Why You Need A Hygienic Tattoo Artist

As much as personal hygiene is important, that's not what we're talking about. Your tattoo artist may take 3 showers a day, use a facial cleanser, and put on all the deodorant in the world, but if his needles are not clean, you're in trouble. Dirty needles and other unsanitary practices within a tattoo shop can spell doom – even death - for many an unwary customer.

So how do you know if a tattoo artist is creating body art the sanitary way? Here are a few things to consider before getting some tattoo art.

Be Wary of Disease. Many people consider HIV to be a great risk when it comes to tattooing but actually, hepatitis is more of a threat than HIV. You see, HIV isn't as robust a virus as hepatitis which can survive for long periods outside a human body (unlike HIV which needs to remain inside its host for it to survive). Hepatitis can be transmitted very easily through blood, even if only a scratch. It can also be transmitted through saliva.

Make Sure the Shop is Clean. A tattoo shop must be immaculately clean and the artists need to follow proper health regulations. Tattoo artists must use fresh, single-serve needles, either from a sealed hermetic package or directly from an autoclave; they must wear gloves and properly clean and sterilize their equipment and workplace. They should open the needles in front of you, so you see they are taking proper measures to provide you with clean and sanitary services. Tattoo artists need to be wary and sensitive when it comes to these issues. And so must you. Which is why you need to...

Ask Questions. Actually, even before committing to a tattoo you should be querying everything. The moment you walk into a shop, ask the tattoo artist about his sanitation process and what he does to ensure a clean and sterilized tattoo experience. If he can field and answer your questions with clarity and confidence, you can proceed with comfort. If the tattoo artist can't answer straight or tells you to lighten up about the whole thing, walk out the door and look for an artist who knows what he's doing and will take proper care of you.

If cleanliness is next to godliness, you need to find the holiest tattoo artist in town. It's no joke; a disease transmitted through dirty needles or unclean equipment and surfaces will wreck your life. A fat lot of good your tattoo will do then.

Make sure your tattoo artist is at the top of his game by checking out his sanitary practices. It doesn't matter how skillful an artist he is or how cool his tattoo design for you is; if he's not clean, chances are, you'll walk away infected with something. Don't let that happen. The only thing you should be infected with is good cheer from a clean, well done tattoo session.

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