When you go get a tatoo or body piercing, a local health official says be careful who is doing the body art.
Oneida County Registered Sanitarian Todd Troskey outlines some recent activity...
".....we've had two recent incidences where a person who received a tatoo from a person not in a licensed facility, and the other incident was someone received a body piercing from someone who is not a licensed practitioner. Both are not legal activities...."
Troskey says getting worked on by an unlicensed person can also have a much higher risk for health problems...
"...there are diseases that can be transmitted such as HIV and hepatitis. We hear of and sometimes see where skin gets infected because a licensed practitioner needs to know what they are doing and needs to be done in a safe, sound and licensed facility for those types of things not to happen...."
The Oneida County Health Department regulates all this type of activity here. Troskey says unlicensed operators an see hefty fines. Citations in the amount of $280 can be issued for each incident. A fine of $150.00 will be issued to anyone that is not a licensed practitioner, and a fine of $749.00 will be issued for anyone not practicing in a licensed facility.
