| Agency News Center |
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| Press Release |
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Think Twice Before Getting A Piercing or Tattoo over Spring Break
Salem, OR, March 16, 2001 -- Thousands of students across Oregon are ready for spring break. Some stay close to home, others head for a different state or country. Some will make questionable choices about alcohol use. And some, either under the influence or on a friend´s dare, will get a tattoo or body piercing to test their limits.
Sometimes they aren´t happy with the outcome. The State of Oregon´s Oregon Health Licensing Agency is launching a statewide education effort this spring to inform teens about the health risks involved with getting a tattoo or body piercing.
"Once you get a tattoo or piercing, it´s done, you can´t hit the delete key," says Kevin Weeks of the Oregon Health Licensing Agency, "Sometimes the decision to get a tattoo or piercing is made quickly, without researching the procedure or what side effects the procedure can cause. "
Spring Break, with its reputation for excessive drinking and parties can introduce two dangerous elements: impaired judgment and peer pressure.
"Many people who are interviewed by county health departments following an infection related to a piercing or tattoo had no idea of the health risks involved," says Weeks, "If a person does not go to state licensed provider they also stand a greater risk or possible exposure to tetanus, Hepatitis B or C virus and even HIV exposure."
Body piercing and tattooing is gaining in popularity throughout Oregon. The Oregon Health Licensing Agency statistics show a five percent increase in the number of licensed tattoo or piercing facilities in the state between 1999 and 2000, and a nine percent jump in the number of licensed body piercing technicians. A national study performed in 1995 indicated that nine percent of sampled adolescents had a tattoo, and 55 percent of the sample group stated that they wanted to obtain a tattoo.
Given the growing interest in piercing and tattooing, the Oregon Health Licensing Agency is launching a statewide safety education campaign called "WANTS and NEEDLES" to educate young people about the complex health issues behind the choice to get a tattoo or piercing. Weeks says the campaign places the decision making process on young people and their parents. "We came up with the name for the campaign based on the reality that many teens and young adults want to get a piercing or tattoo. We´re not going to say ´don´t do it´ because we would like an informed decision to occur. We´re also going to educate people about what is and is not legal for piercing and tattooing in Oregon."
If you are under 18, parental consent is required in Oregon to get a body piercing, whether that is an earlobe or any other part of the anatomy. Under no circumstances can someone under 18 obtain a genital or nipple piercing.
Tattoos or a piercing are sometimes perceived as a way of fitting in to a group, or challenging a dare from a friend. "There is an element to these industries of a person taking risks or expanding boundaries, but sometimes the peer pressure involved can overwhelm a young person into making a decision quickly, sometimes with an outcome they might not like," says Weeks.
Steps to Remember When Getting a Pierce or Tattoo
Talk to your friends or others who have been tattooed or pierced. Ask them about their experiences, the cost, pain involved and healing time. Ask them what they would do if they had a chance to do it over again.
Make the decision to get a pierce a sober one. Do not get a piercing or tattoo while under the influence or alcohol or drugs. Your body will react physiologically different while under the influence, and you might not like the choice you made the next morning. Make sure the technician performing the procedure is not chemically affected either.
Getting a piercing or tattoo needs to be a personal decision. You have the ultimate say over your appearance, and what you do to your body. Understand that you do not have to tattoo or pierce your body to belong, or fit in, even if a friend tells you should.
Have a licensed professional perform the piercing or tattooing. Professionals have industry standards and state regulations to uphold. They must provide a safe and hygienic setting to perform the procedure. A professional will be happy to show you their license issued by the Oregon Health Licensing Agency. If you decide to have a tattoo or body piercing, never tattoo or pierce your own body or let a friend do it because of potential complications.
The work area should be clean and follow state guidelines to prevent blood contamination. The technician should wear protective gloves and needles should be packaged in sterile containers - make sure you see the technician open a sterile container and load the needle prior to performing a procedure. Piercing guns may only be used on earlobes. Discuss infection control and sanitation beforehand - if the technician refuses to talk about safety issues with you, take your business elsewhere.
Take care of the affected skin area after the procedure. The piercing or tattoo technician must supply you with a safety guideline sheet about how to keep the skin around where you have had the procedure performed clean and free of infection. Healing times for a piercing can vary anywhere from six weeks for an earlobe piercing up to one year for complex body piercing procedures. If a piercing area hurts, swells or drains fluid for an unusual amount of time, consult a doctor right away.
The ´Wants and Needles´ campaign will be distributing brochures and safety education materials to county health departments, school districts, community colleges and four-year colleges soon.
For additional information about the ´Wants and Needles´ safety campaign, or piercing and tattoo safety information go to the Oregon Health Licensing Agency website, www.hlo.state.or.us or contact the Oregon Health Licensing Agency at 503-378-8667 extension 4330.
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