Body Art Establishments
The Marion County Health Department Environmental Health Division correlates inspections with the facility’s tattoo or piercing appointments in order to verify procedures are being followed properly and equipment is compliant with the Illinois Body Art Code 797.
Illegal body artists’ information can be turned in to Illinois Department of Public Health or Marion County Health Department.
- Piercing under the age of 18 can only be done with a parental/guardian signed consent form.
- Any 18 year old or older tattooing anyone under the age of 18 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. No parental/guardian consent can be allowed.
- Tongue splitting is illegal to be performed in Illinois unless done by a licensed medical professional licensed to practice medicine in all it’s branches in the State of Illinois.
Marion County Health Department inspections consist of the following:
- A copy of 77 Ill. Adm. Code 797 maintained on site
- Posted Registration Certificate
- Hygiene of artist to insure no broken skin, rashes or infections
- Review of records for client’s eligible age
- Proper waste receptacles
- Employee/Body Artist information
- Business Information
- Effective sanitation practices
- Emergency Procedures
- Equipment in good condition, no expired disposable sharps
What is Tattooing?
Tattooing is a process by which a pigment, usually ink, is permanently implanted under the skin by piercing the epidermis and depositing the ink into the dermis. Effectively, this means that the middle layer of skin contains ink which is protected by the upper layer (when fully healed).
What is Body piercing?
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice. While the history of body piercing is obscured by a lack of scholarly reference and popular misinformation, ample evidence exists to document that it has been practiced in various forms by both sexes since ancient times throughout the world.
Tanning Facilities
The Marion County Health Department Environmental Health Division conducts inspections of tanning facilities in order to verify procedures are being followed properly and equipment is compliant with the Illinois Tanning Code 795.
Marion County Health Department inspections consist of the following:
- A copy of 77 Ill. Adm. Code 795 maintained on site
- Posted registration certificate
- Verification of age restriction to anyone under the age of 18 years.
- Protective eyewear enforced, tanning frequency restricted to 24 hours apart, warning signage posted
- Operators are properly trained
- Equipment labeling, lamp verification, timer accuracy
- Effective sanitation practices
- Record keeping requirements for clients
What is Tanning?
People use tanning beds to darken their skin tone for aesthetic reasons. Fluorescent bulbs inside the bed emit high levels of UVA rays (and some UVB rays) that penetrate the skin and stimulate melanocytes to produce melanin, the pigment responsible for skin darkening. This melanin production is actually a sign of cellular DNA damage as the skin attempts to protect itself from further injury.
Health risks include skin burns, skin cancer, premature skin aging and eye damage. The World Health Organization classifies UV-emitting tanning devices as known human carcinogens.