Body piercing safety
Make sure your body piercing is done safely to reduce the risk of getting an illness such as HIV, hepatitis B or C or other infections.
Before your piercing
Choose a piercing studio that’s inspected by Peel Public Health. We routinely inspect personal service businesses, including piercing studios. Following every inspection, a disclosure sign is provided and must be posted at the main entrance.
Review the latest inspection results and convictions of personal service businesses.
If you have an infection, sore or rash on your body near where you want to get pierced (within 15 cm), wait until that area has healed.
Public Health requires the piercer to collect the name and contact information of the person being pierced.
During your piercing
- The piercing artist must wash their hands before putting on new gloves.
- If hair removal is required, use a single-use disposable razor.
- The piercing artist must clean your skin with a skin antiseptic such as iodine or alcohol before the procedure. Mouth piercings require a mouth rinse.
- After the area is marked, the piercer must clean the area again, just before you are pierced.
- Surgical stainless steel, gold, platinum, niobium, and titanium are recommended for new piercings. The jewelry should be the appropriate length and suitable for the part of the body being pierced.
- Piercing jewelry, needles, forceps and clamps used must be single-use, sterile and pre-packaged and opened in front of you.
After the piercing
- Follow the aftercare instructions given to you by your piercing artist to reduce your risk of infection.
- The piercing must feel comfortable after the service is completed. It must not feel too tight or loose on you. If you have any discomfort, consult a physician.
Contact a public health inspector
To report unsanitary or unsafe conditions where piercing is offered, or an illness or infection after getting a piercing, email Peel Public Health or call 905-799-7700, Caledon 905-584-2216.
