"We have heard about people not changing their needles in between clients. We have even heard of people not replacing their needles, just wiping them down with disinfectant."
Ms Regling said she had seen three cases of septicemia or severe infection from people who had received home tattoos.
"I told them: 'Go to your doctor, you have an infection of the blood'.
"It's a massive problem up here because you do not need to be qualified. We have been trying to battle it for years with the council," she said.
Ink enthusiasts hoping to save a buck cost the public thousands each year in claims for botched tattoos.
ACC received 304 claims relating to tattoos across the country in 2013 at a cost of almost $46,000.
The most common injuries were lacerations, punctures or stings and most people listed "home" as the accident scene on their claim form.
The amount claimed by an individual varied depending on the severity of their injury, said ACC media advisor Suzanne Muth.
"It depends on how much medical treatment they need to receive.
"If one person had a really bad reaction it could mean a lot of trips to the doctor for check-ups," she said.
Ms Muth said people could not use ACC to have an unsightly tattoo covered.
"The claim has to be for an injury."
People in need of tattoo removal to re-enter the work force could claim up to $1500 a year through the Work and Income Transition to Work scheme.
A Work and Income spokesperson said only a small number of people used the scheme for tattoo removal.
"Those who access this support do so to try and turn their lives around, and find that having a visible tattoo is preventing them from getting a job."
