Stratford tattoo artist Stacy Drummond.
A Stratford tattoo artist is glad Stratford District Council is introducing a bylaw to regulate the tattoo industry.
During the Stratford District Council (SDC) policy and services committee meeting last Tuesday, a proposed beauty therapy, tattooing and skin piercing bylaw was tabled and adopted by councillors for public consultation.
Public consultation timeframes will be decided during the council's next meeting. The new bylaw, which takes a risk based approach, will require businesses offering beauty therapy, tattooing and skin piercing to obtain a health and hygiene licence.
Stratford tattoo artist Stacy Drummond, who owns Impressions in Ink with partner Linda, says the proposed bylaw was a long time coming.
"It should have been in years ago nationwide. It's silly - we are mucking with blood. There's more bylaws for hairdressing.
"The bylaw will stop drop-kicks opening studios who haven't got a clue about hygiene."
Stacy says the Tattoo Artists Association of New Zealand has been trying to bring in nationwide regulation of the industry for a long time.
However, tattoo artists had informal rules they adhered to, to ensure best practice when it came to hygiene and sterlisation. Stacy says personal hygiene of the tattoo artist and client is a big factor as well as wearing gloves and not using ink or needles past their expiry date.
They also provided clients with good information about proper aftercare.
Stacy opened up the studio eight and a half years ago and loves the industry.
"I just love doing what I am doing. I don't answer to anybody, I love being my own boss."
The SDC proposed bylaw requires businesses that pose a higher risk to clients must not only comply with minimum standards, but also obtain a health and hygiene licence before operating in the district. These services include those which pierce the skin like tattooing, body and ear piercing, acupuncture, electrolysis, extractions, red vein treatment, derma rolling, hair removal, manicure, pedicure and exfoliation, pulsed light and laser treatment.
Businesses which do makeup, tinting, facials, colon hydrotherapy, body therapy and massage and glycolic peels also need to adhere to the code but will only need a licence if they are non-complaint with the code and need to be monitored.
Hairdressers are already nationally regulated under 1980 Health Regulations. However, businesses that also offer one of the services covered in the bylaw like facials or eyebrow tinting in conjunction with the hairdressing service will be affected.
As part of the proposed bylaw, council proposes limiting tattooing service to those over 18. For people under 18 to be tattooed, the tattoo artist must first receive parental or guardian consent in writing or the parent or guardian must be present during the tattooing.
Non-commercial services that are free of payment are exempt from the bylaw. This includes non-commercial ta moko (traditional Maori tattoo) practised under the authority of a marae. However, the council encourages these operators to use the code of practice as a guide to help protect themselves and people receiving traditional Maori tattoo.
Some services are exempt from the proposed bylaw, including businesses that provide ear piercing at a pharmacy licensed by the Ministry of Health.
During last Tuesday's meeting, mayor Neil Volzke said he thought the concept of the bylaw was good, quipping, "I feel so much safer knowing when I have my nails done it will be done in a safe environment."
* There will be a presentation and question and answers session on this bylaw on September 7 at the War Memorial Centre at 4.00pm