Does this count as beauty.wurk? I think so. The state of Virgina is considering instituting licensure for all body piercing operations, which I think is probably a very good idea both for the protection of consumers and business operators:

The proposed rules require a body piercer to complete a 15-hundred-hour apprenticeship that includes a board-approved exam. The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation estimates that 200 piercers and studios will become licensed. But the state doesn’t know how many piercers and facilities there are in Virginia.

John Rowan, owner of Rendezvous Tattoo and Body Piercing in Blacksburg, and a registered nurse, has been piercing for 27 years. He thinks the proposals and enforcement are too lax, especially when it comes to sanitation and teaching apprentices.

The proposal will go before the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology at a public hearing in Richmond on May 7th.

Read the rest at Hampton Roads News.  Photo from BMEzine.com.