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Tattoo Essentials: What You Need To Know |
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
KEEPIN' IT STERILE
Finally, here are some helpful hints as to the sterility of a tattoo shop. It is not my intention to make anyone feel as
though professional tattooing is dangerous...in truth, so long as all of these aspects are present, you are virtually
guaranteed safety and that is the primary concern of any reputable shop. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't
address the concerns and cares associated with tattooing. These are things that MUST be present in a studio to
ensure your personal safety from disease and infection.
1. There should be a certificate from the local health department stating that the establishment has met their stringent
health and safety criteria. This is not the same as a business license in most states. Look for BOTH.
2. You should be able to view their autoclave. The steam autoclave is used to sterilize every piece of equipment before
it is used on a client. It is exactly the same unit and procedure used by doctors and dentists in their offices and
hospitals. This unit completely kills everything…when working properly. Watch out for "dry-heat" sterilizers, (basically
little ovens), which are inferior and do not kill all blood-borne pathogens.
3. There should be a monthly spore test done to show that not only do they own an autoclave, but that it also
functions properly. This is done very cheaply—about $25-35 per month. Remember, just having a sterilizer is not
enough...it must be used correctly and it must function properly to be effective.
4. When you sit down to get tattooed, the artist should open up tools such as needles and tubes in front of you,
providing you with peace of mind. Every needle grouping and tube used by the tattooist must be bagged and run
through the autoclave. All clave bags have some sort of marking on the side that changes color once the required
temperature is met in the autoclave. But beware, seeing a bagged instrument is NOT enough. Bags are cheap, autoclaves
are not, and the color of the bag indicator can be changed with a lighter or other heat source. So, you must
also see the working autoclave and the evidence that it is checked regularly by an outside source.
5. There are many disposables in tattooing: razors, gloves, cups, paper towels, rubber bands, and tongue depressors.
Obviously, these should all come from sealed containers and be thrown away after each use. Ink in the ink cups
can never be re-used, which is why it is put into small, disposable caps for each tattoo. There is no possibility of cross
contamination so long as these conditions are met.
6. Everything at the artist's station that he will touch while you are being tattooed is to be bagged or shielded. For
example: soap and water bottles, power supply, the cord that connects to the tattoo machine, the tattoo machines
themselves, his lamp and counter may have a sticky barrier film on them or plastic wrap. These are all precautionary
steps to limit the possibility of cross contamination from one client to the next.
7. There should be a spray bottle or wipes with "germicidal solution" printed on it; it will kill any living bacteria or
microbe within 10 minutes. Before and after every tattoo this solution is sprayed over everything the artist touches
while working.
Let me stress again, these are simple and effectual ways to guarantee your safety. If followed properly, you have
zero risk of infection. Nothing ever used on anyone else will ever be used or touched again except the stainless steel
tubes that are cleaned and completely sterilized in the working autoclave after each and every use. This is precisely
the procedure that surgeons use with their tools and it is 100% effective. You have nothing to fear from any established
shop that operates according to these guidelines.
I hope this has been educational and will prove helpful as you consider getting your first or next tattoo. If you have
any questions or concerns, I will make myself available to you via email. Feel free to write with any questions you
might have or anything you feel I may have forgotten to cover here.
Next issue we'll begin dealing with some specific things which I believe will help you become a more educated tattoo
collector!
Part 1 (Tattoo 101: Essentials, I Can't Wash It Off Ma, Don't Settle)
Part 2 (How Do You Know Who's The Best?)
Part 3 (When You've Decided, Expect A Comfortable Atmosphere)
Part 4 (Keepin' It Sterile)
Each part of Tattoo Essentials will be released once a week. Check back soon for the next part to be posted!
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