Piercing: what are the rules?

Verified 26 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The piercing consists in punch a specific point of the skin to put a jewelry which, generally, screws or clips. This practice is regulated to avoid health risks. It is advisable to discuss this with the professional and your doctor beforehand. If you are a minor, the consent of the parent or guardian is required. The body piercing professional must be trained, report his activity to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and inform his client of the risks.

It is possible to get a piercing regardless of age.

However, if you are a minor, you mustwritten agreement your parent or guardian.

FYI  

The trader must be able, for 3 years, to present proof of this consent to the supervisory authorities.

The professional who performs the piercing must respect the following rules:

  • Have undergone initial training with practical training
  • Declare your activity to the Director General of theARS: titleContent
  • Inform you before the piercing is performed the risks to which you are exposed and the precautions to be respected after this realization. This information is displayed visibly in the room where these techniques are practiced. It's given to you in writing.

FYI  

If you are a minor, this information is also shared with your parent or guardian before let him give his consent.

The content of the information that the professional must deliver orally to you includes:

  • The possibly painful nature of the acts
  • The risks of infections
  • Allergic risks especially related to piercing jewelry
  • The search for contraindications to the gesture related to the field or treatments in progress
  • The healing time adapted to the technique that was implemented and the scarring risks
  • Precautions to be observed after carrying out the techniques, in particular to allow rapid healing.

Please note

These risks and precautions are detailed by the Ministry of Health.

If you do not speak French, this information must be provided in your language or, if not, in a language you understand.

Please note

The hygiene of the body piercing of the ear and the wing of the nose by the technique of the ear-piercing gun knows peculiarities. One summary of these rules was developed by the ministry of health. This professional must declare to theARS: titleContent and if you are a minor, you need the consent of the parent or guardian.

The professional must perform the piercing in a dedicated room exclusively to this operation.

This room must be cleaned by decontamination every day. Between each customer, all surfaces used are cleaned and disinfected.

The professional removes his jewelry before disinfecting the hands. He's wearing sterile gloves. They are changed between 2 customers.

The same is true for the same client, after any septic gesture during the act and in case of successive piercings on different body areas.

He must prepare the area to be pierced using an antiseptic.

At each session, for each client, the devices, particularly sharp and sharp, penetrating the cutaneous-mucosal barrier are sterile and disposable. Other materials (scissors, pliers...) are sterilizable.

The work table must be disinfected and then equipped with a sterile field.

A sterilization protocol for the material must be followed.

Most often, the break of a piercing is safe.

After a piercing break, it is recommended in particular to follow the recommendations given by the piercing professional and to adopt a good lifestyle (example: washing hands with soap before each treatment).

Infectious complications (e.g. bacteria) or not (e.g. pain) according to the pierced zone may, however, appear. The consultation with a doctor is recommended (examples: if the infection persists, spreads around the piercing or if a fever appears).