A MOTHER is warning parents to think twice about letting their children have facial piercings after her daughter ended up in hospital.

Gemma Clark, 17, suffered swelling and bleeding after she went for a 'Madonna' piercing - a stud in the upper lip near the nose - at a Blackburn piercing parlour.

The needle hit a blood vessel during the procedure and he she had to be taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after she felt dizzy.

Her mum, Sandra, of Harlech Drive, Oswaldtwistle, is now warning parents about the potential dangers of piercings, especially unusual ones.

Owner of Zodiac Aromatherapy and Gifts, Stoneybutts, Brian Schofield, said the incident was unfortunate and very rare but was one of the risks involved with facial piercings.

And Dr Steve Morton, director of public health for Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Primary Care Trust, said people had to understand there could be risks.

Sandra said: "My daughter asked me about it. I've never been a fan of that sort of thing but with fashion being what it is these days I let her have it done.

"I waited outside and the man who did it called me in and said 'there's a problem'.

"When I saw her she had blood on her face and it had swelled up immediately.

"He said he had hit a blood vessel and taken the stud out.

"Now she looks as if she's been a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson.

"I just think if parents were faced with a similar situation to me I'd err on the side of caution and not let their children get it done."

Mr Schofield said: "In the lip area there are thousands of blood vessels and sometimes this happens.

"It probably happens about 1 in every 500 Madonnas and at the end of the day you are passing a 1.6mm needle through the tissue.

"We're checked for health and safety every two years and passed the last one with flying colours.

"All our staff are experienced and fully trained and we take great care to advise customers especially on after-care.

He said the shop had developed its own protocol where they would ask teenagers for ID and not pierce anyone under 14 and only with parental permission for 14 to 18-year-olds.

He said: "We pride ourselves on our strict procedures and that's why we get so many parents coming to us with their children. I think she's just being a protective mother."

Dr Morton said health authorities circulate advice to piercing parlours on good practice, mainly to do with infection control.

He said: "Piercing is for cosmetic reasons so ultimately people who have it done have to understand there will be risks.

"It is very rare to hit a blood vessel during piercing as most of the usual areas are without major blood vessels

"The main concern about piercing from a public health aspect is around blood borne infections like hepatitis B or HIV."