Skin Penetration Industry
The Public Health Act 2010 and Public Health Regulation 2012 regulates body decorating and grooming practices carried out by people who are not registered as health professionals. The regulated body decorating and grooming industries include:
• acupuncture
• beauty treatments
• body, nose and ear piercing
• cosmetic enhancements
• colonic lavage
• tattooing; and
• blood cholesterol and glucose measurement
Hairdressing and other body decorating and grooming practices which do not deliberately pierce the skin are not regulated. The regulation specifies procedures to prevent disease transmission, requires operators to be registered with the local council and empowers environmental health officers to carry out inspections.
Public health legislation and resources (factsheets, posters, audit tool, and notification form) have been prepared by the NSW Health to assist skin penetration practitioners and regulatory agencies protect public health.