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I use clinical grade barrier wrap, the same wrap as would be used by your dentist.

With clinical barrier wrap no soak through was evident even after 5 days.

Magnifying lamps are commonly used by Cosmetic Tattooists during the procedure to check their tattooing.

In addition to cleaning and disinfecting the lamp body before and after each procedure a barrier wrap should be used to prevent the lamp from being contaminated when the tattooist touches the lamp during the procedure.

Clinical barrier wrap is much thicker and far less permeable to micro-organisms compared to kitchen cling wrap.

Kitchen cling wrap is permeable and therefore does not provide a good micro-organism barrier.

You may find that kitchen grade cling wrap being used by some service providers to provide a contamination barrier to try and prevent cross infection.

In the demonstration above, water with red food colouring easily soaked through kitchen cling wrap suspended over a glass tumbler.

I use foot switches in all procedures.

During your procedure the Cosmetic Tattooist will need to turn the tattoo machine and the Mag lamp on and off several times. Touching switches with contaminated gloves is an obvious potential source of cross infection between clients.

Foot switches are a far more hygienic alternative.

Using hand switches for lamps and tattoo machines is quick and cheap, but also increases the risk of cross infection.

I use sterile surgical gloves during all procedures.

Health guidelines insist that a new pair of clean gloves are used for each Cosmetic Tattooing procedure, but they also recommend the use of sterile gloves over clean gloves.

Using sterile gloves during a procedure reduces the risk of post procedure infections in the tattooed skin.

Using clean gloves instead of sterile gloves during a procedure saves money but also increases the risk of infection.

I use single use sterile clinical dressing packs and aseptic technique during all procedures.

During a Cosmetic Tattooing procedure the Tattooist will need somewhere to place their procedure equipment.

Correct aseptic technique and using sterile working fields will reduce the risk of infections.

Many cosmetic tattooists do not have ready access to an autoclave so reuse of direct procedural items carries a risk to the client.

Using reusable containers such as kidney dishes instead of sterile disposables saves money but also increases the risk of infections.

I strip my machine right down to the motor assembly and use brand new sterile components for every procedure.

Of course a brand new sterile needle should be used for each procedure but other parts of the tattoo machine also provide a potential source of cross infection.

Some parts of the tattoo machine are difficult to sterilise and therefore some service providers may be tempted to wash, clean, and reuse disposable components such as transmission shafts.

Brand new sterile components are always individually wrapped.

Reusing parts of the tattoo machine assembly may save money but it also increases the risk of cross infection between clients.

I use individually wrapped packs of clinical grade sterile gauze during every procedure.

During a procedure a Cosmetic Tattooist will need to wipe the tattooed area frequently, gauze is the best material for this purpose because it does not tend to leave strands sticking to the tattooed skin  the way that for example cotton wool or other materials can.

Using sterile gauze to wipe over tattooed (punctured skin) surfaces will reduce the risk of infections.

Using un-sterile gauze, tissues or makeup wipes to clean punctured skin surfaces may save money but it also increases the risk of infections.

I use single use medical grade sterile saline sachets in all procedures.

During a procedure a Cosmetic Tattooist will need to moisten skin wipes with water to assist with cleaning the punctured skin surface and to reduce skin irritation that may be caused by using dry gauze. 

Saline solution is ubiquitously used by clinical staff worldwide due to it having isotonic harmony with bodily interstitial fluids and tissue.

Using sterile saline reduces the risk of infections and decreases the potential for damage to punctured skin which in turn increases the speed of healing.

Using tap water to clean a clients punctured skin may save money but it also increases the risk of infections and may delay the healing process especially if damage to deeper skin layers is caused by using a hypotonic solution that contains a range of contaminants.

I use a regulation clinical waste bin.

Cosmetic Tattooists will dispose of their used needles (sharps) into a regulation sharps container for correct disposal. All other procedural disposables should be discarded into a clinical waste bin for disposal by an approved service.

Correct waste disposal provides protection against cross infection for all clients and for others.

Disposal of clinical waste into the general rubbish may save money but it increases the risk of cross infections for both the client and others. It is also a breach of health regulations.

I carry a range of over 100 high quality pigments that originate from reputable USA suppliers.

You can be assured of a great range of colours to choose from to compliment your skin and hair colouring.

The pigments used by a Cosmetic Tattooist are by design different to the pigments used by a body art tattooist. Products such as, henna, food dyes, inks and body art pigments should not be used for cosmetic tattooing.

In some countries there are very few if any regulations regarding the manufacture and supply of tattoo pigments, and at times lead has even been used by some pigment manufacturers.

It is important to ensure that your Cosmetic Tattooist is using appropriate pigments from reputable suppliers.

High quality cosmetic tattoo pigments can be expensive so there may be a temptation to use cheaper alternatives.

Costs may also be cut by only carrying a small range of colours which narrows your choice and may result in an unsuitable colour compromise.

Cheap pigments can be purchased via eBay for as little as $1 but who would want them tattooed into their skin?

All products used during a Cosmetic Tattooing procedure are done so with due regard for the manufacturers instructions and the clients individual circumstances.

Every procedure is tailored to the client for their particular requirements this includes adapting for their individual sensitivity to discomfort.

Topical anaesthetics are frequently used by Cosmetic Tattooists to make a tattoo procedure more comfortable for clients and they can be very expensive.

To ensure the comfort and safety of a client it is important that topical anaesthetics are use appropriately.

For example Emla cream is alkaline and should never be used near the eyes because it could cause caustic burns and permanent damage to the eye.

Using too much topical anaesthetic can be harmful, using too little can cause excessive discomfort, using the wrong type can cause permanent damage.

All my clients are required to complete a short medical disclosure questionnaire and a consultation is conducted to identify if what the client would like to achieve is feasible.

In some circumstances I will ask the client to seek medical approval from their doctor or specialist prior to providing a treatment.

Occasionally I will tell a client that I will not be able to provide a Cosmetic Tattooing service because of certain preclusions.

There are circumstances where it is inappropriate to provide a Cosmetic Tattooing service either because of the clients health status, or because of the law (e.g. under 18), or because the tattooist has reason to believe that the client is highly likely to suffer significant regret because they are requesting a very extreme type of tattooing service.

Providing a Cosmetic Tattooing service without due regard for contraindications and absolute preclusions is unethical.

All linen is changed after each client and strict cleaning & disinfecting procedures are followed after each client and at the end of each day.

If you want to know about my cleaning procedures just ask me.

Cleaning standards within a salon are often the part of hygiene that a client does not get to see. Correct cleaning of a salon has a substantial impact on reducing the risk of cross infections between clients.

A cosmetic tattooist should be able to clearly tell a client what their cleaning procedures are and the rationale for their procedures.

Cutting corners on salon cleaning can save time and money but it also increases the risk of cross infections. Even simple hygiene errors such as using a cleaning or disinfecting wipe across several surfaces can spread micro-organisms around a salon.

Asking how a salon is cleaned is your right.