Schoolies week is around the corner and it is one of the busiest times of the year for body piercing and tattoo operators. It is also a busy time of year for backyard operators, piercing parties, experimenting and do-it-yourself kits.

Unfortunately many young people will return home with more than they asked for, says specialist nurse and author Angela Llewellyn-Sare, in particular, infections and hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis C is on the rise in young people and is attributed to the rise in piercing and tattooing. There is no vaccine and no cure.

"Complications following a piercing or tattoo arise from unsafe practices such as using equipment that has not been properly cleaned and sterilised," Llewellyn-Sare says.

"The general public do not have an awareness of sterile procedures that must be used to prevent cross infection between clients. People are unwittingly putting themselves at risk."

Llewellyn-Sare added that parents worry and do their best to talk to their teens about risk taking behaviours in regards to drinking and drug taking but they also need to be advising their children on the dangers of piercing and tattooing.

Llewellyn-Sare's book, Puncture Kit, spells out the dangers but also advises how to stay safe. Puncture Kit has universal appeal, it is honest, up front and graphic and it will make all the difference between successful body art and a whole lot of painful consequences.

Llewellyn-Sare knows her stuff. She is a nurse with 25 years' experience and she got very tired of having to deal with the awful complications of botched jobs and poor after care.

Parents who have read the book have been better able to advise their teens; teenagers who have read the book are amazed at some of the facts and wish they had known before embarking on their form of body art. GPs and nurses who are struggling to advise young people see it as a good resource. Puncture Kit is now endorsed by the Hepatitis C Council of Australia.

"Puncture Kit is ‘the informer’, the guide people can turn to before having anything done," Llewellyn-Sare says. "This book may be the most useful purchase anyone can buy whether they are a jittery first timer, an experienced self enhancer or a bewildered parent."

Angela Llewellyn-Sare is a registered nurse with over 25 years' experience and practices as a specialist nurse in diabetes. She is well recognised in her profession with many works of research published in various professional medical journals. She has also won several awards for her work.

It was while she was working with teenagers at Westmead Hospital in Sydney that she became aware of the problems associated with piercing and tattooing.

In an effort to help these young people retain their piercings and prevent infections she began to research the area and realized there was a greater need in the community for information.

Angela’s writing career spans the last decade. She wrote a regular health column for two regional newspapers in South Australia. In addition she has produced newsletters, brochures and educational material for various organisations. Angela has several non-fiction books she has been writing and researching including one on type 2 diabetes.  http://www.puncturekit.com.au
Angela has just launched the first Live in Diabetes education centre in Australia for adults with diabetes. www diabeat.com.au

http://www.newsmaker.com.au/news/1440