Personal Grooming, Body Art and Health Care

Personal Grooming, Body Art and Heath Care

We work hard to ensure that when you want to get a tattoo or piercing, or visit a hairdresser, beauty therapist or acupuncturist, you can do it in the knowledge that we monitor these businesses to ensure they provide a safe environment.

If you plan to open a personal grooming or body art business, please send Eastern Health Authority a completed business notification form and make sure you comply with SA laws and guidelines such as:

• South Australian Public Health Act 2011
• the Guidelines on the Safe and Hygienic Practice of Skin Penetration
• the Guidelines on the Public Health Standards of Practice for Hairdressing 2006

You may also need to contact your local council for development approval requirements.

If you have any concern or enquiries about the personal grooming industry, please phone us on 8132 3600 or email eha@eha.sa.gov.au.

Body art safety tips

While body art such as piercings and tattoos are a personal choice, there are a number of blood borne diseases, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, HIV and a range of bacterial infections that can be spread through poor hygiene practices.

You should make an informed choice about getting a tattoo or piercing, and where you get it done. Make sure the studio is clean, and follows best practice infection control such as sterilisation and using disposable needles.

There are a few other things you need to consider:

• if you have an auto-immune condition or cancer, you should consult your doctor before getting a piercing or tattoo
• you can ask the tattooist for a skin test to check you are not allergic to the inks
• it is illegal to pierce the genitals or nipples or anyone younger than 18 years
• you cannot get a tattoo if you are younger than 18 years

Useful Factsheets