Certifications for tattoo and piercing artists?

Question

im doing a research project on tattoos and piercing and i need to know what kind of trainingdo you need to go through to be a legal artist. i also would like to know what are things to look for when yorue getting a tattoo or piercing. any help would be appreciated but only if it helps me. thanks

Answer 1

You don't use a different needle everytime you change colours in tattooing. that would be a waste, and completelly pointless. You wash them out between colours unless you need a different type of effect, you change to new needles with new clients.

What your askign varies greatly by state to state. For example until last year virginia did not have any piercing requirements, and they are still ironing that out. They have also not agreed entirely on the tattoo licensing exam, and the actual requirements are pretty lax and flexible too.

The main consensus is that you need a lengthy apprenticeship for either. "Self Taught" is something you probably want to stay away from.

Autoclave? What is that, and why should you care if I have one??


An autoclave is a devise that uses steam under pressure to kill any living organism and it's spores that may be present. The pressure is important as it:
A. allows the temperature to surpass the boiling point to a temperature known to kill bacteria spores...and
B. it also forces the steam into tiny nooks and crannies in the instruments being sterilized.

For that reason, no other form of sterilizer is suitable for tattooing or piercing, which would be feasable in a studio setting. Toaster ovens and pressure cookers are not to be used. Anyone with the knowledge to use one of those effectively WOULD OPT NOT TO USE ONE.
The effectiveness of an autoclave is easily validated by regularly spore testing it...where spore samples are sent to a lab, after being run through the autoclave, and if they are able to reproduce, the sterilizer failed. If they cannot reproduce, it is working properly.
Just having an autoclave isn't proof of ANYTHING. It should be spore tested regularly (at least monthly) and records of sterilization should be kept. Sterile packages should be marked with a lot number, and a log book which keeps track of when that lot was processed...by whom...etc.
Ask to see it!
Also, whether or not instruments remain sterile is dependant upon EVENT. So, the instruments need to be stored in an appropriate manner. This is also why PRE-STERILIZED DISPOSABLE NEEDLES AND TUBES SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON. We do not know every event that took place from the time they were alledgedly sterilized, shipped, etc. until they were opened...therefore we can NOT validate that they are still sterile, and they should NOT be relied upon.



Barriers AND germacidals??? Why both??

From the time you sit down in the chair (or lie on the table, etc) EVERYTHING that you or the tattooist touches, including said chair or table, MUST BE AUTOCLAVABLE OR DISPOSABLE.
Since the machines, spray bottles, countertop, lamp, power supply knob, etc. cannot be thrown away or autoclaved, it MUST NOT BE TOUCHED. So, the only way to prevent that is by putting a barrier between it and your grubby hands, as well as the client's bloody body part. They make barrier film, which is a poly 4X6 inch sheet with a tacky adhesive for some surfaces like knobs and lamps. Poly bags work well on spray bottles, machines, clip cords. Poly/paper bibs work well on counters, chairs, etc.
Hell, even butcher paper with the plastic coating on one side and masking tape is better than nothing!
Even though the barrier was used, the surface must STILL be cleaned with a high level germacidal solution, once the contaminated barrier is removed and discarded, and a new barrier used for each client. And the barrier should be removed carefully, so as to not contaminate anything during or after the removal.

WHY must it still be cleaned?
Because if something is disposable, we don't have to worry about it coming in contact with the next client. It simply get's thrown away.

If it is autoclavable, I can VALIDATE...scientifically...that it is clean and sterile, by using indicators, pass/fail strips, and regular spore testing.

But even if I contaminate a spray bottle with my bloody glove, then clean it with a high level germacidal, I cannot VALIDATE, SCIENTIFICALLY that the germacide worked as it should have....nor can I scientifically validate that a barrier worked...unless I have a lab come and swab the bottle, do a culture, and wait a week until I take someone else in.

When the two are used together, it works this way
:
1. The barrier controls or prevents contamination from getting on the surface.

Now, in the off chance something does get by,

2. The germacide will LIKELY kill it.

And in a worst case scenario, if the organism survives both 1 and 2, (and remember...we cannot scientifically validate, one way or another) then,

3. The next barrier you put on that bottle will likely CONTAIN anything left on it, and keep it from getting from the surface to your glove to the client.

So, on their own, neither cleaners nor barriers are acceptable for non-disposable or non-autoclavable surfaces.
But, combined, they work to slant the odds GREATLY in your favor...they make the risk negligable...almost non-existant.



Am I in the right place???

