Basic Shop Hygiene
A tattoo shop should be completely cleaned and disinfected every day, with special attention being given to the sterilization room and tattoo area. All sterilization equipment should be cleaned down with alcohol and once a week stripped and cleaned from top to bottom.
Sterilization Equipment
Autoclave
The autoclave is one of the most important pieces of hardware in a tattoo shop, and it is vital to possess this machine before tattooing professionally. All tattoo and piercing equipment that is not disposable must go through the autoclave after having gone through a series of pre autoclave processes. You can find autoclaves in places like dental clinics and hospitals. What is an autoclave? Basically an autoclave sterilizes materials with pressurized steam at very high temperatures. Depending on the type of autoclave, the sterilizing cycles can vary in the duration, but on average can take between 15 - 30 minutes or so. All autoclaves must be inspected regularly and periodically spore tested. According to the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, USA, the autoclave is the only acceptable means of equipment sterilization in the tattoo shop. If the shop does not use an autoclave, do not get tattooed there. Shops should keep regular records of their autoclave use and testing. Ask to see them if you feel uncertain
Ultrasound
The ultrasound machine is a pre autoclave process and is used to finely clean down the specific equipment like tubes and newly soldered needles and bars. Immediately after a tattoo, the disposables like needles, ink caps, unused inks etc are carefully packed and disposed. Other equipment like needle tubes and tips are put into the ultrasound machine and cleaned and disinfected with an antibacterial / cleaning agent. Then they are thoroughly rinsed and dried, and packed into autoclave bags and put into the autoclave for its sterilization cycle.
Tattoo Equipment
Tattoo Machines
All tattoo artists and tattooists normally have 3 or more machines. After used they are cleaned down with alcohol or with some kind of anti-bacteria or virus product.
Needle Tubes & Grips
Tubes & grips are what the needle and bar run through and come into direct contact with blood, plasma and penetrated skin. This piece of equipment is either made of surgical or stainless steel and is always reused due to the cost. However since blood and pathogens can get lodged in the hollow of the needle tips, it must be put through strict sterilization processes including the autoclave. The tubes are first cleaned and disinfected with the ultrasound machine, then packed into autoclave bags, sealed and sterilized using the autoclave. Look for the little colored indicator marks on the autoclave bags that confirms that the equipment is actually sterilized.
Needles and bars
New needles are soldered to bars and then put through the sterilization process before being used. Used needles are burnt off the bars and disposed of in a toxic waste bin immediately after the realization of a tattoo. The bars should then be sterilized to be made ready for the soldering of new needles. After soldering the needles to the bars, the needle set should again be packed into autoclave bags and processed in the autoclave again. The needles, once opened from their autoclave bags, must not be placed on non sanitized surfaces. The artist should NOT set the needle down on the table, or, heaven forbid, DROP THE NEEDLE ON THE FLOOR!!! If this happens, insist they open a new needle.
Work tables
After each tattoo, the artist's work tables should be disinfected with an antibacterial and virus product before a new tattoo.
Ink & Ink Caps
Every client gets their own pot(s) of ink and all used pots and unused ink are disposed of after the tattoo.
Gloves
Gloves are very important in a tattoo studio. Normally 2 types are gloves are used, i.e. natural latex gloves and nitrile gloves. The color of the gloves is immaterial. However they must be the right size so that the artist does not risk puncturing the gloves. The artist must wash their hands prior to putting on their gloves, preferably with an anti-bacterial / antiseptic hand wash. Once they put their gloves on, they should not touch anything other than your skin, the needles, and the tattoo equipment. They should not be filling out receipts beforehand, or answering the phone--unless these have been wiped clean beforehand.
Razors
If the artist needs to shave your skin before applying the stencil, check and make sure that he is using disposable razors. A risk of serious disease infection can occur whenever a razor is used because of the skin abrasion that occurs during shaving.
Spray bottles
The spray bottle the artist uses on your skin should be disinfected between customers, or some kind of protective film such as Saran Wrap should be used.
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