New Body Art Rules Strengthen Safety Standards in Michigan
Updates to health guidelines for body art facilities.
The Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW) has received updates from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) about rules for body art facilities, such as tattoo and piercing studios. These changes are designed to make sure procedures are safe for everyone.
“These updates are all about protecting the health and safety of both clients and artists,” says Jeremy Fruk, Director of Environmental Health at HDNW. “Clear rules around numbing products and strong sterilization standards help ensure that body art procedures are done in the cleanest, saftest way possible.”
What’s Changed
Effective September 11, the law states that the use of any numbing product is prohibited. Numbing gels and creams were never allowed but there was no law specifically stating their use was prohibited.
Here’s why:
• Over-the-counter numbing creams indicate, “not for use on broken or irritated skin,” while tattooing and piercing procedures do irritate the skin,
• Numbing creams may change how the skin feels and effect how the ink is absorbed, potentially compromising the result.
Numbing agents prescribed by a physician specifically for body art treatment and applied ONLY by the client may be used for a procedure. The body art facility must keep a copy of the prescription with the client’s record. Numbing creams from online sources that indicate use for body art procedures are not allowed in Michigan.
Sterilization, Storage, and Facility Updates
There’s a big change in how sterilization equipment is checked. From now on, the tools used to clean and sterilize instruments must be tested for harmful bacteria weekly. Previously, spore testing was done once a month. Other updates include:
• Proper storage and disposal of pigments,
• No live plants allowed in procedure rooms,
• No live animals are allowed in the facility—except for fish tanks in the waiting area.
To find out more about body art facility changes and updates visit the MDHHS Body Art website. For more information on body art licensing, requirements and to view an application, visit nwhealth.org. To stay updated on all health-related news, subscribe to our monthly news letter here. Questions? Call HDNW today at 800-432-4121.
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