Tattoos can be inherently more dangerous than other art forms — your body is the canvas. A poorly done tattoo can lead to serious illnesses and infections that can change your life forever. Even if everybody is as careful as possible, you could still have an unforeseen allergic reaction to the tattoo that puts your health at risk. At the end of the day, that’s why it’s so important to follow health and safety tips closely when it comes to tattoo parlors. Los Angeles is held in high regard in the tattooing world. Even so, there can be some bad seeds even among their ranks. Asking to see a Los Angeles tattoo shop’s credentials and health test results can help put your mind at ease during the entire process. In a perfect world, all their equipment will be well-sanitized, and they would be practicing their safety precautions with the utmost care. Unfortunately, you may need to investigate and take steps to ensure that this is the case with your tattoo shop of choice.

How Do I Choose a Good Tattoo Shop?

There are numerous factors to consider when choosing the right Los Angeles tattoo parlor for your unique design. You want to look at the artist's work alongside the general atmosphere of the shop as a whole. Cleanliness should play a significant factor in your search for the right tattoo shop. If something looks dirty, it's probably not the best shop to choose. The best way to find a good Los Angeles tattoo shop is to do diligent research online by looking at referrals and reviews, while also asking to see their licensing and health code inspections when you narrow down your search. The quality of the tattoo is only one of a series of factors to take into consideration. After all, your health and comfort-ability should be placed above all else.

Do Tattoo Shops Use New Needles Every Time?

In short, they should. Los Angeles Tattoo shops should ideally be using single-use needles that they will dispose of after each use. While it’s not impossible to sterilize a needle after each use, you don’t want to take that risk. If it turns out that part of the needle wasn’t sterilized enough, you could find yourself being subjected to all the ailments, diseases, or infections that the previous customer may have been carrying. The tattoo tubes can be reused if they are appropriately disinfected, but the needles should be coming from sealed containers that can't be influenced by the outside environment. They are simply exposed to too many harmful factors to reuse safely.

Do Tattoo Artists Use New Ink for Each Tattoo?

Tattoo artists should not be reusing ink caps from client to client. The ink itself, in the larger container, is fine as it is not exposed to the larger client base. When they get done with a tattoo, they should throw out the caps and the unused ink inside of them and replace them with fresh options. This prevents any cross-contamination from happening. Alongside the other sterilized equipment they use, this should help prevent any harmful bacteria from transferring between customers. Make sure to take the time to ask where they get their ink as well. Some unregulated inks can contain harmful byproducts that shouldn’t be included due to their danger to the human body.

Is the Equipment Clean?

Giving the tattoo shop a good once-over can be helpful, but it's also important to know that the equipment is truly clean in ways you can’t see with the naked eye. You should be proactive and ask the employees and artists what they do to keep the shop as safe as humanly possible. A regular cleaning schedule and the proper disposal of used needles and inks should be priority number one. Even so, the general cleanliness of all the equipment is just as important. A tattoo is an open wound while it's in progress. Before it heals, you'll be more susceptible to infections and diseases due to it being so vulnerable. By putting safety measures in place like sterilizing equipment and only using fresh materials, you can have better peace of mind.

Did the Tattoo Shop Pass Health Testing?

All employees of tattoo Los Angeles tattoo shops should be well-versed and experienced in health code training programs. By asking to see their health testing results, you'll gain new insight into the safety of the shop. They could be the nicest people in the world, but those smiles could be hiding some negligent practices. The results of their health tests can be a key indicator of where they may be lacking. Take the time to give them a thorough look over so you can understand where they have gone wrong in the past. The cleaner the shop is, the more you can dedicate your time to worrying about more important things–like the artwork itself. Just because they do a great tattoo, doesn’t mean they should receive your business.