Tattoos are awesome, and there’s plenty of reasons why we want to get them. They’re expressive, they’re permanent, and they’re a true form of wearable art. But at the end of the day, getting a tattoo can be considered as a medical procedure in some countries requiring a medical license. A needle is piercing your skin thousands of times, and that means hygiene and safety aren’t just a small consideration — they’re absolutely essential.
So why does tattoo hygiene matter so much? And what should you, as a client, look for before sitting in the chair?
Why Hygiene Is Non-Negotiable in Tattooing
When you get a tattoo, your skin is essentially an open wound until it heals. It requires proper hygiene during the process, and after when caring for the tattoo. Without proper hygiene, that can lead to:
- Infections that not only mess up the tattoo but also cause serious health issues.
- Cross-contamination of bloodborne illnesses like Hepatitis or HIV if equipment isn’t sterilized.
- Longer healing times and faded or damaged tattoos.
A professional studio with strict hygiene protocols drastically reduces these risks, as staff and artists will consider hygiene in every step of the tattoo process.