Hi, I'm Lenny from Addicted 2 Tattoos in Tampa, Florida. I'm going to talk to you today about risks and safety in tattooing. There's a number of things that you should consider before getting a tattoo. It's a very good idea to first go into the studio and just generally see how clean that studio is. If it gives you a nice feeling, chances are that you'll understand that you're going to get a safe tattoo there. If you go into a studio and you notice that half the lights are out, the floors are dirty, the bathroom needs cleaning, the people themselves don't look very clean, chances are it's not going to be a very safe place to get a tattoo. Another thing to look for is obviously are they using fresh needles -- brand-new, sterilized -- every time for every customer? Our tattoo needles generally, now, we are buying them pre-made and pre-sterilized. That means that we will never touch this needle until we have gloves on and we are ready to start tattooing you. There are some artists nowadays, though, who do still make their own needles, and so they'll be packaging these needles and then running them through an autoclave to sterilize those. That's okay, as long as you see them open a fresh package in front of you each time before you get a tattoo. And watch what they do with that needle when they're finished with the tattoo. Are they disposing of it in a biohazard box, or are they putting it in a container where they might be cleaned and reused? A lot of people think it's okay to wash a needle and reuse it. Myself, I disagree, though, because little pieces of skin can get caught between those needles and can transmit disease from one person to the next if that tattoo needle is reused. Another thing to watch out for when you get a tattoo is listen to what the tattoo artist tells you about taking care of that tattoo. Follow their instructions to the letter. Don't listen to family and friends because they're not professional tattoo artists. Follow your tattoo artist's instructions. Normally, they'll give you something in writing. Read that. If you have questions, call the tattoo artist because they're going to be the first one to advise you to see a doctor if they think you have a problem. So be safe, go to a clean studio, stay away from places that seem dirty, and get a safe tattoo each time. I'm Lenny from Addicted 2 Tattoos in Tampa, Florida.
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