No fear -- Individuals urged to use precautions with body art
by Annette Germanario, feature editor

     Final in a series of three.

     So you think you're ready to do it? Go for that tattoo or piercing? Convinced it is the right thing to do? The selected artist or piercer will enhance your body? Have the design, the location and the jewelry?
     The naysayers, the conservatives, the gutless can go whine at someone else. You are beyond being influenced by the fear factor. You are in the “no pain, no gain” zone and focused on whatever it takes to get it done.
     So stop reading right here because you already know this information about safety, after care, stigma, scar tissue and removal. This stuff may only bore you.
     On the other hand, there is a lot to learn about some serious choices you may decide to make.
     • Make a smart choice
     You may want to consider what a tattoo or piercing reflects about you today AND tomorrow. Yes, it's a personal choice. But what if you desire a lifestyle change in the future and actually want to forget what you did as a radical kid, a homesick sailor or a lovesick pup. Consider a recent divinity school graduate who was overheard lamenting over the hack-job skull and crossbones on her ankle.
     “As a minister, this sends a message that I will always have to explain, apologize for or be embarrassed by,” she said.
     Don't be surprised if someday an employer, client or romantic interest makes a personal choice not to further your relationship based on the message you represent. Keep in mind the visibility of your body art. Also be aware that no reputable artists would perform their work on a person under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
     • Be Informed
     Decrease your risk of contracting a blood-borne disease or infection by following the recommendations of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) (www.safepiercing.org):
     See their autoclave (sterilizer) and spore tests; make sure the shop does not reuse needles; ask friends where they got pierced; use your instincts; find out if they use ear-piercing guns.
     Ask questions of staff and piercer; check the studio's jewelry selection; ask for an aftercare sheet; ask to see the studio’s license to operate; check to see the studio's age requirements; see the piercing rooms and set up; make sure the studio is recognized by APP.
     The APP Web site includes a wealth of information. You can link to the Center for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration or HealthGate MEDLINE, order jewelry, check out the history of the behavior and easily witness perhaps more than you care to about the subject from the clinical to the bizarre. And you can find answers to questions you never thought to ask.
     APP reports that most infections result from lack of sterile technique or instruments, improper aftercare or poor grade jewelry.
     A Fort Worth pediatrician shared his worst case scenario. He had a patient who received ear cartilage piercings under unsterile conditions. The result was an infection that melted away her ear cartilage like wax. Reconstructive surgery using rib cartilage was performed to replace the loss.
     As for the jewelry, APP suggests these guidelines:
     For piercings above the neck, use a minimum 1mm and below the neck, use 1.6mm.
Jewelry must be made of platinum, palladium, 316L grade stainless steel or 24ct and 18ct gold. Silver should never be used.
     Use only metal beads: surgical steel, gold or colored niobium.
     According to the link site BlackStar, niobium is a refractory metal used to line rocket engines and to make jewelry. Gemstone or plastic beads are not suitable because of cracks and pitting, which may contain bacteria.
     There is no such accountability organization for tattoo artists. They must be licensed by the state but have no formal school or diploma. Therefore, safety guidelines are especially important. Check out www.tattoospa.com for the Texas Health and Safety Code for tattooing.
     At www.tattoo.about.com, you will find a safety checklist including recommendations similar to those for piercing. In addition, it offers the following advice:
     Make sure the artist is wearing properly fitted gloves; ask about what training your artist has taken and completed (ask to see certificates); make sure both you and the artist have been vaccinated for Hepatitis B.
     Ointment, ink, and water should only be used from small disposable “ink cups”; sterile needles must always be removed from packing in front of you; used needles should be disposed of in a sharps’ container; always see an example of an artist's finished work.
     • What's the deodorant for?
Some artists use a deodorant stick to enhance ink colors. If this happens, it should be applied to a tissue and then to your skin. If the stick touches your skin, then it's a safe bet that it touched the person before you.
     Chances are that if the artist does not seem to care about himself, he probably is not going to care about you. Also, if he has nothing to hide, he should be happy to show you around and answer your questions.
     • Be realistic.
     You will experience pain and a rigorous aftercare routine. The healing process can take weeks to months. For example, tattoo care requires multiple daily washing while piercing requires cleaning and protection.
     The navel generally takes three to four months to heal. Healing time could be prolonged if you are in poor health, are obese, smoke, have diabetes or eat an unhealthy diet.
     • What's Down the Road?
     Tattoos fade and change shape over time. If you have a weight gain due to pregnancy or muscle gain from weight lifting, your tattoo will NOT look the same. Skin stretching can distort the design, and stretch marks ruin it. Piercings can tear or develop scar tissue.
If you change your mind after the fact, your choices will be to remove or cover up a tattoo. Cover up involves another tattoo applied over the current one to either lighten or disguise it. Removal options vary widely and are not covered by insurance. As a result, you may still have a tattoo or scarring, and you can count on a hit to your bank account.
     • Removal
     One thing you DO NOT want to do is use any do-it-yourself options. Several products on the market promote this dangerous option, but a current FDA recall exists for a Canadian product called TATEX. Severe infection and scarring have been attributed to its chemical contents.
     Salabrasion is a centuries old method using tap water and salt applied to an abrading apparatus that vigorously “sands” the area. Dermabrasion is a similar procedure that first “freezes” the area with a sprayed on solution before abrading with a rotary instrument.
     Surgical excision removes the tattooed skin either in total, as in small tattoos, or in stages for larger ones. Skin grafting may be necessary. Furthermore, a surgical scar remains.
     Lasers remain the least invasive, but most costly option. The laser releases pulses of light that break up tattoo pigments. The pigments are treated like foreign objects and are attacked and destroyed by the body's immune system.
     This procedure takes numerous treatments with six to eight weeks between visits. Some cost quotes come in at $500 per square inch or $195 per 15 minutes.
     Final cost depends on location, size of area, depth of color, number of colors and age of tattoo. Picture the total dollar signs at thousands to tens of thousands of dollars and beyond.
     Check out tattoo Web sites, and think about the accessibility of ads for tattoo removal. Discuss tattoo removal with an experienced professional.
     Now go back over all your wanna, gotta, have it arguments about body art. Then make the right and smart choice for you.