It is now quite common to see an Average Joe with a neat tattoo peeping out from one of his cut-up shirt sleeves, with a nice little ear piercing to boot. Some daring campus sweethearts even have shiny navel rings and dainty, colored designs at the back of their waist just above their bikinis. Even celebrities endorse these forms of art and fashion.

But behind the style and spunk of tattoos, piercings, and other body arts --- lies the risk of serious infections. These possible infections include Hepatitis C and HIV. News reports have alarmed health experts about a potentially deadly, drug-resistant type of staph infection among unlicensed tattoo artists in many states in America.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that from 2004 to 2005 alone, the antibiotic-resistant superbug known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has been found in 44 people who had undergone illegal tattoo operation from 13 unlicensed tattoo artists in Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont.

According to a CDC official, staph infections in these cases were caused by the unlicensed tattoo artist failing to use gloves; masks; sterilized needles; or single-use equipment, including needles, tattoo guns, and ink supplies.

CDC officials advised those who are considering a tattoo to be aware of the potential risk of drug-resistant MRSA infection associated with unlicensed tattoo artists. They highly recommend undergoing such procedures only with a duly licensed tattoo artist who observes proper infection-control procedures.

While most MRSA skin infections are mild, it's possible for them to develop into more invasive problems such as pneumonia or necrotizing fasciitis, the so-called flesh-eating disease.

In the reported cases, those who were infected were mostly male with ages ranging from 15 to 42 years old. These cases involved those who had close exposure with people who received tattoos. They could be living together in the same place or maintain close personal contact with each other.

The infections are characterized by small skin lesions and boils to large abscesses that required incision and drainage. Those who were infected have developed blood infection from the MRSA and required hospitalization with treatment of intravenous antibiotics.

Due to close quarters sharing and skin-to-skin contact, cases of MRSA staph infection outbreaks have been reported among athletes, prison inmates, and military recruits. It is usually spread from person to person by direct contact with a draining wound or by contact with a carrier of the bacteria who has no symptoms.

According to reports, 3 of the unlicensed tattoo artists involved in MRSA outbreaks in Ohio had been incarcerated, but the source of the infection remains unclear.

To those who are considering getting a tattoo or piercing, better think twice about it. Always make sure that the shop you go to uses clean needles and instruments and that the artist is a licensed one.