Jumat, 30 September 2011

Hygiene

About Hygiene:

Since we´re living in the 21. Century, a time where people travel very fast and so do germs and micro organisms, a time of HIV, Hepatitis and new generations of viruses and bacteria, we don´t have a cure or treatment for, a tattoo artist should show responsibility towards his Clients health and safety.

An important word is cross-contamination, meaning the spreading of micro organisms from one host to another.
Simply said: One uses a needle without sterilization for two clients, client nr.2 ends up with the diseases of client nr.1.

What can we do to avoid cross-contamination?

Very easy: Just don´t re-use ANYTHING!
The safest way to avoid cross-contamination is to dispose EVERYTHING that got in touch with blood during the process of making a tattoo.

That is exactly how I work. Everything, that is just involved in the process, but not in direct contact with blood, gets either pouched or taped, so that not even the tiniest sprinkle has a chance. (like the tattoo gun and the tapping sticks, my single stick poking works are done with a disposable one way stick)

Further than that I use only one-way pre-sterilized needles, that also counts for the “Exots” like bone, Flintstone, thorn etc, these needles get carved or chipped and they go before use through a sterilization process like any other surgical equipment, too.
After use they get disposed.

That is, why I can say with confidence, that I guarantee to 100%,  you´ll leave me as healthy as you came.
Sometimes people ask me, when I´m working on the Viking festivals:
“Is it hygienic?”
Yes, it is! It doesn´t help, if you have some fancy studio that looks like a hospital, when you re-use your needles, wich I NEVER do, even tough I´m working under the open sky sometimes. Got me?

I got carefully educated in Germany, a country with very strict regulations, when it comes to health. The department for health in Germany f.ex. even regulated the way you have to move your hands while putting hand desinfection on.
My education included also a Microbiology Seminar, held by Dr. Wille.
That doesn t even bring me close to a medical education, but Dr. Wille put some effort in it, to teach a bunch of tattooist, how the whole world of the tiny, invisible killers work.

An important thing is, that we don´t see the danger, even if the just used handle or towel still “looks” clean, it is most probably not.


Every client gets disinfected before and after tattooing and leaves me with a covered tattoo, either I use spray plaster or a layer of Clingfilm.
Still the tattoo counts as  an open wound and should be treated like that, means, if you join the competition in mud-rolling with a fresh tattoo, you most probably end up with an infection.



So lets start to go through the details:

Electric tattooing

The Clipcord as non-disposable element is pouched (1)

So is the machine (2) and the spray bottle (3)

The working place (4), made of stainless steel is covered with cling-film and paper towel, gets disinfected after every client.


Ink cap, sitting on tongue depressor with Vaseline, the whole set goes in the bin after use  (5)


One way pre-sterilized needle (6) and tube (7)


Tattooing by hand


Working place , spray bottle, ink cap, Vaseline and tongue depressor get the same treatment like at electric tattooing.

Pre-sterilized needle for the dotwork poking. (1)

Pre sterilized bone needle (2) for late stone age medical tattoos

 The tools for tapping in Polynesian style (3) with a single-use metal needle comb attached

The “Hammer” (4), notice tape at one end

Do I really have to mention, that I off course wear gloves during the whole process?



I hear and see a lot of things, that really shock me, starting at the very cheap tattoos people get wherever.
BE CAREFUL! If you have only a little doubt about the hygienic circumstances, DON`T DO IT!
I know how the urge to get a tattoo feels, but there is a special kind of memory you do´nt want.

Good, hygienic work cannot be cheap!


There are a lot of people out there who did not dedicate their soul to tattooing, who just see the money or the personal fame in it, these people don´t care about the craft of inking, they don´t care about hygiene and responsibility.
They don´t have the energy and strong will to become something what was seen in ancient times as “holy man”.
It s hard to see the difference between a good tattoo artist and a scratcher for people, who are not in the business, so

-make sure to check out the way the tattooist works, is it clean or a messy place?

- look at pictures of the work of the tattooist. Do you like his style?

-talk to the tattooist. Does the person give you the feeling, that you´re in good hands?

- a tattooist´s quality can be measured on the waiting list, like a restaurant, if it s empty, don’t go there…….



Colours


Since we are a very old studio with a good reputation, we only use approved colours, which are especially made for tattooing and only available from official suppliers, who provide medical equipment, too.
The exact recipe is off course kept secret, but pigment, Alcohol, Witch Hazel and purified water is what a good, professional colour is made of.

The studio exists since 1988, so long term experience can be provided and we use our ink off course in our own skin as well, sometimes we even drink it (cheers, Markus :)
Brands we use or used : Kuro Sumi, Wefa,  Fantasia, Premier Products.
Off course we ´re updated with all rules, regulations and medical warnings of tattoo colours and we only use approved, harmless colour.

No matter, whatever you saw in TV, no one uses actual car paint for tattooing and no one dies or ends up with an amputation because of some red colour, promise.
Stay critical! The truth doesn’t live necessarily in the flat screen!

During my 10 years of tattooing, I had no one who had problems with his or her tattoo after healing phase, not even people who were worried in the beginning because of allergies or light psoriasis.

Still we offer an allergy test for our customers for free.

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