In the far-off past, tattoos were something only sailors had, and the only body part people pierced was their ears. Nowadays, piercings and tattoos are everywhere. But like anything you do in life — from driving a car to playing a sport — tattoos and piercings come with some risks.

Taking a few precautions will help you get the best results from your new body art and avoid side effects, which can include allergic reactions to inks or piercing jewelry, infections caused by unsterile equipment and needles, and scarring.

“Body art is a popular form of self-expression, but people who decide to get a tattoo or body piercing should go to a licensed facility and take time to discuss the safety procedures with the artists working at the shop or tattoo parlor,” says Scott Bryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tattoos and piercings: Play it smart with body art

“Ask whether they have had training in bloodborne pathogen and safe tattooing techniques,” Martin advises. “And ask if they use disposable products such as disposable tubes and needles and if they have a working sterilizer on the premises to clean their equipment.”

You’ve been working on a cool design and saving up for your first tattoo. Now it’s time to find a reputable studio and artist who will transfer your artwork from paper to skin. Tattoos are designs on the skin made with needles and colored ink. Getting “inked” is a major decision. Keep in mind that a tattoo is effectively permanent, and although it is possible to remove a tattoo, the process is expensive and painful.

March 23, 2013

“He’s a really gifted piercer!”

March 23, 2013

“So I was incredibly happy to find an artist like Mike in the area.”

March 23, 2013

“You will wait for an appointment… for months.. but it’s worth it.”

March 23, 2013

“Everywhere I go someone compliments the work I got from Sacred Center.”

March 23, 2013

I went to Tattoo Peter’s early last year with just a vague idea of what I wanted (a Day of the Dead skull) but Peter came up with a great design and executed it perfectly. The line work and colours were amazing and I can’t recommend the shop highly enough.

May 31, 2013

Very well done. Went here as this was the only one place I would ever let someone do a tattoo on me. You should be in to hard rock though 🙂

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