Tattoo Fact Sheet

From TeenHealthCentre.com

General Health
Tattoo Fact Sheet
By Teen Health Centre
Oct 29, 2004, 11:51

Tattoos are almost 100% safe if done properly by a PROFESSIONAL using sterilized tools.

NON-PROFESSIONAL tattoos can result in infection, disease, permanent injury, or a scar.
NEVER get a tattoo from a non-professional who does it out of his van or his house.
Hepatitis B is one of the diseases that you can get as a result of non-professional piercing. Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver. Its symptoms are: jaundice (yellow colour of the skin and eyes), fatigue (feeling tired), lack of appetite, nausea, and fever.
HIV is another disease that you can get as a result of non-professional piercing. HIV can eventually lead to AIDS.
Getting a tattoo involves some degree of pain. Sensitive areas like the chest or the inside of the arm tend to hurt more.
A good tattoo will cost a minimum of $50.00-75.00. Custom work can cost $100.00/hr or more.
If you are asking yourself if a tattoo can be removed, you are definitely NOT ready for a tattoo. The removal of a tattoo can cost FIVE TIMES the cost of the tattoo and should only be done by a doctor.
If you are unsure about getting a tattoo, you can try a temporary one and see if you like it – they last about two weeks with proper care.
NEVER GET A TATTOO JUST TO IMPRESS SOMEONE.
Another point to consider for later on is that many employers will not hire a person with a visible tattoo because they think it creates a bad impression.

Tattoo Steps

Your skin should be cleaned with antiseptic soap and alcohol, and the hair should be shaved.
A stencil will then be placed on your skin and traced using an electronic tattooing machine.

General Care Instructions

When he is finished, the artist will wash the area with soap and water, put on an ointment, and cover it with a bandage.
Leave the bandage on for a few hours, then gently clean the tattoo with soap and water, and apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment – repeat for 2-3 days.
After the third day, keep the area clean and put on some moisturizer to minimize the itch.
Avoid swimming or soaking in the tub for a week or so; avoid direct sunlight – may make the colour fade; make sure you protect the tattoo with sunscreen after the first month.
DO NOT pull any skin or small scabs that may form on the tattoo.

Allergies

Tattoos can cause problems if you are allergic to something the ink is dissolved in. This is unusual, but it does happen occasionally. The tattoo will swell and itch. In serious cases a doctor may need to remove the tattoo.
Write down the lot number of each pigment in case you later develop an allergic reaction or want the tattoo removed – having this information the doctor can advise you which removal method will work best.

A Good Tattoo Artist Will:

Take new tubes and needles out of a sterile autoclave bag and put them in the tattooing machine before starting a tattoo.
Use disposable cups to hold individual portions of ink.
Wear latex gloves while tattooing.
Wear clean clothes and maintain a clean studio.
Be happy to answer questions about sterilization.
Show you an autoclave and a recent “spore test” that confirms proper sterilization and explain how it works and the test results.

For more cool info on tattoos see: www.coolmd.com/tattoos/index.html