Click here for a list of all USDA registered autocalves. Some of the sterilizers you will find there are Statim, Sci Can, Pelton and Crane, Tuttnauer and more.
http://www.sterilizers.com/fdA-registered-autoclaves.asp
Body modification is unique to humans and has been around for 30,000 years. For various reasons it has been encouraged in the ancient times. But as time passed this reason based culture has been adopted to the demanding needs of today’s fashion and emerging trends. Doctors advised Victorian women to pierce their nipples in an attempt to enlarge the nipples to aid in breast-feeding.
Aboriginal women elongated their labia, while women from Borneo and central Africa practiced piercing and stretching of the labia to help attract a husband. Earrings have been used to denote wealth and nobility from the Egyptians through the Victorian age. Queen Isabella of Bavaria, who reined 1385-1417, introduced plunging necklines that revealed the breasts and called for adornment of the nipples to show off jewelry. This fashion trend included rouge on the nipples as well as diamond studs and gold nipple rings linked by delicate gold chains, even strands of pearls.
Female genital piercing has only been around for the past twenty years, as opposed to male genital piercing. Female genital piercings not only have the potential to enhance your sexual pleasure, but also are visually striking and far less painful than expected.
It is absolutely crucial to choose a reputable piercer who has had extensive genital piercing experience and maintains a clean, sterile non-smoking environment using individually wrapped medical grade hypodermic needles and autoclaves all additional equipment. Only high quality surgical stainless steel, titanium or 18K+ gold should be used when genital piercing is done.
During your healing time, you MUST engage in safe sex and avoid sharing bodily fluids. Even if you are in a monogamous relationship, dental dams, latex or polyurethane barriers MUST be used to protect the piercing, since it is an open wound. Fresh genital piercings dramatically increase the chances of infection and transmission of STIs. Be sure to keep the piercing and the surrounding area clean to prevent infection. Follow the specific cleaning instructions provided by your piercer.
Types of Genital Piercings in Female.
The most popular piercing is the Vertical Clitoral Hood, takes four-six weeks to heal, placed vertically through the thin bit of tissue above the clit so that the jewelry touches the clit. Many people go in asking for a “clit piercing,” but really mean a hood piercing which goes through the hood, not the clit.
The Horizontal Clitoral Hood piercing takes six-eight weeks to heal is done primarily for aesthetic purposes. If you are not built symmetrically, which most of us aren’t, the jewelry has a tendency to lean or twist to one side. The Vertical Hood piercing provides the most pleasure and with the least amount of trauma, although some women end up with both!
Clitoris piercing is the most intense piercing, takes four-six weeks to heal is VERY rare and should only be done by a highly experienced piercer, since there is risk of irreversible nerve damage if done improperly. Ninety percent of women are not built for this vertical piercing, since you must have a large enough clit with a loose hood or exposed clit to accommodate the jewelry.
The Triangle piercing takes two-three months to heal is a horizontal piercing behind the nerve bundle of the clit at the base of the hood tissue. The jewelry is placed to provide stimulation to the BACK of your clitoris! Most women are not built for this piercing since you must have a large enough hood to pull away from the body to place the piercing.
The Princess Diana (four-six weeks) is a pair of piercings that sit up under the hood with the jewelry resting on the clit. This can be done in conjunction with a Vertical Hood for a visually pleasing look.
Inner and Outer Labia piercings are done for visual reasons and are usually done in pairs or multiples. The Outer Labia takes longer to heal and takes two-three months and is placed anywhere along the “pinchable” rim of the outer lips. Inner Labia piercings heal quicker, takes 4-6 weeks, since the tissue is thin and quick to heal.
The Christina takes three-four months to heal is not very popular due to its healing time and high rejection rate. This vertical piercing goes through the V-shaped junction at the top of the outer labia and is done for visual enjoyment.
The Fourchette takes two-three months to heal is a vertical perineum piercing and requires a pinchable flap or fold of tissue at the back edge of the vagina. If you have this flap, many say this is a very pleasurable piercing.
Genital piercing can help you adorn your body as well as stimulate and arouse. Have fun, but research the piercing you want as well as the piercer you choose to trust. Don’t get set on a specific piercing until you review piercing options with your piercer, since she’ll be able to determine which piercings you’re best built for.
It is imperative to find a properly trained piercer who can evaluate you for what piercings you may be suitable for. Genital piercings take the most daily abuse of any piercing and must be well placed and cared for. Again, be sure to follow the piercer’s instructions for proper cleaning to prevent infection. Remember to practice safer sex with latex or polyurethane, especially during your healing time, and enjoy!
Celebrities like Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé are among the 16% of adult Americans who sport tattoos.
There is always one question to be asked before even having a thought to have one on your body. Are TATTOS safe? Tattoos have no national safety regulations. If you like to have one, you are at your own risk and if you choose to accept the risk, then you are prone to suffer from allergies to the dyes, keloid scarring, and infections including hepatitis, tetanus and even HIV.
