Questions that are frequently asked in regards to health and safety for tattoo artists
Has cases of Hepatitis B being transferred by tattooing been reported?
Unfortunately there has been. In fact many cases have been documented. For example in 1960 tattoo artists were blamed by health officials for 30 cases of Hepatitis and one fatality; this occurred in New York. An investigation reported the cause as being due to contaminated pigments and failure to properly sterilize tattoo equipment. Due to this the New York City Board of Health made tattooing illegal between 1961 and 1966. It wasn’t until tow tattoo artists appealed to the Court of Appeals that the decision was finally overturned.
Is it possible to get vaccinate against Hepatitis B?
You can and you should get this vaccination; it has been available for almost 3 decades at this stage.
How much does it cost for the vaccination and where can you get it?
Everyone who is exposed to human blood or other human body fluids needs to get this vaccination; this not only includes health care workers, but also tattoo artists like you. The cost changes but it is usually around $100. The vaccination doesn’t work straight away; in fact it can take half a year to be effective. Unfortunately this vaccine will not work for about ten percent of people.
Is there much risk of getting AIDS from a customer on who you are doing a tattoo?
It is possible to catch AIDS from a stick injury where you accidentally prick yourself with a needled; the chance of you catching AIDS is 1 in 50,000 so it is a risk.
Has there ever been a case of a tattoo artist catching AIDS from pricking themselves with a needle they were using on a customer?
There has likely not been any cases of AIDS been caught from this type of injury, but this is not to say that it hasn’t happened; maybe it is only a matter of time and you don’t want to be the one to enter the history books. You should also be aware that there have been cases where AIDS was passed while tattooing in prison using dirty needles.
How should you go about protecting yourself from this type of injury?
Needle stick injuries tend to happen due to one of the following reasons; lack of experience, tiredness from working too much, or working under stress. Don’t rush things when you are doing a tattoo. You want to be always taking your time when doing things like removing the tube or needle from the tattoo gun. It is also a good idea to use a heavy glove on your opposite hand while doing the removal as this should make it less likely to stick a needle into that hand while handling the gun.
What other things do I need to do in order to protect myself from problems?
When you are working on a tattoo it is vital that you always were surgical type gloves; these should be made of latex or vinyl if you have a latex allergy. When you are taking a break from the tattooing you should always take off these gloves and dispose of them. You should never touch anything else while wearing your gloves because of the risk of contamination; if you touch something with these gloves then you should consider it contaminated. Always put new gloves on every time you go back to work your current tattoo or start on a new tattoo. The gloves need to be destroyed in an incinerator and prior to this they should be kept in a double-duty garbage bag.
What is the safe way to get rid of contaminated needles?
All used needles should be kept in a puncture proof container. This container, along with its contents, must later be incinerated. One solution is to keep your used needles into a bottle containing bleach; this is due to the fact that bleach is a really strong disinfectant. After this bottle becomes full of needles you can then drain off the bleach and incinerate all the needles.
Are there any other medical problems that can occur due to having a tattoo applied?
Another problem that can occur due to having a tattoo is a phenomenon referred to as Red Reaction. When this occurs the customer will have an inflammation response including redness, swelling, and itching around the part of the tattoo that is inflamed. This reaction is most usually triggered by sunlight. In the majority of cases it will first become apparent a few years after the customer has had the tattoo. It can actually take anything from one to sixteen years before these symptoms become obvious. This is not usually too much of a problem in most cases but occasionally it can be so severe that the person suffering with the reaction will need the expert help of a dermatologist.
Why does Red Reaction occur?
Mercury sensitivity is the believed to be the cause of most red reactions. Mind you, this reaction has occurred even when no mercury is present so the jury is still out and there is more to be learnt about this condition. Topical ointments are the usual treatment for Red Reaction. In the most extreme cases the tattoo will need to be removed; although carbon dioxide treatment has also helped in these extreme cases as well.
You may have already begun wondering about what you need to do in order to sterilize the skin. For this to be completed effectively you will need to learn effective skin preparation techniques which you will use prior to commencing a tattoo. Basically, you must scrub the skin with soap and warm water and shave off any hair that is in that area. In order to disinfect the skin you will use Isopropranal 70%; antiseptic and gauze patch is then used to cover the site. Bear in mind that you won’t be able to sterilize the skin 100%, but you will be able to get close to 100% and that is not only good news but also a big relief.
We are next going to look at the proper sterilization techniques that you will need to use when working on a tattoo. These sterilization techniques will focus on three main objectives; to ensure that you comply with all the federal laws in regards to creating tattoos, that you protect yourself from catching an infection and that you protect your customer from catching an infection.
