Body Art: Getting It Done Safely

So you think you're ready to get that tattoo or piercing -- what next? Where do you go and who do you get to do it? There are serious health risks involved if the conditions are not clean. Here are some things you should consider before getting a tattoo or piercing.

Choosing a Studio

There are several things you can look for:

• The work areas should be kept in a clean and sanitary condition and have good lighting.
• The studio should have an autoclave -- a machine used to sterilize equipment between customers.
• Packaged, sterilized tattoo needles should be used only once and then thrown away in a special biohazard container.
• Leftover ink should be thrown away after each procedure. Needles should never be inserted into the bottle.
• If the artist uses deodorant to create a darker impression of the transfer copy on your skin, the artist should never use the deodorant stick directly on your skin. Instead, the deodorant should be wiped onto a tissue, and the tissue placed on your skin.
• The tattoo artist or piercer should wash and dry his or her hands and wear latex gloves during the procedure.
• A consent form should be completed by the customer before the procedure is completed.

Choosing an Artist

Tattoo artists are not licensed and there are no FDA-approved pigments that can be used. You could ask the following questions.

• Is the tattooist is certified by the Alliance for Professional Tattooists (APT)?
• Has the tattooist has completed any training and are certificates available for you to see?
• Is the artist vaccinated for Hepatitis B?
• Are there see pictures of finished work you can see?

Other Considerations

Allergic Reaction: Hypersensitivity to a tattoo pigment may result in an allergic response. Scars can also develop. Exposure to the sun can also stimulate an allergic reaction to the pigment used in a tattoo.

Risks: Unsterile tattooing and piercing equipment and needles can spread serious infection, hepatitis, tetanus and even HIV. Without proper cleaning and protection from the sun, the tattoo or piercing site can become infected.

Piercing complications: Tongue piercings initially swell a lot. Nipple piercings may burrow through milk-producing ducts and cause infection or problems with breastfeeding.

Blood Donations: You cannot make blood donations for a year after getting a tattoo, body piercing or permanent make-up.

Infection: The signs of infection you should look for include:

• Oozing or bleeding
• Yellow or green discharge, or pus coming from the body art
• Area feels hot to the touch
• Red lines starting at body art