If you think you must ink, and you’ve spent time imagining what that lotus on your leg will look like in 40 years. Follow these tips from registered nurse and tattoo expert Myrna Armstrong.
Be smart with Body Art
A careful eye to the surrounds can keep you away from being liable to deadliest diseases. Expect cleanliness everywhere, including the artist’s appearance. Scrutinize the autoclave, the sterilizer that cleans needles. Always be sure that the artists possess check a recent test certificate.
Always be second one in the queue, so that you can watch someone else get tattooed. Make sure that sterilized packages of needles are opened in front of you and the used ones are thrown into a biohazard container. Be sure the artist changes gloves after handling anything other than the needle.
Check the studio’s reputation. Verify that it meets state licensing regulations. If the artist belongs to the Alliance of Professional Tattooists (safe-tattoos.com), that’s a sign of a good reputation. Be patient. Your tattoo will take seven to 10 days to heal.
Neglecting these minor details would make you pay your life just get color on you body.
DETROIT is a place well known for Tattoos and Body Piercings, however they may be termed. From NBA stars to Celebrities to suburban housewives and college students, adore or tried body art or belly button rings. With that in mind, the Wayne County Consumer Protection Task Force is reminding residents to make sure their adornments are done right.
The county’s Environmental Health Division licenses forty-three such establishments, and those are the only places where one may legally perform piercing or tattoo work.
An area of concern, however, is so-called tattoo or piercing “parties”. They are often held in private homes or hideouts that lack the sanitary and safety measures that tattoo and piercing establishments do provide.
Dirty needles and other equipment can spread blood-borne diseases. Customers to these places are prone to deadly diseases including hepatitis and AIDS. They might also get infected from other infections and other maladies.
An incident earlier this year as shocked the officials in which, an 18-year-old Lincoln Park boy was cited under a city ordinance for performing piercings on about 15 high school students, including some minors, at his house. His mother later turned over the piercing equipment to police.
A 1998 county ordinance, which allows the Environmental Health Division to license and inspect such establishments, lays out several rules for parlors, including:
Minors may not receive body art or jewelry piercings without parental permission. Establishments also must confirm the age of anyone who appears to be under 25, and keep records of those checks for inspection. Parental guidance must be insisted in case of minors.
Mobile body art establishments are prohibited. Body art may not be performed on anyone who appears to be drunk or under the influence of drugs. A medical screening questionnaire, seeking histories of AIDS, hepatitis, allergies and certain skin diseases, is required before the procedure begins.
Practitioners must wear medical gloves during the procedure, and all reusable instruments must be sterilized and placed in sealed, dated packaging. Single-use needles or other sharp objects, as well as razors, must be disposed of immediately.
Violations could result in fines of up to $500 and/or 90 days in jail.
Robert Haggerty, owner of Beyond Reality in Wyandotte, said people who want to get tattoos or piercings are advised to follow the tips:
Make sure you’re comfortable with the place. Observe whether the people behind the counter clean and friendly? You must check out whether there are autoclaves (sanitizing machines) onsite. Ask for certification that they have been inspected within the last 30 days.
Make sure the establishment is licensed. The license, usually from a county board of health, should be prominently displayed. Make sure all instruments used to perform the work are in sterile bags. You may ask the artist to use brand-new needles during work. Take a look at a portfolio of the artist’s work. Make sure they’re capable of doing the work you want.
After all your desire to have a tattoo or pierce jewellery must not cost your life. It is worth more than that. Following the law saves your life, after laws are made to protect human beings like us.
Bridget Faulkenberry, city environmental health manager, said that updating the tattoo ordinance in Lubbock is important because the old ordinance did not address body piercing. The ordinance is over 22 years old. It’s long way out of date. We needed to be in line with the times and with the state ordinance.
Spend a little time at a tattoo and piercing parlor, and it is quite obvious that times have changed. Earlobe piercing or a rose tattoo is no longer considered rebellious, and rebels are now moving onto more extreme measures.
In response to emerging trends in body piercing, its demerits, the opposition towards it in the society all into consideration, the Lubbock City Council approved a new ordinance, which prohibits extreme body art. It will go into effect from Aug. 1.
According to the ordinance, extreme body art is defined as any surgical procedure where many layers of skin or muscle are passed through with an object, such as a piece of jewelry. Extreme body modification trends including pocketing, or skin stapling, tongue splitting, uvula piercing and eyelid piercing have made their way to society’s forefront.
Though most extreme forms of body modification do not run rampant in Lubbock. But the goal of Faulkenberry was to prevent future piercing issues. And was trying to stay ahead of the curve. The updated tattoo and piercing ordinance also lowers the minimum age requirement to receive a tattoo or piercing from 21 to 18 years old.
