Why is the Health District involved?
The goal of the tattoo and body piercing program is to prevent the spread of disease via the procedures of tattooing and body piercing. Health District sanitarians conduct at least two unannounced inspections per year at each facility, looking for conditions that could lead to the spread of disease. During these inspections, artist’s records are checked for current certification in blood borne pathogen training, principles of infection control, & first-aid. The sterilization equipment, processes, and record keeping are checked. General sanitation of equipment and facility are checked, and procedures such as hand washing and glove usage are verified. These inspection reports are not available online, however you may contact us to request copies of these inspection reports.
Tattoo and body piercing procedures are only permitted to occur in a location licensed & inspected by the local health district. Data clearly show that disease transmission is more likely to occur in illegal, unlicensed facilities than in those that are inspected and regulated. In order to open up a tattoo, body piercing, or permanent make-up facility, approval must first be obtained from local zoning, and facility plans must be submitted to the Health District and the Clermont County Building Inspections Department. Please contact us for additional information.
What risks are involved?
Tattooing and body piercing is becoming more and more popular in the United States, with an estimated 10 -20 million adults already tattooed or pierced. From a public health perspective, it is important to realize that tattooing and piercing are invasive procedures, involving body fluids and reusable equipment.
Some diseases that can be spread through tattooing are staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. There have been no documented cases of HIV/AIDS spread through tattooing, though the procedure certainly provides potential for spread of this deadly virus.
The complications that can arise from piercing are many, and depend on the body part being pierced. Possible complications include the infections listed above for tattooing, as well as excessive bleeding, permanent scarring, nerve damage, urethra damage, impotence, eye damage, eyelid droop, speech impediment, facial cellulitus, chipped tooth enamel, etc.
Know the facts...
Ask to see a copy of the facility's operating license issued by the Health District. Although the presence of a license offers no guarantees, it does offer assurance the facility is routinely inspected to ensure the operator maintains their facility clean & in good repair, and has the correct equipment, supplies, experience, training, and record keeping to facilitate a safe procedure.
Items such as needles, ink, ink caps, disposable razors, and gloves should be used only once and discarded. The needles will already be soldered to the needle bar at the beginning of the procedure, but the customer should be able to witness the operator wash their hands, put on a new pair of gloves, and remove the needle/needle bar from the sterile packaging that has been autoclaved.
The facility should be clean and well lit. A stocked and operable hand sink should be available and used, and an autoclave must be used to sterilize needles, needle bars, and piercing needles.
After-care instructions should be provided before you leave. Be certain to follow these closely to avoid problems. Most infected tattoos and piercings are a result of improper after-care.
A parent or legal guardian is required to be present when anyone under the age of 18 receives a tattoo or body piercing in the state of Ohio.
The Clermont County General Health District encourages anyone experiencing an infected tattoo or piercing, or any other issue that suggests a facility is posing a risk to the public health or safety, to contact us. This will enable Health District sanitarians to take steps to eliminate the threat.
Additional Resources
Ohio’s Tattoo and Body Piercing Regulations
OSHA Information Regarding Blood borne Pathogens
The FDA's Information Regarding Tattoos & Permanent Makeup