Suffolk eyes tattoo, piercing legislation

A measure that strikes a blow at amateur tattoo artists and body piercers by limiting the sale of needles, ink and other equipment to licensed professionals is pending in the Suffolk County Legislature.

The bill - hailed by advocates as the first of its kind in the nation - was approved Thursday by the Health and Human Services Committee and now heads to the full legislature for a vote.

Legis. Thomas Barraga (R-West Islip) said he wants to block the types of sales occurring in Nassau, where minors can buy tattooing equipment in shopping malls.

"In Nassau County, there are kiosks in malls, and they're selling tattoo equipment to anyone who wants to purchase it," Barraga said.

Buyers aren't required to prove they're licensed or in an apprentice program, he said, and there's no age restriction.

While Barraga says the proposed legislation isn't intended as a public health measure, some professional tattoo artists see it differently. They're pushing for passage of the bill, citing Long Island's hepatitis C epidemic and a surge in other communicable infections.

Licensed tattoo studios are currently subject to annual health inspections and proprietors must attend classes on disease prevention and infection control. Anyone who works legally as a tattoo artist or body piercer must first be in an apprenticeship, which can run as long as a year.

Licensed artists blame a burgeoning underground of "scratchers" - amateurs - for a rise in infections related to body art. The critics say home-based scratchers are most likely to buy single-use inks and needles, and use the paraphernalia on multiple clients.

"We see it all the time - people coming in with infections," complained Michael Fenn, owner of Body Designs, a licensed studio in Bay Shore.

"They say, 'What's going on with my tattoo?' and we say, 'Go to a hospital, pal, you've got a major staph infection.' "

Although body artists say they're aware people could still buy equipment in Nassau or New York City - or get supplies via the Internet - they support the Suffolk measure as a first step toward wider regulation.

"This is about protecting people's health," said Cliff White, who owns a licensed tattoo studio in Centereach.

But Lou Rubino, owner of five tattoo studios in Suffolk and Tattoo Technical Supply in West Babylon, has mixed feelings about the measure.

"This bill could stop some of the scratchers in the underground," he said, "but I also own Suffolk's only supply company, and it seems this bill is aimed at me."

From a practical standpoint, Rubino said the measure can't be enforced by lawmakers.

"How do you stop people in Suffolk from buying on eBay?" he asked.

Tips on body art safety

Getting a tattoo? Here are some safety tips:

• Choose a licensed tattoo studio. Check local and state regulations, and make sure the studio follows those rules.