Because extreme body modification is prohibited by the new ordinance, Bridget Faulkenberry believes that an influx of young people who will experiment with body art will be reduced by a significant amount in near future as that the age requirement has been lowered.
The new ordinance focuses on the danger in sanitation issues. According to the new ordinance, tattoo and piercing artists are exempted from the requirement to be tested for communicable diseases before they receive a permit. It is very unlikely that a tattoo artist will pass a communicable disease to a client during tattooing.
But this ordinance emphasizes that, the tattoo parlors will be required to perform spore tests on autoclaves once a month to prevent the transmission of blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis, HIV etc. An autoclave is a machine that sanitizes needles and other equipment. Spore tests determine whether the autoclave is working properly.
Wade Estepp, manager and piercer at Inkfluence, said requiring spore testing every month is a good idea because requiring frequent inspections will ensure autoclaves not only heat up to the correct temperatures but also that they work on the proper chemical level.
Lubbock City Councilman Gary Boren said that, some extreme piercings could have long-term consequences, affecting one’s employment opportunities or health later in life. Although the new ordinance will help cut down on health concerns, he hopes tattoo and piercing parlor patrons insure procedures are done in a safe manner.
As far as self-expression, Boren, expressed that people have the right to make their own choices whether it means piercing or tattooing their bodies or wearing unique clothing, but he said he hopes people will think before modifying their bodies. People make their own choice are solely responsible for them.
Wade Estepp, piercing artist, on a quest for a summer job seven years ago, received a rude answer saying that is not his typical type of job. But became manager of piercing at Inkfluence, a tattoo and piercing parlor in Lubbock. He said that it turned out to be a better job than expected. People are here to have fun to have a positive experience.
Brittany Chriswell, a freshman pre-nursing major from Aspermont, came on a whim with some friends to get her tongue pierced. She said it sounded like fun. It was a spontaneous thing. I felt like inflicting some more pain upon myself. After her procedure, Chriswell said she felt calm and was surprised by how well she handled the situation. There was a little pain, but not as bad as I thought,” she said. “It’s a good experience.
Chriswell is not alone in her impulsive decision to express herself through piercing. Because of the rise in interest in body piercing, the City of Lubbock Health Department will make a move toward modifying existing tattoo and other body modification standards.
Bridget Faulkenberry, the environmental health manager for the Lubbock Health Department, added that Lubbock Health Department has a very outdated ordinance and it doesn’t even address piercing because in 1982, body piercing was not as popular as it is today. It’s high time we update this ordinance, and it will benefit all tattoo and body piercing patrons to ensure safety.
Necessary steps are being taken to bring together for a meeting with the state inspections board, people from Texas Tech and owners of tattoo and piercing parlors. Various suggestions and modifications from these people will be taken into consideration to enhance the ordinance. Amendments are given back to the health department for further scrutiny before it is presented to the Lubbock City Council. Any change in an ordinance requires two readings by the Council.
There are some changes that relate to sanitation and the prevention of transmission of blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis, HIV etc. We’re going to require that spore tests to be performed on autoclaves once a month.
An autoclave is a machine that sanitizes needles and other equipment. Spore tests determine whether the autoclave is working properly. Requiring spore testing every month is a good idea, Estepp said, because requiring inspections often will ensure that autoclaves not only heat up to the correct temperatures but also that they work on the proper chemical level.
The city, for what it’s worth, can help bring local concerns to the state’s attention. The city ordinance pertaining to tattoos says the consenting age limit is 21, while the state ordinance differs and limits the consenting age to 18 years. Faulkenberry said the health department is aiming to smooth out the discrepancy.
She wants it to be 18 years, keeping in mind that minors are more prone to have gang related tattoos. A judge can order a minor to remove or cover up an existing tattoo. Some of the changes like parental guidance as well as written consent is must when minors are tattooed.
Estepp said that is parlor Inkfluence already abides by the state age limit. When in case of minors, he tries to make doubly sure parent consent is given. For a minor to get a tattoo or piercing, he or she must have written parental permission and proper identification, and requires and insists parents be present as well.
His parlor is well aware of the safety precautions for the well being of his customers and proudly say that we currently exceed many of the standards set by the state. “I’d be surprised if the city surpassed the state standards”, he added.
In view of the opposition offered by the public towards increasing trends in tattooing and piercing its health risks Northern Kentucky Health Department revised the state law pertaining to the tattooing and piercing.
A new state law requires anyone under 18 to provide written notarized consent from a custodial parent or guardian. This revised edition also requires local health departments for the first time to inspect and certify body-piercing studios.
Health departments in Kentucky already inspect tattoo parlors. Mark Lind, 36, part owner of Lucky 13 Tattoo Inc. in Covington, which also does body piercings, said he welcomes the new regulation.
