Tattooing and body piercing

  • If infection control measures are not taken, there is a risk of blood-borne virus transmission.

Tattooing and piercing both involve the use of needles to pierce the body, either in the form of an intra-dermal ink injection or a deeper needle penetration during piercing. Therefore there is a risk of blood-borne virus transmission, unless infection control measures are taken.

However there are no documented cases of HIV transmission due to tattooing or body piercing. There have been cases of hepatitis C transmission, particularly when non-professional equipment has been used in prison settings.

Universal application of infection control procedures is important – employment of single-use, disposable piercing needles, tattoo needles and razors; safe disposal of needles and razors in sharps boxes; washing hands before and after putting on disposable gloves; the cleaning and sterilization of reusable tools and equipment; and frequent cleaning of surfaces and work areas.

In the UK, local authority environmental health officers register and regulate businesses offering tattooing and body piercing.

This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.