Before Tatooing & Piercing
If you do decide to get a tattoo, make sure you know the risks involved and ways to protect yourself. Tattoo risks may include: infections, allergies, scarring, bumps and MRI complications. Transmission of Hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is also possible when poor infection control practices are used during tattooing or piercing.
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver and Hepatitis is also the name of a family of viral infections that affect the liver; the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Hepatitis B vaccine will help protect you from hepatitis B, but there is no vaccine for hepatitis C or HIV.
There is an elevated risk of infection in amateur tattoos and piercing studios. However, infection from tattooing in clean and modern tattoo studios employing single-use needles is rare.
Good tattoo or piercing studio will have a well-lit, clean and sanitary, work environment. All surfaces should be made of hard material that is easy to clean. All the instruments used should be made of quality stainless steel that can be easily cleaned and sterilized. They should also have proper sterilizer (preferably a steam sterilizer) to sterilize their equipment. A test strips should be used to indicate whether the machine is operating correctly.
Practitioners performing the procedure should have clean working habits, including washing their hands before and after procedures, after handling contaminated items, before opening and handling sterile supplies, and before putting on and after removing their gloves.
Tattoo and piercing needles should always be brand new and sterile for each treatment. They should never be reused.
Only new fresh ink in disposable ink caps should be used for your tattoo. Sharing ink is like sharing dirty needles, so make sure your artist use only new ink from small disposable containers.
If shaving is needed, they should use a new disposable razor.
The areas to be tattooed should be totaly clean, usually first with soap and water and then with a skin antiseptic.
Those performing the procedure should use new gloves for each customer and during the whole procedure.
A sterile non-stick bandage should cover your tattoo before you leave.
Make sure that artist you use is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and you shouldn't be either.
Good professional tattoo artist studio will make sure you leave with oral and written aftercare instructions.
Tetanus risk could be prevented by having an up-to-date tetanus booster prior to being tattooed.
Refrain from using alcohol or drugs before being tattooed or pierced. Alcohol and drugs thin your blood, so you will bleed more.
Tell the artist if you have any allergies to metal, iodine, petroleum-based or alcohol-based products etc.
Never have tattoo or pierce skin that has a cut or break, pimples, warts, or other abnormalities.
If you must touch your tattoo or before rotating the jewelry to the pierced area, always wash your hands properly with soap and water first. If you are concerned that the tattoo or piercing is infected, contact your doctor or local health unit.
If the tattooed area becomes red, swollen, tender or if pus develops, you may have an infection. Don't wait, see your doctor immediately.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© Maya Gavric, entrepreneur, consultant, freelance writer, web developer, artist, former realtor, and marketing coach has been working, researching and reporting on the Internet for years. Her numerous articles and books offer valuable insight and tips on wide variety of topics. In recent times she has paid particular attention to knowledge management on the Internet, health topics and environmental problems, exploring how our attention to hot issues might best transform current situation into better practice. For more health tips and info visit: Romwell Health Pages
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Learn More:
About Tattoos & Permanent Makeup
More About Tattoos & Permanent Makeup
Everything You Should Know About Tattoos
Tattoo Removal
Temporary Tattoos & Henna/Mehndi
Tattoos and Piercings: What to Know Beforehand
Transmission of Hepatitis
Hepatitis
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