Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — Getting a tattoo is one of the oldest customs in the world, and even with the glitter and glamour brought to it from celebrities and television shows, the art steadily grows at an alarming rate. Yet, with all the allure of tattoos the concern of safety procedures and proper sterilization becomes minutia to the customer.

Brian Benick, director of environmental health for the Knox County Health Department, inspects and licenses any tattoo parlor business.

“[We inspect] the way they handle their supplies, needles and so forth, and that things are properly disinfected, and that they use an autoclave to clean their supplies,” Benick said.

There are a lot of regulations involved in running a tattoo business that goes beyond the artistry. “[The business] has to have procedures in place. How they keep their records; if they provided a tattoo to a minor that they have parental consent,” said Benick. “The way the facility is constructed; the surfaces are easily cleaned, sufficient light, hot and cold running water, hand sink available to the area where they do the tattoo and piercing.”

Disposal gloves, and prepping the area for procedure, as well as providing after-care to the patron and how to take care of the tattoo or piercing afterward. They have to do spore testing periodically for the autoclave and also keep the records for the health department, explained Benick.

“They have to have proper training in First Aid and blood-born pathogens,” said Benick.

When a new shop opens up, they have to provide evidence that they have experience and know what they are doing, he explained. The owner has to attest to the knowledge of the tattoo artist; they can’t just open the business with no experience.

“We do have three shops in town now, and possibly more on the way,” said Benick. But entrepreneurs must know that, “Their entire business area has to be separated from any living corridor,” he said. “It has to be a dedicated area because no one is allowed to smoke in there and no one is allowed to drink, so it would have to be kept completely separate.”

Every year the tattoo business continues operation, they must renew their license with the health department each year in order to retain the business.

Tattoo artist and owner Mike “Mouse” Bessette of the Mousetrap has been in the tattoo business for over 17 years and has recently celebrated 14 years of being in business in Mount Vernon.

Bessette has seen many changes to the business and understands the importance of cleanliness and abiding by proper safety procedures.

“New needles every customer,” he said. “[And] the sterilization process is tested weekly and is sent off.” Each week his equipment and everything that is a part of the tattooing process is tested for sterilization. The test results are then sent off to be confirmed by the health department.

When it comes to after-care, Bessette explained a tattoo is no more difficult to nurse than a common scratch.

“It is pretty much common sense like scraping your knee,” said Bessette. “Vitamin A & D ointment is what we suggest here at Mousetrap; no more vitamins that you will get out of drinking a glass of milk.”

But more than anything Bessette understands that it takes more than education to be an tattoo artist. “An artist can work anywhere as long as they know their canvas,” he said. “I love the art, and I love tattooing. I don’t want to do anything else.”

He explained that the artist has to have the gift for the art, and more important, the desire to be an artist. “Not everybody who can draw can tattoo, and not everybody who can tattoo can draw.”

Television has been a major influence on the prosperity of the tattooing business.

“It is in everyone’s face on TV, all the programs and everything, it kind of has helped,” said Bessette.

“There is really no new technology in the tattoo game, it is all in the artistic talent. I like the way it takes an artist to make it anymore. You can’t just be a guy who can follow a pattern and do tattoo for very long. You are not going to be making it,” said Bessette.

Although there are machines that can scan an image into a stencil to be copied, the true talent of tattooing comes from the artist.

Bessette suggests that the customer is certain that a tattoo is what they want before following through. There are both good and bad consequences to getting a tattoo, and knowing what may occur as a result of getting a tattoo is very important. “I’ll give you all the information that you need about getting [a tattoo] and how it is going to be, good or bad,” he said.

New business owner Anthony Cummings of Primitive Tattoos, recently moved to Mount Vernon from Newark. He knows how important proper safety procedures need to be. “It is really important. You have to be clean in this business. You are dealing with, literally, life and death,” he said. “You have to be on top of it with your blood-borne pathogens, cross contamination and controlled infectious disease plus we have the Red Cross training.”

He has been in the business for almost 17 years and has seen the expansion of the industry flourish with this generation.

“Sterilization has come really far,” said Cummings. “We autoclave everything, and everybody gets new needles, pretty much everything gets wiped down with miticide.”

In order to be a tattoo artist, training is necessary. The apprentice can train anywhere from six months to five years, depending on the experience acquired during the time of training.

“Most people get apprenticeship from [experienced tattoo artist],” he said. “[But] it’s always a learning process; you never quit learning.”

The industry is very artistic and creative when it comes to designs. Cummings said he never makes the same design twice — each of his designs are customized for the individual.

According to Cummings, the population of tattoo customers has changed, “It use to be males, but with the television shows coming out, more females are starting to get more tattoos.”

One thing he recommends for anyone interested in getting a tattoo is to ask questions. He explained that knowing the artist’s proficiency in the business is a good way to play it safe.

“Ask about sterilization, ask about (the artist’s) history— look at their portfolio, look at the cleanliness of the shop. You want to know what you are getting into, you want to see your drawing before it is done,” he said.

When it comes to getting a tattoo, remember that it is a lifetime commitment. Cummings explained tattoos are not easy or cheap to get removed.

“[Removal] is a lot more painful, and it takes several sessions with the laser,” he said.

The process includes the laser exploding the color pigment so that it can be absorbed by the body, he said. Depending on the tattoo, it could take more than one treatment for removal.