Sep 26, 2006
Hi everyone,
My name is Lara, and i'm one of the partners in 4 Leaf Clover. Someone found us on this forum and contacted us, which is how I found you.
There are a bunch of people asking a bunch of questions about tattooing and piercing in Dubai, and I'd like to take the time to clear up some misconceptions. (I'll be doing the rounds of a few of these posts, so you might read this reply a few times).
1) I don't know if it used to be illegal but it isn't anymore. It IS, however, tightly regulated by the Ministry of Health. Anyone who wants to tattoo or pierce has to be licensed; which is why so many people do it underground (or in their bathrooms).
2) When we opened, we personally went and checked out the places that tattoo and pierce and ONLY refer you to those who are: sterile, hygeinic, and professional.
3) It's true that most tattoo artists in Dubai only do the "permanent makeup" type of tattoos - we've found one who does that and body art tattoos.
So, if you do want to get tattooed or pierced safely and hygenically in Dubai, you can. We've recommended our contacts to dozens of people since we opened, and we haven't had any complaints. On the contrary, everyone is very impressed with the level of hygiene and professionalism.