Ink Trails Tattoo Forum: Blood borne Pathogens "HIV, Hepatitis, ect" - Ink Trails Tattoo Forum

Just noticed your sig Argyle.
*giggles*

mark, on Apr 18 2007, 08:52 AM, said:

Funny you should mention that about the exam table in a doctors office.Believe it or not if you are sick. Do not handle or pick up and read a magazine in the doctors waiting room. They are heavily contaminated with bugs and easily transfered from patient to patient.(Mites etc) Just wipe your nose with your hands or touch something and self contaminate in a flash! Further more I never touch a handrail on a escalator.Even further more I never use a money machine with my finger tips.Only use the back of your fingers (knuckles) if possible.Am I just paranoid or a well educated sterile bastard?
Truth to the matter is I have not had the flu or been sick in many years.Err... touch wood.....not!

if the skin could breathe would we not drowned every time we took a bath?

The more you do it, the more it becomes second nature. I now do it without thinking. Work, strip down (workstation & machines, not clothes) clean, setup, work. You've got to remember its your health as well as your customers. It should be just another part of your tattooing process.

Get your basics right, everything else is easier after that..

This post has been edited by Jamie G: 26 March 2009 - 02:02 PM

Blackwidow, on Mar 27 2009, 03:09 AM, said:

*(Found on Yahoo answers) No, it doesn't. The skin is basically protection, waterproof, etc. There is a mouse that breathes through its skin, a baby mouse from Australia called the Julia Creek dunnart, but that's the only creature so far that does that. In order to breathe, Oxygen is never absorbed through the skin, but gains access to the body through the circulatory system. This mistaken idea of "skin breathing" is pretty much the product of ad campaigns for fabrics, make-up and the like to make them sound better for you.
*In my post I was refering to open wounds and airborne viruses.But I do wonder why our skin wrinkles when soaked in water for to long?

1050, on Mar 27 2009, 09:06 AM, said:

hi 1050 was wonderin what are the main risks with infections when only tatin your self ,iv bought a clave and sonic and read up on propper use ect , can you (pick up) get sick from other airboure / general stuff if your hygene procedure breaks down (i wont) just wonderin not goin to cut corners the whole flesh eatin bugs thing got me wonderin

im not 100% sure...but infections are mainly caused by bacteria build up....

if u keep the tattoo clean....less chance of infection

the autoclave and ultrasonic is used, not only to kill bacteria, but to also kill diseases that can be spread

...if your only tattooing youself and never cleaned any of your equipment...i highly doubt u could possibly contract aids or hepatitis...unless u got someone else's blood onto ur fresh tattoo...but u can still get infections (even with the cleanest of clean equipment)

correct me if i am wrong about anything?

I am a big believer in Sterile and Sanitary practices... I know that the BBP training is generally a very big deal, and a must have for practicing apprentices and tattooers. For those that do not have a whole lot of time to make it in to classes at the local Red Cross or clinic, the International CPR Institute has an OSHA certified on-line course and certification test that lasts 2 years. I recommend everyone, from the tattooer to the client, understand good sanitation and sterilization practices... a bit of CYA for everyone involved! If you are new to the business, or have not had a legit apprenticeship where things like cross contamination and BBP are beat into you, PLEASE do yourself and everyone else a favor and get educated and certified.

www.icpri.com

I think it runs you abour $20 USD for the course and cert.


post script - even if you're tattooing yourself, I would use the same materials without cleaning them... fresh needles are so affordable these days, that single use is not an outlandish concept at all. Clean your machines and set-up every time, wipe downs, autoclaves, something...

Himhimself, on May 22 2009, 06:13 PM, said:

Not HIV or HEP (necessarily), but you would definately be pushing some contaminates into your dermis... which could lead to a nasty infection... which could potentially be just as fatal. The extra 5 minutes and $1 woth of materials is absolutley worth safe and sterile practices. Consider it making an investment in building good and productive habits.

mikeybones, on May 24 2009, 02:58 PM, said:

yeah i definitely agree!

i just stick to disposables

Some concerns I have...

A) when I clean tubes I notice I sometimes get a bit of "splash" up onto my arms, I then go into the bathroom and use bleach like a soap while running water I rinse my arms in it. Is this a safe practice?
We use Maticide at the shop, apparently a very toxic chemical, and Im exposed to it constantly.
C) When Im tattooing I notice often there is some " ink mist" when I have to run my machine high. How likely am i to get a bbp from breathing/or having my eyes exposed to the "mist".
D) word on the street is that HEP C lives on surfaces up to 30 days ...true or false?