Kentucky health officials propose ban on tattoos on scars

BOWLING GREEN Ky.-Tattoos are a form of art, expression, and for some, a way to move past hard trials.

Kentucky health officials are proposing a ban on getting tattoos over scarred skin. There is currently no specific stated reason for the proposal.

Business owner of Bowling Green’s Taboo Brothers Tattoos & Piercings does not see this proposal passing.

“I don’t feel much about it at all. I don’t see that it’ll pass, and if it does pass, I really don’t see how they can regulate it. I think there’s still a little bit left in it that they’re having to figure out the details of what they’re allowing to happen on scarred tissue, but I don’t see it passing at all,” said Clint Young, owner of Taboo Brothers.

Tattoos for some provide a way to cover past scars, which are then replaced with a symbol of recovery. Tattoo artist Jade Hammontree said a ban on this will break up the road to recovery.

“What if they were 13 in their room and put 20, 30 scars all up and down their arm because they hated life? And then 20 years down the road, they still see these scars every single day, and they got tired of seeing them. They wouldn’t be allowed technically to cover it up. I think that’s your decision if you want to cover something like that up,” said Hammontree.

Young said one of his clients used tattoos to move on from cancer.

“Michelle Brown is an example. We’ve been open for a little over 10 years, and she’s a cancer survivor, and she had her whole backside, and part of her front done. She spent several thousands of dollars. Now when she looks at it, she sees beauty when she used to look down and see scars. In her words, it’s life changing,” said Young.

For reasons like this, the tattoo business is the least of Young’s worries. Rather, the well-being of those who need this.

“I think we’ll be affected a small amount, but it’s more of just your average person that wants to heal themselves, whether they’re a cutter or they’ve experienced a disease, I think it’ll affect a lot of people,” said Young.

The full article can be found here.

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/902/045/065reg.pdf