AROUND 400 people who used a piercing and tattoo studio in Newport have attended appointments for precautionary health checks.

Concerns were raised after nine people with serious skin infections were found to have had a piercing at the studio, which traded under the names Blue Voodoo, Sun Tattoo Studio, and Flesh Wound at Commercial Street between May 2013 and January 2015.

The individuals were all treated as hospital in-patients, and letters were then sent to 550 clients offering a precautionary blood test to check for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.

Molly Ormond, 17, from Newport, who had a piercing at the premises last year, has already had her blood test after receiving a letter last week.

She said: “I was worried when I received the letter. Obviously that’s natural when you think you may have one of these diseases.

“It is easy to panic but I just thought I needed to be sensible about it. It’s obviously for precaution so I rang and made my appointment and went in for my test.

“I would re-think about having piercings again because there is always a risk you could get an infection.

“For me, personally, it’s not worth everything that myself and everyone else are going through at the moment. It is so worrying.”

Following the case, there have been calls from both Newport City Council and Aneurin Bevan University Health board for tighter regulations for the tattooing and piercing industry.

Councillor Bob Poole, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for licensing and statutory functions, said: "The powers local authorities have under the current legislation are extremely limited.

“They are unable to carry out background checks, there is no statutory inspection regime and they do not have to power to close premises or stop someone trading completely – only a court can do that following a successful prosecution.

“While there can never be guarantees that such invasive procedures would be completely risk free, more stringent control measures along with age limits for piercing and compulsory training and qualification standards would give greater protection to the public.”

Director of public health at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Dr Gill Richardson, added: "At the moment if you go to buy a sandwich you get a ‘score on the door’ for hygiene but there is nothing for tattooing and piercing premises.

"Someone could be working in a factory today, buy a kit online tonight and start tattooing and piercing by tomorrow morning, as there is no compulsory training or testing of ability or hygiene knowledge."

If you think you had a tattoo or a piercing at the studio in question, or if you have missed an appointment, call 02920 402528.