Health Concerns

Your Health Does Matter

Please keep in mind when reading what follows, that I rigorously employ guidelines and controls in order to prevent exposure to blood borne pathogens.  These guidelines and controls are called Universal Precautions and are published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

I am certified in the continuing education in the prevention of disease transmission in tattooing. All instruments are sterilized using a closely monitored autoclave which is the same type of equipment used by Health Care Institutions in the USA.

The needles I use to Tattoo are Single-Use.  I also use individual portions of Tattoo inks, in sanitary Single-Use containers for each client. The needles, containers and the remainder of the ink are DISPOSED of properly and immediately following the Tattoo procedure.

To prevent cross-contamination I maintain an environment that is sanitary during all Tattooing procedures.

In addition, upon completion of the Tattooing session I explain to each client how they should care for their new Tattoo, as well as provide a written summary of that explanation.  Of course those clients are encouraged to contact me with any questions or concerns.

AIDS:
How is AIDS transmitted?

At least 0.1 ml or 2 drops of blood must be passed from one person to another. Intravenous drug users sometimes use their blood to wash out residue of the drug remaining in the syringe while the needle is still in their vein. A small amount of blood can be transferred when the needles are shared.  [1]

In its HIV/AIDS Surveillance Reports, CDC has consistently noted that it has documented "no cases of HIV transmission through tattooing" anywhere in the country since it began tracking such data in 1985.  [6]  By comparison, there have been at least 7 cases of HIV transmission associated with dentists and dental workers.

NOTE:  The Tattoo Artists I know do not use the same instruments to Tattoo that Intravenous drug users use.

How many people carry the AIDS virus?

Supposedly, there are over a million people in the US that are carriers of the virus. Most do not have the AIDS symptoms and don't know that they have the virus. If the total population of the US is about 250 million, then an estimate is that one person in 250 carries the AIDS virus. Approximately 80,000 of these people have symptoms and have been diagnosed as having AIDS. [2,3]

HEPATITIS:
Can a customer get hepatitis B from getting a tattoo?

In 1960, New York City health officials blamed 30 cases of hepatitis B and one death on tattoo artists. Allegedly, the problem was caused by improper instrument sterilization and using contaminated pigments. Two New York tattoo artists appealed the legal hassle and it went on until 1966, the Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the lower court.  [4]

Of the 13,387 annual cases of hepatitis detailed in the most recent CDC report, 12 are associated with tattoo studios. By comparison, 43 cases -- or better than 300% more -- are associated with dental offices. [7]

NOTE:  I have personally talked with one of the Tattoo Artists who was put out of business due to the above ruling, what they are not telling you is, there was also a bad shipment of seafood, and not every one infected with Hepatitis B had tattoos.

GENERAL:

Besides NYC where else in the U.S. has our personal freedoms been taken away concerning us getting a Tattoo?  Albuquerque, New Mexico, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Vermont. [5]

NOTE:  Today all 50 states have legalized Tattooing, for now, my personal opinion is because they have realized, via licensing and taxation, they earn money. However, some if not most counties in the State make it extremely difficult, via regulations, in some cases practically impossible for talented artists that know what they are doing, to make living.  In some cases it is easier to work outside of government's guidelines.

Bibliography

[1] Hoffman, P.N., et al. 1989. Needle stick and Needle share - the difference (letter).
Journal of Infectious Diseases. 160 (3):545-6.

[2] Centers for Disease Control. 1991. Mortality attributable to HIV infection/AIDS - United States 198l-1990.
MMWR 40(3): 41-44.

[3] Centers for Disease Control. 1991. The HIV/AIDS epidemic: the first 10 years.
MMWR 40(22):357-369.

[4] Silvers, David N. 1991. The prohibition of tattooing in New York City.
American Journal of Dermatopathology 13 (3):307-309.

[5] Goldstein, Norman. 1979. Laws and regulations relating to tattoos.
Journal of Dermatological Surgery and Oncology. 5:913-915.

[6] The HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report is published regularly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent, published in December, 1997, is entitled "Estimated incidence of AIDS and deaths of persons with AIDS, adjusted for delays in reporting, by quarter-year of diagnosis/death, United States, January 1985 through June 1997."

[7] Hepatitis Surveillance, Report Number 56, April, 1996, Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last Update: July 2007

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