This is a letter regarding the students of Ohio State University that patron tattoo and piercing studios. Having recently moved to Columbus, I would like to address a possible issue of concern. The studio that I am a professional piercer at is located on central campus. Our studio is connected with OSU by our location, we go through the OSU College of Dentistry for our spore testing and one owner has a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the university, while the other is a Ph.D candidate. Both of them have taught courses at the university. Our studio provides piercings and tattoos for a large percentage of the student body.
Many new shops are sprouting up around central Ohio. Please be sure to educate yourselves before you make a decision to get pierced or tattooed. Most of the services offered are permanent, and you do not want to be stuck with a tattoo or piercing that you are unhappy with. Here are some helpful hints:
Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” Well, if a tattoo or piercing seems to be so cheap that you can hardly believe your luck, look a little closer at the deal you are getting. Sadly enough, there may be shops that advertise inexpensive piercings that may be using cheap jewelry or skipping a step in sterilization, such as the reuse of needles or other equipment in order to keep their prices low. Omitting an important aspect of preparation or jewelry choice could be detrimental to your body and health. Quite a risk to take when the aftermath could be permanent, such as intense scarring. Scary, huh?
When you visit a new studio, be prepared with questions. Observe the overall look of the shop. Is it clean? Do the people that work at the shop have good hygiene? Ask for a tour of the shop and make mental notes as you go along. Does this studio have hand-washing sinks in every station? Do they have sharps bins (red receptacles for needles)? How do they dispose of the sharps bins after they are full? Do they use an autoclave for sterilization and spore test it? Do they spore-test the autoclave weekly as required by Ohio law? Can they show you the positive test results? These are all elements that you should observe and ask about if you are not certain. Do not ever let an employee of a studio make you feel embarrassed or stupid for asking any questions.
Lastly, take a look at the artist’s portfolios. Are the piercings straight? Are there healed photos of these piercings, or just ones of red, irritated skin? Do the tattoos look clean and crisp in color and shape? Do the tattoos sit well on the client’s anatomy? Are the images presented in an aseptically pleasing professional manner? Make sure the artist has been educated in blood-born pathogens, principles of sterilization and is certified in CPR and First Aid (also required by Ohio law). Any other education, such as anatomy or art classes, is proof that the artist continues their education to help serve you better.
Remember, you only have one body, so protect it while you are decorating it.
Kate Wilke Professional body piercer, Evolved Body Art
