By the Latin American Body Piercing Association

Editor’s note: The history and growth of the APP’s outreach work in Mexico has been included in The Point many times before. Alicia Cardenas’ initial outreach in December of 2003, when she was the APP’s International Liaison, was reported in The Point #28. The APP seminars in Mexico were reported on in 2006 (#35), 2007 (#42), 2008 (#45), 2009 (#50), and 2010 (#54), and Danny Yerna organized the last seminars sponsored by the APP in 2012. This year marks the first year that the seminars were put on independently of the APP, by the newly-formed Latin American Body Piercing Association.

The history and mission of the LBP

The Latin-American Body Piercing Association (LBP) is a recently-formed non-profit association based in Mexico.

The decision to create the LBP was made by the attendees of the APP’s 2012 educational seminars in Mexico, when a meeting was held where the majority voted in favor of creating this association, and also voted on who should be on the first board of directors.

The board of the LBP is comprised of seven body piercers from Mexico. Many have been piercing for ten or fifteen years; most are shop owners in Mexico and all are well known by the piercing community.

The LBP’s board of directors and founding members are:

• Danny Yerna, President (Wakantanka)
• Ana Paula Escalante, Secretary (Tonatiuh and Quetzalli)
• Axayacatl Nochipa, Treasurer (Studio 184)
• Charly Pastrana (Tercer Ojo Krew)
• Karlin Murillo (Nomadas)
• Memo Reyes (Tercer Ojo Krew)
• Mario Oliva (Busterzone)

Later, Mauricio Torres (Extigma and BioMetal) was added as head of South American Outreach.

The mission (and vision) of the LBP is to educate and inform piercers and the public about the techniques, materials, safety, and health practices related to body piercing, to raise the standards, while respecting our differences. At the same time to help the Latin American community build stronger bonds in a respectful and relaxed environment, and to be a link between Spanish-speaking piercers with what is happening in the world.

What has been accomplished so far in Mexico

In 2001, there was a meeting with legislators in Mexico City. Two of our current LBP board members (Danny and Ana Paula) attended and spoke about what we were doing and what laws were needed. Four tattoo artists, two doctors and two legislators also attended.  This was a historic event for the body piercing industry in the country. After this meeting, the first draft was made of a law covering tattoos, cosmetic tattoos, and body piercings.

In 2005, the first body art law in Mexico became official: no tattooing or piercing of minors!

In 2006, the APP’s first educational seminars were held in Mexico City, attended by many piercers from all through Mexico,  APP Members from the U.S., and several Mexican public health officials.

Since this time, we have been collaborating with health officials and giving suggestions on the laws, which were being drafted based on APP guidelines. Our suggestions were approved (but unfortunately not all were applied appropriately), but by 2012 we finally had a law on piercing and tattooing (and cosmetic tattooing).

The law states that body art practitioners must:

• Have proof of first aid training
• Have a procedure manual
• Be vaccinated for tetanus and hepatitis B
• Use approved release forms
• Distribute basic aftercare sheets to clients
• Use new, sterile, and disposable needles and not a piercing gun
• Use quality jewelry and/or ink
• Refrain from using anesthetics
• Use gloves
• Use mouth covers
• Use an autoclave or other sterilizers
• Use equipment that ensures aseptic techniques and a safe level of hygiene
• Have access to running water
• Have a separate room for procedures
• Use a separate room for disinfection and sterilization of tools
• Have a restroom
• Have a license for the shop
• Have a practitioner license

The law also prohibits the use of piercing guns in Mexico! And, for the first time, we will also start to get inspections from health officials.

While we were working towards this legislation, we were also making efforts in education. The APP’s Mexican Educational Seminars were held in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012, with attendees from over 25 States in Mexico in addition to piercers from Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru and Spain.

We have also continued to speak to health officials, to give feedback about the new laws, and to keep them informed about forming the association. Some of our suggestions were approved almost immediately, and they let us know that once we were legally consolidated we could work towards fine-tuning the law. On May 21, 2013, we officially became a legal association, the Asociación Latinoamericana de Body Piercing, A.C.

The LBP now

The LBP is currently working on:

• Outreach to the piercing community
• Getting the word out about the LBP
• Working on press kits and promotional items
• The 2014 Seminars (which will be held on November 4 to 7 in Mexico City)
• Working to get the LBP accepted as an Associate Corporate Member of the APP
• Working closely with with health officials to fine-tune the current laws in Mexico into comprehensive and effective legislation
• Raising the standards of body piercing in Latin America

As you can see, we have been working on this for a while. Much has happened, and it’s just the start! We wish to keep sharing many achievements and growth. On behalf of the LBP Board Members, to the APP for their support and inspiration, and to our international body piercing brothers and sisters: Thank you.