Created: 10/30/2009 5:44:26 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Grace Dlabaj is a tattoo artist at the Kadillac Tattoo studio and said she doesn't like what she has been seeing.
"A lot of people are coming in with homemade tattoos and a lot of them are infected and poorly done," said Dlabaj.
She says the artists in her studio have spent a lot of time correcting some of these ugly mistakes. "Sometimes it is an easy fix, and there are some there is nothing you can do," she said.
The ages of the victims are even more alarming, said Dlabaj.
"It is a lot of teenage kids, it is a lot of people who could make better decisions, but they are going and getting it done out of dirty houses," She added.
And with these botched tattoos come a health risk.
Dlabaj said, "You can get hepatitis, AIDS, a bad staph infection or a scar that you will have to live with the rest of your life."
Her advice is to do your homework before you let someone begin piercing your skin.
Some consumer tips:
- Check to see if they are operating under a physician's license.
- Check their health department inspection record.
- Check the tattoo artist's work and references.
- Check to see what is being used to sterilize their equipment.
Dlabaj said if the person wanting a tattoo is under 18 years of age he must have parental consent in the form of a sworn statement.
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