Body-piercing rules that take effect next month will restrict the use of piercing guns to earlobes and forbid children from having their nipples or genitals pierced.
The new state regulations are part of the first revamp of Ohio’s tattoo and piercing regulations in nearly 20 years – changes that industry officials say are needed for a business that’s becoming increasingly mainstream and professionalized.
Starting Sept. 1, guns can’t be used for nose cartilage or upper-ear piercings, under a new Ohio Department of Health rule. That’s because it’s hard to sterilize guns, and piercing cartilage could infect someone with a disease such as hepatitis, said Patrick McCarthy, the Columbus-based president of the Association of Body Art Professionals.
That new rule will mostly affect mall jewelry stores, as most other body art shops use only single-use hollow needles for such piercings, McCarthy said.
As for the new restriction on minors, McCarthy said it’s technically sexual assault for an artist to pierce children’s nipples or genitals, even if their parents give their permission.
Other new regulations include stricter rules for sterilizing equipment and recording what ink is used for each tattoo.
McCarthy said the new rules are meant to help legitimize a flourishing body art industry in Ohio. The number of tattoo parlors in Ohio has doubled since state rules were first established in 1998, he estimated.
McCarthy said the new regulations won’t be noticed by most customers and workers, but they’ll ensure that the public is protected.
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