Ronita Yvarra is...

Sterilization is something the tattoo and piercing community is very concerned about, for our clients as well as our own safety. But don't take for granted that your local shop is taking all the precautions. ASK! Is the shop clean? Do all the instruments come from sterile containers, sealed bags, autoclave tubing? Are the supplies kept in clean holding containers? Are there inky fingerprints in the tattooing area? Do they autoclave?

You have to educate yourself before you get into the tattoo chair. Ask to see current certification stating that they have their autoclave checked monthly or at least quarterly by a lab. Make sure they don't reuse ink. Most studios are single-use needle method mainly because people feel more comfortable when they hear that.  Proper sterilization of needles makes them perfectly safe to reuse, as well as the tube that the needle rides in to apply the tattoo (these are always reused after steri