A Good Tattoo
Choosing the right place for your tattoo;
Unfortunately in many countries, there are many claimed artists far from professionalism, who give tattoos in houses, beauty parlors, hair dressers etc... If you would like to have a good tattoo and more importantly if you don't want to risk your health in the process, make sure you choose the right place which performs only tattooing. Especially in the truistic areas, there are a lot of shops which offers tattooing besides selling commercial goods. The primary criteria should be finding the place which only offers tattooing and nothing but tattooing by professionals. Furthermore, make sure that your studio is experienced and ask for their previous work.
Effect of the materials used for tattooing to your health and to your tattoo, and the things you have to keep in mind in a sterile environment;
How to determine if the tattoo studio is sterile or not? No one expects a person who is about to get a tattoo or a piercing to be an expert on the subject but a little attention and information could play a very important role in choosing the right place. Ask to see the studio and its equipments.
If you see the devices below, this would indicate the studio that you chose is working by the standards of 90's and it is not 100% hygienic which may create a risk of infection.
Ultrasonic washing units
Provides a cleaning for metal edges and needles without leaving ink and blood stains. It also gives a new shiny look for piercing rings. It is usually used in jewelry workshops to polish scrap golds.
Sterilization Pouches
Sterilization pouches help to preserve sterilized equipments until they are to be used, indicating that the needles and tubes have been used in a previous tattoo making and they've been sterilized through autoclave or dry heat sterilizator. These pouches are prepared, stored and packed by employees of the tattoo studio and they don't indicate that the equipment is sterile, new and safe to use.
Autoclave
This device has lots of different styles but the cheap models which are shown below, are preferred in tattoo studios. They work with 1 or 2 cycle systems. Nowadays, the usage of these models are not preferred in the United States and in Europe. Nevertheless because it is cheap (below 1000$) it is used in far-east and third world countries. Its credibility is controversial because when filling this device air traps, preventing the increase of temperature and steam entering to the area where the air is. (usually lower part of the device). This is called the 'air bag'. Thus, this part of the equipment is not sterilized. Moreover, this kind of autoclaves don't have steam generators and this prevents steam access and circulation, making sterilization not 100% safe. Autoclave is a sterilization technique which requires an area of expertise. In short, an autoclave or an dry heat sterilizatör in a tattoo studio indicate that equipments are sterilized and packed for another use. If the devices are not up to the standards and used properly, there is a risk of infection.
Soldering Gun;
This machine indicates without a doubt that the needles have put by hand to the tattoo machine. Being the oldest technique, it is not used anymore.
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE 100% STERILE EQUIPMENTS?
Request the equipments as shown below from your tattoo studio in order to get a tattoo with a peace of mind without any risk if infection. 'One time use only' type of acrylonitrile-butadiene-citrine copolymer (CAS009003-56-9) manufactured up to the standards of CE to be used with any type of tattoo machine and the type 316L tattoo needles made out of medical steel and one time use only ink pots.
