyard operators, nor does it expect an increase if these laws are passed."
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