Safety and Health: Taking the Necessary Precautions Before Getting a Tattoo

Tattoos are becoming more popular and accepted in today’s society. In fact, about 14% of all Americans say they have at least one tattoo on their body. Tattoos can be a great way to express your style and have something important to you on your body forever. However, there are some risks that every tattoo client should be aware of. This article is going to discuss some of these risks and how to spot them in tattoo shops.

Health Risks
If you find tattoo artists who care about their clients and ensure all equipment is clean and safe, you most likely won’t face any health issues related to your new tattoo ink. However, if you go to an unsanitary tattoo shop, you may be exposing yourself to health risks.

Skin infections, diseases, and allergic reactions are all possibilities when tattoo equipment is not properly prepared and cleaned. Unfortunately, there are some unregulated tattoo shops, meaning they don’t have requirements for inspection, informed consent, and record-keeping. Whatever you do, do not get tattoos at these types of places! They have a higher risk of infection and tattoo-related problems.

When choosing your tattoo parlor and artist, it’s important to keep health and safety as a main deciding factor. Your artist should not only be experienced but also well-informed of how to keep you safe from health risks.

Safety First
A good rule of thumb to follow when getting a tattoo is that if you don’t see your artist open an individual, sealed equipment kit, walk out the door. Needles should never ever be shared between clients because they can easily spread diseases and infections. When you walk in, your artist’s station should be thoroughly sterilized and all equipment should be properly cleaned. Additionally, all tattoo artists should wear gloves and cover any parts of the chair under the body part that is getting tattooed.

While it can be pretty easy to spot an unsafe tattoo location, you should take the following precautions when you’re getting your next tattoo:

• Only allow your artist who uses single-use, sealed needle kits.
• Make sure the tattoo shop is fully licensed.
• Look for dirty work stations, blood splatter, and lack of infection-control policies.
• Ensure the tattoo artists use sterile, disposable gloves and towels for each client.
• Consult a doctor with any concerns with rashes, swelling, or drainage.

Tattoos are permanent, so the decision of choosing an artist should be taken very seriously. You should find an artist who is not only talented but who also cares about your health and safety and does everything they can to ensure you have a clean, safe, tattooing experience.