Chatham-Kent (CK) Public Health is issuing its third medical alert in less than two months due to a business not properly disinfecting its tools.
Anyone who got a tattoo or piercing at Willows Tattoo and Piercing on Grand Avenue West in Chatham between October 1, 2025, and March 23, 2026, is encouraged to speak with a doctor about being tested for possible infections.
"Insufficient infection control procedures during tattoo and piercing services increase the risk of transmitting blood-borne infections, such as HIV or Hepatitis, as well as infections of the skin," read the alert.
CK Public Health said the business was not licensed, meaning no previous inspections had taken place. It said it became aware of the disinfecting issue after receiving a complaint.
CK News Today spoke with the owner of Willows Tattoo and Piercing, who said they didn't think they did anything wrong. They also explained that it was less of a business and more of an offer to help people at their apartment when they wanted a tattoo or piercing.
This latest alert comes less than two weeks after a similar one was issued for MicroFleek, a Chatham nail salon.
In February, CK Public Health issued an alert for the Chatham Skin Clinic due to a lengthy lapse in sterilizing and reprocessing medical equipment. The clinic has since claimed that all medical equipment was sterilized, but the sterilization was not properly documented.