By this time, everyone doing tattoos should be educated enough to be in compliance with modern aseptic practices. If they aren't, they never will be...and unfortunately with the influx of untrained scratchers opening studios, VERY FEW studios meet minimal requirements.
Anyone doing tattoos should have some inner force driving them to keep up on these things, and will spare no expense, and go to whatever means to do so. If not, they aren't tattoo artists.

Here is what I look for:
In a studio with one artist, I want to see 5 rooms.

1. The waiting room.
-This room can get dirty after a busy day. The staff should make an attempt to keep it clean and organized as much as possible.

2. A seperate procedure room.
-Must be seperated from the rest of the studio by at LEAST a 4 foot wall. Preferably, it will be an entirely seperate room. In no other way can an artist assure you of cleanliness, as he will have no control over the environment of the work area. This room should be VERY CLEAN...no clutter...no stuff sitting on the work area that isn't absolutely necessary for the tattoo being done. Everything else should be in cabinets or shelves away from the work area, and sterile instruments should be kept in a locked cabinet in suitable containers with lids to keep them from being tampered with. No carpet...floor should be tile or some scrubable material. Walls cleanable, and everything should be set up to be easily cleaned after each and every client. Anything touched in this room from the time you sit down, until you leave, should be autoclavable or disposable. Barriers should be used on everything else. Barriers must be changed and surfaces should be cleaned with a high level disinfectant between clients.

3. The restroom.
-Should be maintained properly.

4. The cleaning room (where contaminated instruments are addressed.)
-This room is NOT to be used for any other purpose. It MUST contain a sink. The restroom CANNOT be used for this purpose, either!! If their autoclave is in this room, or if this room is not seperate from the rest of the studio, RUN...don't walk...RUN to the exit!!...and don't touch ANYTHING on your way out!


5. A seperate sterilization room with spore tested autoclave. -Nothing else should be in this room aside from bulk sterile instruments stored properly in suitable containers. Contaminated instruments should be wrapped and placed on autoclave trays in the cleaning room (4) and taken to the autoclave room (5) where they are placed DIRECTLY into the already opened autoclave without coming into contact with ANYTHING ELSE. Contaminated gloves should be removed and disposed of, THEN the autoclave door closed and the timer set. Nothing that is contaminated should EVER enter this room in any other way. NOTHING in this room may be touched with contaminated gloves or other contaminated items.
THIS ROOM SHOULD BE SPOTLESS!
It is not difficult to provide for such a room. There is no excuse for not having one. A medium sized closet can be converted with minimal expense, since the only thing in it will be a sterilizer. My studio had an offset area that is 5 feet by 7 feet. We closed it off and put a door and ventilation in it. The small room is easier to keep clean, and converting the space cost a hundred bucks or so if you are handy with power tools.
If they won't take the time to do this, RUN TO THE EXIT!
DO NOT BE FOOLED! An indicator strip or a "pass/fail" indicator is NOT a spore test. The studio should have doccumentation of AT LEAST monthly spore tests done by an outside source.

If more than one artist is working at a time, each should have a seperate procedure room.

These rooms cannot be combined in any way and still be safe. This is why it is nearly impossible to work from your home safely. It would take the entirety of most people's houses. If the studio isn't set up in this fashion, ask when they intend to start meeting standards.

Then I look for the certificates from health courses they have completed. At a MINIMUM, they should have a red cross certification in 'preventing cross contamination'.
Only after they have met this criteria, will I bother to leaf through a portfolio. Up until then, (or if they can't meet those requirements) their portfolio is absolutely meaningless. If they are filthy, the best art work in the world isn't going to get me in their dirty chair at ANY price.

Answer 2

Things to look for:

Piercing: make sure they use individual needles (unwrapped for you) - NOT a "gun" Also: be sure they use surgical steel - cleaned - before it is inserted into the piercing. - And the piercer should use rubber gloves - always.

Certifications: vary by locality: but MUST be displayed - NEVER get a tattoo or piercing from an unqualified person.

Tattoos: make sure every needle for each color is new (out of a clean wrapper - everything shuld be clean and sterile.

Answer 3

Requirements, licensing, certifications, etc., varies from state to state, an in California, for instance, from county to county. Here is a place that you can read up on all the states:

http://www.spcp.org/legislative_information/index.htm

Also try www.safepiercing.org

Answer 4

WOW! Maybe TMI...

What is with this??? "any help would be appreciated BUT ONLY IF IT HELPS ME.

How about looking around on the internet, then, and conducting your own research??? DOES THAT help you???