Body Art: Regulatory Issues and the NEHA Body Art Model Code

The popularity of body art, especially of invasive tattooing and body-piercing procedures, has prompted safety concerns. The four primary areas of concern are (1) the equipment and associated materials, (2) the artists' education, (3) the physical environments where body art is performed, and (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental health 2000-05, Vol.62 (9), p.25-30
Main Authors: Armstrong, Myrna L., Fell, Paul R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body art
Body decoration
Body piercing
Commercial regulation
Environmental health
Government regulation
Health aspects
Industrial regulation
Infections
Pigments
Public health
Public safety
Regulation
Safety regulations
SPECIAL REPORT
Tattooing
Tattoos
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Summary:The popularity of body art, especially of invasive tattooing and body-piercing procedures, has prompted safety concerns. The four primary areas of concern are (1) the equipment and associated materials, (2) the artists' education, (3) the physical environments where body art is performed, and (4) the paucity of regulations and enforcement associated with the procedures. (Approximately half the states in this country have tattooing regulations. A few states have regulations for body piercing.) To address these concerns, a 21-member expert committee was formed under the auspices of NEHA. This committee, which assumed a leading role by creating a Body Art Model Code, comprised environmental and public health professionals; representatives from three body art organizations; and physicians, nurses, health educators, and individuals from relevant federal agencies. The Model Code is designed to serve as a professional advisory document for health officials who wish to regulate the body art industry in their jurisdictions. It also establishes public health criteria and recommendations for operators so that they can safely provide body art services to the general public.
ISSN:0022-0892