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In the UK, there is no minimum age for ear piercings carried out by a professional, but studios generally enforce their own minimum age rules.
In Wales, it is against the law to perform an intimate piercing, such as nipple, genitals or tongue piercing on anyone under the age of 18.
In England and Scotland, there is no legal age of consent to have a body piercing procedure performed, but many studios typically enforce a strict 18 and over policy.
Kits sold online can be bought for as little as £1.50 on a variety of online websites.
When contacted for a response, some retailers that sell the kits online referred to the fact there are no restrictions to sell these products in the UK.
An Amazon spokesperson said that they require all products to "comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies" and "do not sell products for purchase by children".
It can take action if these rules are not followed, it added.
EBay, who also sell the kits, said as there were no restrictions in the UK that "prohibit the sale of at-home piercing kits", they were "widely available" and "not prohibited" on the platform.
Maddie said her TikTok algorithm played a major role in influencing her decision to buy a kit and pierce herself.
"I saw people promoting the kits and I wanted to get it done," she said.
Having since seen that the piercings can cause complications, she said social media companies should do more to warn users.
"Maybe they should put a warning on certain videos that involve using a gun, just so people know the risks," said Maddie.
TikTok has been approached for comment.
Professional piercer Rhian Mansfield, 42, is part of the UKAPP, an organisation that worked with the Welsh government to implement the UK's first mandatory national licensing scheme for body piercing.
She said the risk of piercing in unsterile environments could cause infection and cross-contamination.
"The jewellery [used in the kits to pierce] isn't very sharp so it's also causing a lot of trauma to the tissue cartilage," she said.
"We, as the UKAPP, would like to see these guns, contraptions, just completely banned."
The Welsh government said: "Safety of these products cannot be guaranteed especially if purchased online.
"We would always advise people not to use DIY kits for piercing but to go to a fully licensed, professional piercer operating from an approved premises."
