Hepatitis from Piercings or Tattoos

Tattoos and piercings have become an ever more present part of the mainstream pop culture in the United States. It is not just people from the wrong side of the tracks or who have spent some time in a prison that have tattoos anymore. By the same token, having multiple ear piercings or even nose and lip piercings is no longer rare.

As wonderful a form of self expression and individuality these various markings and additions to a person’s body are, they are accompanied by significant risks. The biggest risk from both of these forms of expression is hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver that can be passed on through various bodily fluids. One of those is blood. Both piercings and tattoos can potentially involve blood. Tattoos in particular, with their tiny needles that pierce the skin and inject ink below the skin, can easily transmit the Hepatitis C virus from person to person.

Tattoos pass on Hepatitis C when the artist reuses the dye or needles, sterilizes the needles inadequately between customers, or ruins the sterile state of the needles on his or her own body. A tattoo artist can ruin the sterility of a needle by licking the tattoo needle or testing the needle’s sharpness by pricking his or her own hand and then immediately using the needle on the customer.

Body piercing can become a source of Hepatitis C infection because it too uses needles and potential exposure to blood. If the needles or other sterilizing equipment is not sterilized correctly or adequately between customers, they can become a significant source of Hepatitis C.

Contact a Lake Geneva Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C and it was transmitted via an unsterile needle from a piercing parlor or tattoo parlor, contact the Lake Geneva personal injury lawyers of Habush, Habush, & Rottier at 1-800-242-2874 today.