The millions of Britons who have a tattoo or body piercing are at risk of being burned or contracting a serious infection from careless staff and dirty premises, health experts warn today.

Almost one in five people who undergo either procedure, or have acupuncture or electrolysis, suffer some sort of health setback as a result, according to a new report by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).

Risks range from experiencing swelling of the skin to infections including HIV and hepatitis and even developing the potentially fatal condition sepsis, it reports.

A gap in the law means that the fast-growing number of tattooists and other practitioners offering such procedures do not have to be qualified in the stringent infection control needed to safely operate such premises.

“Within the law and within the boundaries of consent people should not be prevented from expressing themselves by changing their body. But there need to be protections in place to ensure that infection control and other health risks are minimised,” said Shirley Cramer, the RSPH’s chief executive.

Just under a fifth (18%) of those who have had a tattoo, piercing, acupuncture or electrolysis in the past five years have suffered a side-effect such as burning or swelling, according to a survey of 2,000 people in May and June by Populus.

The number of tattoo parlours in the UK rose by 173% between 2000 and 2014 and one in five people now has a tattoo. However, the RSPH wants ministers to legislate to ensure that all premises providing procedures in which the skin barrier is broken must have a qualification in infection control as a condition of getting a licence from the council.

The NHS’s top doctor said the risks associated with the trend towards “body modification” meant tighter controls are needed.

“Getting a tattoo or piercing might appear cool, but ending up with hepatitis or sepsis certainly isn’t,” said Prof Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director.

“The NHS will always be there for anyone who needs it, but shouldn’t be left to pick up the pieces from dodgy tattoo parlours who don’t take infection control seriously.

“All organisations involved need to take their responsibilities seriously, particularly [with] young people, and higher standards are long overdue.”

In November 2015 an unlicensed tattooist in Peterborough called Vladislav Laputs was jailed for 16 weeks after admitting breaches of health and safety laws intended to protect his customers’ safety.

A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents 370 authorities in England and Wales, said: “Councils do as much as they can to ensure safety at premises registered in their areas, and to tackle unregistered premises.

“However, this work is made harder by the patchwork of legislation covering this area, with different powers available in different parts of the country. All councils should be given the robust powers they need to license businesses undertaking these types of procedures.”

The spokesman added: “With tattoo equipment becoming more widely and cheaply available online, we also need to look at how DIY tattoo kits are accessed, and whether restrictions are needed to help stop people setting up illegal businesses from home.”