Smart About Body Art
[NOW Magazine - Jul.09-09]
Tatts are a blast, but watch out who's needling your butt
There's been some scary stuff in the news lately about tattoo parlours getting pinged for health and safety violations. Most of it's about problems maintaining sterilization equipment, which might get you checking out who's going to inscribe that butterfly on your butt.
But disease and infection aren't the only tattoo concerns. You can have an allergic reaction, or your body can reject the ink. That happened once to a friend of mine with tats he'd had for years with no problems.
My own flying fish gets raised and itchy from time to time. Is it changes in weather? And weirdest of all, hair dye now comes with the warning that people with tattoos are more likely to suffer allergic reactions to the product.
But we get etched anyway - because we love it. And so do many cultures who believe drawings on their bods have magical and curative powers.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
"Before a Thai Buddhist tattoo master, or arjan, gives a tattoo, he reads your aura to determine your design. Magical tattoos not only draw on the power of the tattooist, who is a monk, but also his mentors and the Buddha. The inks are personal recipes, and some are thought to have protective qualities. Some arjans use sandalwood steeped in herbs or white sesame oil, others the exfoliated skin of a revered arjan added to Chinese ink mixed with holy water.
The Ainu of Japan practised medicinal tattooing to relieve rheumatism, as did Arctic peoples like the St. Lawrence Island Yupiget of Alaska. Dot-like tattoos were placed on joints and correspond to acupuncture points."
--Lars Krutak
(tattoo anthropologist, Washington, DC)
"Look at the general appearance of the artists, their cleanliness, the way you're received. Any good shop will show you the spore test results. There is a new type of bandage that helps your tattoo heal in days instead of weeks. It's expensive. Keep the tattoo clean and moist. Barri-Care acts as a barrier between the wound and the outside environment. Emu oil has phenomenal healing properties. It's a little expensive. While healing, wash the tattoo once a day and apply the ointment provided three times a day. No direct sun or water exposure for two weeks. When it starts to flake, use an unscented body lotion."
--Joey Nixon
(co-owner, Adrenaline, Toronto)
"We worry most about allergic reactions to the ink that require us to laser the tattoo out and get rid of the ink completely. The ink is a foreign body, and there can be an immune response to it. That's why tattoos get raised and itchy. People react most commonly to red. Weather can also somtimes trigger a release of histamine, which causes puffiness and dilation of the blood vessels. If you're already allergic to something in tattoos, you could react to hair dye. Every time you're exposed to something you're allergic to, your reaction to it will be stronger."
--Lisa Kellett
(dermatologist, Toronto)
"Education requirements for tattooists are very minimal in North America. Clients should ask to see spore test records. These guarantee that the autoclave sterilizer that cleans piercing needles is working. Pigments are in the process of being regulated, and soon ingredients will have to be listed in Canada. Going to somebody's home is the worst thing to do. The greatest risk is community-acquired MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). We've seen more and more outbreaks in the tattoo community."
--David Vidra
(Health Educators, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio)
"Public health units are supposed to inspect personal services settings such as tattoo parlours at least once a year. The frequency of inspection may be higher in response to complaints or if the parlour is non-compliant with infection prevention and control practices. The Ministry of Health expects public health units to ensure that these settings are safe and provide quality services to their patrons."
--David Jensen
(media relations coordinator, Ontario ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Toronto)
BEFORE YOU TATTOO: Tattoo Types, Safety & Removal (slideshow)
PLAYLIST
1. LA Ink - Jesse Metcalf
2. LA Ink - Eric Balfour
3. Miami Ink - Anthony Bourdain
As we move through life we leave marks on it, and I'm aware of this trail I've left behind me of both good things and bad things. It just feels somehow right that if you're leaving marks on the world, that the world should leave marks on you.
