CHEAP online piercing kits and spring-loaded guns are leaving an increasing number of young Islanders with painful, and sometimes dangerous, DIY body piercings – prompting calls for Jersey’s age limits to be reconsidered.
Caroline Emms, who has run Ankh Piercing for a decade, says the current law may be pushing teenagers to pierce themselves at home rather than seek safer, regulated options.
She believes lowering the legal age for studio piercings – something which Guernsey is currently exploring – could “help reduce harm” and curb the growing trend of at-home attempts fuelled by social media and low-cost websites such as Shein and Temu.
Ms Emms said that while home piercings are not new, the availability of “sub-par needles, piercing guns and low-quality jewellery” has made the risks far more widespread. Most DIY piercings, she explained, rely on spring-loaded guns which cannot be fully sterilised and often cause increased swelling, pain and delayed healing.
She warned that many at-home piercings lead to infection, allergic reactions and scarring, particularly when jewellery is “not designed for long-term wear in the body”.
Incorrect placement is also a major concern. “Without proper anatomical knowledge, piercings are often done in unsafe areas through unsuitable tissue or at incorrect angles,” she said.
Ms Emms argued that professional studios, which use sterile single-use equipment and provide proper aftercare, “significantly reduce the risk of complications”.
“If this change encouraged young people to choose safer, regulated environments instead of piercing themselves at home,” she said, “it could be a positive step for public health.”
