How to Get a Safe Tattoo

1 You've seen them; you've hated them; you've loved them. What are they? Tattoos! How many times have you walked into a tattoo shop, fantasized about all the cool things you'd love to get, and walked out of the shop just as bare as when you walked in? You know you want to get a tattoo but don't know where to start? Well, don't despair; neither did I. Unlike many who stumble into a tattoo parlor after a night of downing the booze and arguing with their buddies about who's the toughest, I did extensive, and I do mean extensive, research on the subject before I was going to trust my precious skin in the hands of some maniacal witch doctor with a tattoo gun and a thirst for blood. To say the least, there are a million sources out there with all kinds of advice about what to do and where to go. Then there is the problem: who do you believe? So, today's feature is for those contemplating their first tattoo but don't know where to begin. 2 Let's check an example of some really good advice given at Altered Images. It is excellent advice, and it's good to know that they also have high standards. There are just a few details that they leave out, so let's go over them one at a time: 3 "Ask to see the autoclave and sterilization certification." 4 Granted, this is excellent advice, but to the novice of the whole tattoo business, it doesn't mean a thing. An autoclave is essentially a pressure cooker primarily used in the medical field for sterilizing medical instruments. An autoclave must maintain a temperature of 246 degrees for thirty minutes in order to fully sterilize the equipment. There are several different kinds of autoclaves, all of which are acceptable to use in the sterilization of the equipment. It is a good idea to ask to see the autoclave. Is it clean? More importantly, was the shop personnel more than happy to show it, or did they act like they had something to hide? Let's go on to the next point: 5 "Make sure the artist is wearing gloves." 6 Yes! This is an absolute necessity! Standard medical latex gloves should always be used. Another point worth asking, though: Do the gloves fit properly? If the gloves are too big or too small, the artist runs the risk of either poking a hole in the gloves or tearing them. All it takes is a pinhole to run the risk of cross-contamination. 7 "Ask about what training your artist has taken and completed. Are certificates available?" 8 Well, don't freak on this one, but so far, there is no official certification given to artists that complete their education. There are no formal schools and no diplomas. That is why it is so important to be sure these other guidelines are being strictly followed to ensure quality care. 9 "Is the artist vaccinated for Hepatitis B?" 10 This is probably a good idea, although I do not know this to be a common practice, even in a lot of reputable shops. But precaution is the key! It is always better to be safe than sorry! 11 "No ointment, ink, water, or other item should be returned to a universal container after it has been removed for use on a client." 12 In layman's terms, that means that anything the artist uses on you should be thrown away afterward. Unused tattoo inks should NOT be returned to the original containers! It is contaminated with blood and should be tossed out. The same goes for the water and ointments. 13 "New sterile needles must always be removed from an autoclave bag in the client's presence. If they are not, leave immediately!" 14 This is excellent advice, but what is an autoclave bag? I hate to bring up any bad memories, but remember the little pouches from which the dentist gets all of his tools? That is an autoclave bag. The needles should not be removed from that bag until the client is sitting there and the artist is ready to start your tattoo. Customers can also ask to see the little sterile confirmation logo on the bag itself. Usually the company's name that made the bag will be visible on the front of the bag only when the equipment has been properly sterilized in the autoclave. So, how does a person know that the needles are new? In some states, it is NOT a legal requirement to use new needles. If used needles are properly autoclaved, it is legally acceptable to use them, but this is not a recommended practice. New needles should be bright silver in color, not stained with ink or brownish looking. Used needles, if properly sterilized, can be perfectly safe. There is also the risk, though, of the needle tips becoming dull after use on a previous client, which can seriously damage your skin when used. 15 "A professional will destroy and dispose of needles in a Sharp's container." 16 This is absolutely correct. And what is a Sharp's container? A Sharp's container is a plastic container, usually red, with a biohazard symbol on the outside, just like the one in the doctor's office labeled "hazardous waste": 17 "Always ask to see examples of the artist's finished work. Photos should be openly available." 18 I always wonder why, when people walk into a tattoo shop, the first thing they go to is all the flash on the walls or in the books, instead of viewing the artist's personal portfolio. People may not find what they are looking for in a tattoo in the portfolio, but it will definitely help them decide if they might want to be trying to find the exit door! And don't be swayed by pretty pictures. Look at the designs up close. Scrutinize the line work. Are the lines straight and smooth? Do the circles look like circles? What about the coloring? Are the colors blended well to create even forms of shading, dimension, and depth? Consider all these factors. Keep another point in mind: remember that photos can be stolen from other artists. If one has the time to spend, stay and watch the artist before deciding. Don't be too shy to ask questions! Trust personal instincts and always remember...if in doubt, don't!