Rick Marksberry, a senior health environmentalist with the Northern Kentucky Health Department said that, owners of tattoo and body-piercing studios lobbied Kentucky lawmakers for the new rules as a way to help stop “fly-by-night” operations that may pose an added health risk to clients.
Ohio also requires tattoo and body-piercing parlors to have operating permits, but parental consent is handled differently. Ohio parents must actually accompany their children for tattoos or piercings. Indiana also requires a parent or legal guardian to be present and to give written consent for tattoos or piercings of any body part other than an earlobe.
Despite an unfavorable view from many health care providers, piercings of the lip, tongue, nose, eyebrow, navel and other body parts are increasingly popular. The American Dental Association opposes oral piercings, calling it a public health hazard. Tongue piercing can lead to chipped teeth and a higher risk of infection, the group says.
Lax sterilization procedures can also lead to the transmission of hepatitis B or hepatitis C, as well as tuberculosis, syphilis or HIV.
Anita Travis of the Kentucky Department for Public Health said that Northern Kentucky has seven tattoo studios operating in the four-county health district (Boone, Campbell, Kenton and Grant). Under the new law, health department workers will have about 50 body-piercing sites to inspect. That includes mall kiosks and jewelry departments that do ear piercings.
Sam Mello, 20, independence resident, student at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and an aspiring Web designer has both earlobes pierced, as well as a piercing in his inner ear right above the lobes said that he supported the new state law which adds legitimacy to the business. He’s holding back on a tongue piercing to consider the effect on his business image.
Health departments will inspect body-piercing studios twice a year. In addition, artists must be registered (fee is $20) and adhere to certain safety standards. Steam autoclaves will be tested to make sure they kill microorganisms. The licensing fee for tattoo and body-piercing studios is $100.
Craig Moore, owner of Mother’s Tattoo and Piercing in Erlanger and Covington, said he already uses sanitary procedures and requires that parents be present.
Northern Kentucky Health Department’s Environmental Services has provided lines (859) 341-4151, for people who has any enquiries to be made or any complaints to be logged. Mr. Lind says that, it’s just good common sense to know what kids are doing and that proper sterilization, health safety measures are followed in this business.
Local tattoo artist’s dreams come true. The doors to a new revolution opened on Sept. 1. The day they would remember all their lives. Their dreams took shape into Revolution Studio, a new tattoo studio, located at 50th and L Streets in Omaha.
The seed to the revolution was sowed with one common mission: to revolt against the Boss-Slave system. The system, in which, bosses treat the workers as slaves. Commanding them what to do and what not to. They were tired of being held back from their careers as artists.
Finally, their dreams of making city more colorful, one person at a time, Ideas of being their own bosses, come true. Dreams of doing what they love, creating art in the form of tattoos on human canvas.
Lenny Renkin, Rob Pace, Isaac Armas and Chad Elsasser are all tattoo artists. They have come together from different tattoo studios to start their own. They finally succeeded in the form of Revolution Studio.
Their art is people. Pace has been tattooing for hire for six years, while Renkin, Elsasser and Armas started their tattooing careers more seriously two years ago. Each had, their own reasons for their common studio.
Renkin says that tattooing is just another medium since, she been artists for her whole life. When asked about any fears in opening their own business, Renkin simply replied that, we have no fears about opening the shop. If we did, we wouldn’t have opened it. Her future plans are simple and optimistic by saying that, she would like to improve constantly and not move backwards.
When coming to Pace he says that is just glad enough that he is able to own his own studio. In one simple word, he conveyed everything as freedom. I have worked for people in the past and it was a disaster, an absolute disaster. Friends become enemies. Freedom of schedule, and freedom to work at their own pace and Freedom, to have their own goals. My mission is to only create 100 percent the best of my ability over anything just to create art. Creating human art, like tattooing, is by far the greatest mission adds Pace.
Elsasser, a junior in the UNO College of Fine Arts, expresses his views as people may argue that tattoos aren’t fine art, but he is ready to prove those people wrong. Though, it is hectic juggling school and work at the studio, he takes it as a cross curriculum. I’m glad I can bring the fine arts into tattooing and the tattooing into the fine arts world. It’s hard in the academic world to show them just how much of a fine art tattooing really is, but I’m glad I had a chance to do it. His goal is to have work all about the art.
Armas said that his goal is to be the No. 1 store in Omaha, not in dollars, but in artwork put out into the city.
They are also doing what it takes to have their art be safe. There are hundreds of things they do that the client probably never thinks of. Everything is disposable, tools that are not disposable get a liquid sterile then get hand scrubbed and sanitized through autoclaves.
Safety of the people coming into our shop is what we watch out for, along ours.
Pace boldly admits that, it takes a lot of work to open your own business. Besides your having your business licenses, tax I.D. numbers, your rent spots, advertising and common sense things, it takes pure perseverance and an insane drive to conquer.