Tattoos and piercings: Play it smart with body art
- Teddi Dineley Johnson
In the far-off past, tattoos were something
only sailors had, and the only body part people pierced was their ears.
Nowadays,
piercings and tattoos are everywhere. But like
anything you do in life — from driving a car to playing a sport —
tattoos and
piercings come with some risks. Taking a few
precautions will help you get the best results from your new body art
and avoid
side effects, which can include allergic reactions to
inks or piercing jewelry, infections caused by unsterile equipment and
needles, and scarring.
“Body art is a popular form of
self-expression, but people who decide to get a tattoo or body piercing
should go to a licensed
facility and take time to discuss the safety
procedures with the artists working at the shop or tattoo parlor,” says
Scott
Bryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Fortunately, tattoos and piercings are safer
than ever, but before you become a proud owner, it’s important to do
your homework.
Body artists are expected to adhere to strict safety
procedures. By following safety procedures, tattoo artists and body
piercers
protect themselves and their customers from a range of
viruses and bacteria that can cause illness.
Next Section
Time out for tattoo talk
You’ve been working on a cool design and
saving up for your first tattoo. Now it’s time to find a reputable
studio and artist
who will transfer your artwork from paper to skin.
Tattoos are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink.
Getting
“inked” is a major decision. Keep in mind that a
tattoo is effectively permanent, and although it is possible to remove a
tattoo, the process is expensive and painful.
“Go to an established tattoo shop, and ask
questions when you go there,” says Mike Martin, vice president and
health and education
coordinator for the Alliance of Professional
Tattooists. “With all your power, avoid going to somebody’s house for a
tattoo.”
Fortunately, more and more states and
counties are regulating tattoo studios and artists. But all too often,
says Martin,
tattoos are done in kitchens and garages, because
tattoo equipment is inexpensive and easy to obtain. Getting a tattoo
from
unsterile equipment and inexperienced artists can
put you, and the artist, at risk for life-threatening infectious
diseases
such as hepatitis or skin infections caused by
certain bacteria. Martin advises tattoo seekers to do their homework.
Find
a legitimate facility and ask for a tour — the shop
should be neat and clean. Don’t be shy about talking to the artists
about
safety procedures.
“Ask whether they have had training in
bloodborne pathogen and safe tattooing techniques,” Martin advises. “And
ask if they
use disposable products such as disposable tubes
and needles and if they have a working sterilizer on the premises to
clean
their equipment.”
Once you’ve received your “ink,” follow all of the aftercare instructions provided by the artist. Always make sure you wash
your hands before and after you touch your new tattoo until it is completely healed.
Mother graphic by Michele Late. Other art and graphics courtesy iStockphoto: Ear, Andrea Velez-Greene; earrings, Rohit Seth.
Piercing patter
From ears to noses to navels, piercings
are a popular option for self-expression. But because piercings break
the skin’s protective
barrier, there are some health risks, including
allergic reactions to the jewelry and diseases spread through blood.
Reputable
piercers adhere to strict safety procedures to
protect their customers and themselves, but as with tattoos, there are
no standardized
U.S. piercing regulations.
“You can’t be confident that there is someone else looking out for your safety — you have to do that yourself,” says James
Weber, president of the Association of Professional Piercers.
Take time to discuss safety procedures
with the piercer. Ask about their process and clarify that the facility
is clean and
that the person doing the piercing uses proper
hand-washing techniques as well as fresh, disposable gloves and
sterilized
instruments — and that the needle being used is
new. Be aware that certain piercings take longer to heal than others,
and
have a longer window in which they can get
infected, so follow your aftercare regimen to the letter until the
piercing is
completely healed.
“Very often people reach for cleaning solutions that are not appropriate for piercings, such as hydrogen peroxide and rubbing
alcohol,” Weber says, noting that those chemicals are harsh and can damage tissue.
A final word of advice: Never get a piercing if you’ve been drinking, or when you’re on vacation and can’t take care of it
afterward or aren’t sure if the equipment and water source is sanitary.
Previous Section
Be picky where you pierce
Beware of home piercing kits, which are
readily available on the Internet and give minors a way around age
restrictions at
reputable shops. Such kits put users at risk for
infections, including diseases spread through blood. Also, steer clear
of
piercing guns. Though widely used in malls, parts
of the guns can’t be sterilized, warns Weber of the Association of
Professional
Piercers.
It’s also important to use the proper jewelry for a piercing, as the quality of jewelry varies.
“Very often, you do get what you pay
for,” Weber says, noting that some people develop allergic reactions to
inexpensive jewelry.
>> For more tattoo and piercing safety tips,
No comments:
Post a Comment