INFECTION CONTROL

The risk of infection from a tattoo is low provided the proper precautions are taken.

• Equipment sterilization
• Practicing Universal Precautions
• Following an After Tattoo Care Sheet
• These can help reduce the chance of infection.

CROSS CONTAMINATION AWARENESS

Cross contamination is a form of indirect exposure that poses a particular risk of disease transmission.

Once a contamination source is touched, everything touched after the source becomes contaminated creating a chain reaction of  transmission.

Many common activities can become cross contamination hazards :

• Picking up a dropped item
• Touching face, hair and clothing
• Opening a door
• Answering the phone
  
  
  INFECTION PREVENTION
• Auto-clave, heat sterilization, chem.-clave - methods of sterilization for equipment.
• Needles should not be reused or recapped and should be placed in a "sharps" container for proper disposal.
• Surfaces and equipment may be covered with plastic to prevent cross contamination.
• Surfaces and equipment should also be sanitized after use.
• An after care sheet is provided.
  
  
  CUSTOMER QUESTIONS
• Have you had any specific training in preventing disease transmission?
• How is the equipment on the premises sterilized?
• Does the tattoo artist use disposable, one-use-only needles?
• Are unused pigment portions disposed of following their use?
• Does the artist provide written after care instructions?
• Is the shop clean?
• Is the workstation thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each tattoo/piercing?
• Are supplies kept in sterile receptacles with lids?
• Is there a covered "sharps" container for disposing used needles?
• Does the tattoo artist use latex gloves when working with a client? Are the gloves changed frequently and if the artist touches something else (including him/herself) during the procedure?
• Is the tattoo artist clean and sober?
  
  

Tattoo Questions


CAN YOU REMOVE A TATTOO?

At Novelty Tattoo we do not perform tattoo removal, which we believe is best left to a medical professional.  Currently, tattoo removal is accomplished through abrasion, surgical removal or laser removal.  Laser removal is the most commonly used technique, but is not 100 percent effective for all tattoos, particularly those that are brightly colored or created by a professional artist.  If you have doubts about whether you will want to keep your tattoo, you probably shouldn't get one.

DO YOU DO GLOW IN THE DARK TATTOOS?

No.  Although there are photo-reactive pigments available, these are designed for use in paints or to tag fish and birds for research.  The pigment used to tag fish and birds has been used by some to create glow in the dark tattoos, but it has not been tested or approved for use in human skin.

Is there such a thing as a temporary tattoo?

No.  By definition, a tattoo is a permanent, indelible mark and does not wash or wear away.  That "tattoo" that you got on the beach in Jamaica will not last for three years -- unless you have an allergic reaction to the dye, in which case you'll have a nice tattoo-shaped scar, but not a tattoo.

A researcher in Boston is working on developing a tattoo ink that would be more easily removed by a laser than currently used inks.  However, neither the ink nor the "special" laser that would have to be used have been marketed yet.  Non-coincidentally, the lead researcher for this new ink is the same person who developed the Q-switched laser, which is the machine most commonly used to remove tattoos today.

Does it hurt?

In a word, yes.  However, probably not as much as you think.  Everyone's tolerance for pain is different, and some parts of the body are more sensitive than others.  For example, ribs, underarms, inner thighs and buttocks are typically more sensitive than upper arms, forearms or backs.  Women seem to be better able to tolerate most areas.

I've heard that you can get Hepatitis from a tattoo.  Is that true?

This is a common myth and one that we are happy to dispel.  Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that can only be contracted through direct blood-to-blood transmission.  Unless you receive your tattoo from an unqualified "scratcher," the risk of cross-contamination is minimal.  All needles used for a tattoo are used only for that tattoo session and are disposed of immediately afterwards (single-use needles).  All inks used for a tattoo are dispensed into single-use containers ("caps") and used only for that tattoo session and are also disposed of afterwards.  

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "No data exist in the United States indicating that persons with exposures to tattooing alone are at increased risk for Hepatitis C infection."