Check your tattoo parlour out at Health Unit first

As a fashion statement, tattoos and body piercings are leaving their mark on many people – which makes it important to ensure that businesses providing these services are safe and clean.

With National Infection Control Week (October 15-19) coming up, area residents are reminded to check that the tattoo parlour or body piercing business of their choice is regularly inspected by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit. Thanks to the new HKPR CheckINspection website, inspection results for hundreds of businesses and services in Northumberland County, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes are now accessible to the public. Tattoo and body piercing businesses can be searched under the ‘Personal Services’ category of the website.

The Health Unit is responsible for inspecting establishments that offer personal services such as tattooing, body piercing, hairdressing, barbering, waxing, electrolysis, manicures and pedicures. During these inspections, Public Health Inspectors ensure that businesses and staff follow proper infection prevention and control measures.

“While the piercings and tattoos may look good on you, it’s important to treat these procedures with caution and care,” says Carol Chan, a public health inspector with the HKPR District Health Unit.

“Procedures like body piercing and tattooing involve breaking the skin, which is the body’s first line of defence against illness and infection. Since the skin has been broken, care is very important to prevent infection.”

Locally, there are many reputable operators offering piercings and tattoos that are only too happy to share their Health Unit inspection reports and answer questions about how the procedure is done. Chan says these operators are not the problem. “The real concern lies with individuals and operations that are not inspected by the Health Unit. These operations may be doing piercings, tattoos and other procedures ‘undercover’ in private homes,” she adds.

To be safe and not sorry, Chan advises people to:

• Carefully choose a tattoo artist who is trained in tattooing. Find out about the practitioner’s training and what their practices are to ensure clean workstations and sterilized equipment. Shop around for another tattoo artist if you feel uncomfortable in any way.
• Observe the person giving a tattoo, as this can reveal a lot about his or her infection control practices. The practitioner should wash their hands before and after the procedure, wear disposable gloves throughout the procedure and ensure the tattoo ink is not reused. The person should also opt for single-use sterilized needles, and open the sealed, sterile packages in front of you before starting the procedure.
• Look at the appearance of a tattoo parlour, including if it is clean and well lit, as this tells a lot about the business. A good tattoo practitioner should have a biohazard container for safe disposal of contaminated needles, a heat sterilization machine (also called autoclave) to sterilize equipment that is non-disposable, and a leak-proof garbage container for disposing of items.

“Don’t let yourself be pressured into getting a tattoo without considering these precautions,” Chan says. “While tattoos are a way to express yourself, they can also have lasting consequences on your health.”