When you are getting a tattoo, infection is a possibility. The needle goes through the skin and if not properly sanitized, disease and infection can occur. Hepatitis B and C, Tetanus, HIV, or even Flesh Eating Disease can be transferred to you with a dirty needle. Most tattoo shops are clean and there is a minimal risk for infection, but tattoo infections do happen. There are several things you can do to avoid an infection or disease and a few common sense steps can help you get the tattoo you want without being worried.
When you choose your tattoo, go to a reputable studio that presents all its credentials up front. Makes sure they have met all the state and local board requirements and if the state requires it, a reference to the latest tests from health and safety. If the shop is legitimate, then the artist will have those documents on record.
Another way to avoid tattoo infections is to ask the tattoo artist what procedures that they use. This could include how they serialize their needles and what kinds of ink that they use. Do your homework first so you are an informed consumer.
Another questions that is sometimes missed is how does the shop get rid of their needles and other biological refuse? Do they use bio hazard bags? Where do the bags go when they are disposed of? If the cleanup is not sanitary, then the process of giving you the tattoo may also be unsanitary.
Look at the sanitation process before a tattoo is given. Ask the artist to watch the process from start to finish on another customer. Here you need to watch how the artist sanitizes their work station. Do they use sanitizer on all surfaces? Do they recheck their cleanliness before having the customer sit down? During the tattoo process, do you see anything that could be considered unsanitary?
Another prevention of tattoo infections is to ask how long the artist has been tattooing. A novice tattoo artist can be very good, but if you find out that your artist is new to the business, really make sure that you question the sanitary procedures before having ink applied. He or she may be very good at their job, but a little extra scrutiny makes it better safe than sorry.
The training of the artist is also important. Where did he or she go to school? Did they go through an apprenticeship? Like a hairdresser, the skill of the artist may be apparent but without the training for sanitation and proper cleanliness, some important factors may result in tattoo infections. If they are sincere, they will welcome your questions and answer them truthfully.
The final tip to protect against tattoo infections is to visually inspect the shop. Is it cluttered? Is it dirty? If you feel that anything is out of place, trust your gut feeling and look for another artist. Your health and peace of mind is more important than the tattoo that you are getting.
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