Lawmakers in New York are working to enact new regulations to ensure the safety of anyone younger than age 18 who wants to get a body piercing, including piercings of the tongue or lip.
Assembly bill A10095, which was introduced in May and passed last week by the state Assembly, prohibits an owner, operator, or employee of a body piercing studio from performing body piercing on a person younger than 18 years of age without the written consent of a parent or guardian.
A similar bill, S7446, is now being considered by the state Senate, which is expected to vote on it before the end of the current legislative session (June 21).
"Of the people with body piercings, more than a third received their first piercing before the age of 18," the bill's sponsors wrote. "Body piercings are well-documented to have possible adverse health effects, with complications arising in 25% of all cases. These complications include allergic reactions, skin infections, scarring, and general discomfort. It is important for a parent or guardian to be aware of all of the potential risks associated with body piercing."
A recent study in Pediatric Dentistry, conducted by researchers from Eastman Institute for Oral Health, found that more than 3,000 people each year visit U.S. emergency rooms with injuries related to oral piercings, and almost 75% of them are between the ages of 14 and 17 (January/February 2012, Vol. 34:1, pp. 56-60). Injuries to the lips (46%), tongue (42%), and teeth (10%) were the most common.
Several New York counties already have local laws requiring a parent's note, at least for piercings other than a youngster's ear lobe, according to an article in the Albany Times Union.
More than 40 states already have laws in place that require parental consent for piercing minors.
