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Tattooing, Semi-permanent makeup, Cosmetic Piercing, Acupuncture and Electrolysis

Certain forms of beauty treatment in Gloucester need to be registered with the council. Both personal and premises registrations are required for the practice of: 

  • acupuncture

and the business of: 

  • semi-permanent skin colouring
  • microblading
  • cosmetic piercing
  • electrolysis

On receipt of a valid application, a premises and/or personal registration will be issued. N

ew registrations are normally visited to check compliance with the byelaws (DOCX, 80.8 KB) and address any public health risks. 


Make an application or change an existing registration

You will need to complete both a Personal and Premises Registration form.  The fee is £128 for the premises application and £128 for the personal application. The Premises Application form can be found here (DOCX, 54.8 KB) and the Personal Application form is here (DOCX, 54.8 KB).

Payment

Please follow this link to pay and choose Health & Safety Income. Alternatively you can pay over the phone on 01452 396396 to pay. Please state that you are paying for a Premises and/or Personal licence for tattooing, cosmetic piercing, acupuncture etc.

Choosing registered persons and premises

All the above services are required to be registered. Registered businesses and operators must comply with the adopted bylaws and Health and Safety Legislation to ensure the cleanliness of premises and the sterilization of equipment used in procedures which involve piercing the skin. 

Both persons and premises are required to clearly display their registration certificate and a copy of the byelaws. Certificates should therefore be looked for before using a registered activity. 

We recommend businesses follow guidance and operators become members of professional organisations. 

If you use the services of any, "body" practice you should ask to see their qualifications, find out about their experience and judge any design capabilities for yourself.  You might also ask to see their insurance policy, good practitioners often display it.

Further information on Microblading

Microblading is just another type of tattooing but is principally used to enhance natural eyebrows.  As with tattooing if it is not carried out in the right way, for instance the same blade is reused for separate customers, it can cause localised infections or transmit serious diseases such as Hepatitis B. An information leaflet has been published the the NHS.  This can be viewed by clicking here (PDF, 258.3 KB).

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Anyone considering having a non-surgical cosmetic procedure should carry out thorough research beforehand and be aware that there are serious health risks if things go wrong.
 
Non-surgical aesthetic procedures are currently unregulated, meaning people who are not medically trained can carry out procedures. 
 
But the procedures still require a sterile clinical environment and should be performed in appropriate treatment rooms to reduce the risk of infections. 
 
Practitioners should be trained and know what to do if there are complications. 
 
Non-surgical cosmetic procedures may include:

  • Botox or filler injections
  • Microdermabrasion
  • Chemical Peels
  • Non-Surgical Laser Treatment (Laser Lipo and Laser Hair Removal)
  • Thread-lifts
  • Brazilian Butt Lift, BBL or Liquid BBL

Some people who’ve had these procedures have unfortunately experienced issues including excruciating pain and infections, which have required medical interventions and hospitalisation.
 
In September 2023 the government carried out a consultation around a national licencing scheme for some aesthetic procedures. View the list of procedures under review.

View more information on non-surgical cosmetic procedures:

If you have concerns about a clinic or practitioner offering these services locally, or you’ve had complications following one of these procedures please contact the council on heretohelp@gloucester.gov.uk.