Skin penetration, beauty therapy and hairdressing
Skin penetration
Skin penetration can be defined as a procedure where the skin is cut, torn, punctured, shaved or penetrated in any way. This includes most procedures/treatments carried out by tattoo, body piercing, beauty therapy and acupuncture businesses.
The following Department of Health fact sheets provide more information on skin penetration:
Age Laws
The age limit for getting a tattoo is 18 years of age. The age limit for piercing depends on the part of the body to be pierced:
- A person must be 18 years or over to get an intimate body piercing (regardless of parental consent).
- A person must be over 18 years to get any non-intimate body piercing (e.g. belly button) unless parental consent is provided.
- A person must be over 16 years to get ones ears pierced unless parental consent is provided.
The above age limitations are regulated by the Department of Child Protection.
Beauty Therapy
Only some beauty therapy treatments are regulated by Health Laws, this includes electrolysis, tweezing, waxing, lancing and any other treatment where the skin is cut, torn, punctured, shaved or penetrated in any way. The Department of Health's Skin Penetration: Advice for the Beauty Therapy Industry Environmental Health Guide has more information.
To apply for a beauty therapy business you must have planning approval. Contact the Shires Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Tattooing
Tattooing is a form of skin penetration and premises must comply with the Health (Skin Penetration) Regulations 1998. If you want to conduct tattooing, you must have planning approval. Contact the Shires Planning Department for further information.
You must then complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire for assessment.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Body and Ear Piercing
Body and ear piercing is a form of skin penetration and premises must comply with the Health (Skin Penetration) Regulations 1998. The Department of Health’s Skin Penetration: The Use of Ear Piercing/Nose Piercing Guns Environmental Health Guide has more information.
If you want to conduct body or ear piercing you must have planning approval. Contact our Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Manicures, pedicures and acrylic nails
The Department of Health's Skin Penetration: Advice for the Beauty Therapy Industry Environmental Health Guide advises that manicures and pedicures are semi-critical skin penetration procedures. The Department of Health’s Methyl Methacrylate (MMA): Use of MMA in Nail Products Environmental Health Guide has more information on the use of MMA.
If you wish to operate as a nail business offering maincures or pedicures you must have planning approval. Contact our Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of skin penetration and premises must comply with the Health (Skin Penetration) Regulations 1998. To apply to conduct acupuncture clinic you must have planning approval. Contact our Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Hairdressing
Hairdressing premises are governed by the Hairdressing Establishments Regulations 1972. Cut throat razors are permitted to be used only with an interchangeable single-use blade. The Department of Health Skin Penetration: Use of Cut Throat Razors in the Hairdressing Industry Environmental Health Guide has more information.
If you want to have a hairdressing business, you must have planning approval. Contact our Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.
Massage
In Western Australia, there are currently no provisions under the Health Act 1911 regulating massage therapy. However, there are still standard precautions massage therapists should take. Please refer to the Department of Health's advice for Skin Penetrarion: Massage Therapy Environmental Health Guide for more information.
If you want to operate as a massage business, you must have planning approval. Contact our Planning Department for further information. Additionally you must also complete the Hairdressing and Skin Penetration Premises Notification Form and submit it to the Shire.
Contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Department on (08) 9168 4100 for further information.