More Regulation To Stop Dodgy Eyebrows?
South Tyneside Council are looking to bring in stricter regulations for beauticians and tattoo artists.
South Tyneside Council are looking to bring in stricter regulations for beauticians and tattoo artists.
They want to introduce new byelaws to protect people from dodgy eyebrows and skin infections.
The council are focusing on piercing, semi-permanent make up and acupuncture.
Emma Holmes suffered with the hair loss condition alopecia so got her eyebrows tattooed in Newcastle, but she claims they went wrong: “I remember getting home and crying to my mum and trying to wipe them off, obviously it didn’t come off because it was tattooed.
“She didn’t’ draw them on, I didn’t do any paperwork.”
Emma claims she has had clients coming to her on a daily basis hoping she can fix problems caused by other treatments.
They have come across eyebrows that have been infected, scarred and coloured pink or blue.
“We can and usually do put that right for people but it’s not always an easy process. Sometimes it takes up to a year for us to put that person back to normal, if you like, so that they can feel confident again.”
Cllr Moira Smith, Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing at South Tyneside Council said: “The purpose of adopting the new byelaws is to help minimise risks to individuals. In recent years the cosmetic industry has expanded vastly and we must do all we can to make sure that local residents receive treatments from registered, regulated professionals.
“Skin piercing in particular puts people at risk of skin infections and having an allergic or toxic reaction to various substances used on or in the skin. Worryingly it also exposes them to diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C through the transmission of blood borne viruses. This is just one of the practices that could be better regulated by introducing these byelaws.”