My notes about what I am reading

TATTOOS: Recognition and Interpretation

1 Tats, tacs or ink, whatever slang term you use to describe tattoos, there's one thing you can't get around: Tattoo recognition and interpretation is a valuable tool when dealing with state prison parolees. A convict's ink will tell you three sweet pieces of info about him: who he is, what he's done, and where he's been. Let's first talk about joint tats in general. 2 Joint ink starts out as one color, blue. It may turn black or purple according to the sun and the skin pigment, but it usually starts out blue. If people see other colors besides blue or its variations, the tat probably is not a true joint tat. There are two ways of giving a tat, free hand, which most are, or machine. Free hand is a no-`brainer. Get some ink, usually out of a pen, and dip a needle, usually a straight pen, and use the Polynesian method. That is a series of dots to form a picture or word. These tats are crude and sloppy and very noticeable. The second method is the machine. A homemade tat machine consists of a slot car motor, a hollowed out ballpoint pen, some guitar string, and a 9 volt battery. The hollowed out pen is wired or taped to the motor facing away from it. The guitar string is wrapped around the arm of the motor and runs through the pen so it sticks out about a 16th of an inch out the end. Hook up a flashlight battery, and it is tat time. When the battery is hooked up the motor arm vibrates, which moves the guitar string back and forth rapidly in and out of the end of the pen. As long as a person keeps dipping the end in the ink, he can create a tattoo. Machine ink jobs are more detailed because of the method and because they are usually done with stencils. Getting caught giving a tat or getting one in the joint is a serious crime. Officials remember a 115, a write up. It spreads disease inside the institution. 3 Let's talk about the three things the ink tells. First of all, it says who the convict is. Many times the convict will have his name or street name on him. I have even heard of having one's CDC # put on. Also, a loved one's name may help ID him. What he's done often relates to his crimes. For example, if he carries a gun, a picture of the weapon may be on him. If the gun is pictured from the side, this means he carries a gun. If the weapon is pointed outward, this means he is a shooter. Where he's been has to do with the joints he has called home. The ink (in relation to the joints he's been in) will include landmarks such as walls, gun towers, cell doors or windows, and barbed wire. Remember to take time and read the ink. 4 Let's talk a bit about some common ink one may see and what it means: Tattoos and Their Meanings Clock faces without hands.......................Doing time Eight balls.....................Behind the eight ball or bad luck SWP.................................................Supreme white power Peckerwood.......................................White pride (males) Featherwood...................................White pride (females) 100 % pure.........................................Pure white or Anglo Face of female crying.................Has someone on the outside waiting SUR..............................................................Southerner Norteano..........................................................Northerner PRISON GANG TATS Mexican Mafia: A black hand with the letters EME in the palm "Mafia Mexicana" "MM" 5 The new trend with prison gang tats is not to get them because it ID's them as gang members. Remember to read tats like a book, from left to right and from up to down. Don't just list a few on the face sheet to keep the nasty sergeant off your leg; take time and look at them carefully. There are stories within stories. We are seeing more and more Vietnamese parolees getting inked. They seem to like tats that show their birthplace, like maps of Vietnam on the back, or "Vietnamese Pride" under the neck and four dots or T's, which can mean many different things from wealth, money, and guns to prison. Oriental convicts are not using joint geography like the other groups we have mentioned. OK, remember what the ink says; slow down, read it completely, and, as always, be careful out there.

My notes about what I am reading

OPEN-ENDED ITEMS

WRITTEN COMPOSITION

Is getting a tattoo a good or a bad idea? Discuss your feelings on the issue based on the information you just read and personal experience.