The permanent art is as popular as ever, but before you go to get inked, you need to think about the risks.Tattoo artist Cap Szumski has been in business for 29 years and every day, he says, he makes sure his work space is clean and safe for his clients."It's crucial, you know you have to keep customers safe, obviously or they'll stop coming," says Szumski.Cap worries about cross-contamination, so he uses barrier film on everything he touches. Needles and pigment cups come pre-sterilized and pre-packaged.
"Everything is disposable except for the tubes, which are thrown in an ultrasonic cleaner and scrubbed and re-bagged and sterilized," says Szumski.Experts say the biggest concern is infection."It really is a surgical procedure, it may be superficial surgical, but infection of any type, whether it be bacterial, viral or fungal," says Dr. Scott Karempelis.Staph and Hepatitis are some of the problems reported by the FDA, which does not regulate tattoo ink or the parlors.
The actual practice of tattooing is left up to local authorities.Before getting a tattoo, you should to ask questions about the artist's experience and the shop's safety procedures.Dr. Todd Inman of Silver State Family Physicians in Sparks says an allergy to tattoo ink is a real possibility. He says, "If you are allergic to fish, iodine, eggs, or are just an allergy prone person, then it may be best to avoid getting a tattoo."
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