Have you finally decided to get a tattoo? It takes courage for a person to undergo such a procedure, which results in a change of physical appearance. Unlike haircuts, tattoos are made to last forever, which leaves no room for mistakes.
Selecting a reputable tattoo shop is what every individual eager to get tattooed should have in mind. These parlors are expected to be pristine, equipped with high-quality equipment, and antiseptic products. Tattooists should be creative, communicative, skilled at their job, and open-minded.
The following tips will help you choose the best studio on Maui.
Conduct research
Conducting research is of crucial importance when selecting a tattoo shop on Maui. Unlike other types of boring research, this kind of investigation is considered both fun and beneficial. The best starting point would be consulting your friends who already have been through such a journey in order to provide you with studio and artist recommendations.
Considering the wide array of tattoo styles, it’s paramount to look for artists who specialize in the style you are interested in. Tattooists offer various styles to clients such as new school, Japanese, portraiture, black and grey, realism, geometric, biomechanical, surrealism, stick and poke, etc. Check out this page for some useful tips about choosing a tattoo design.
Besides your friends, you can turn to review sites and social media for referrals. Once you’ve compiled a list of parlors, look them up on Facebook and Yelp. These sites encourage former clients to rate studios in the form of customer reviews, which are surprisingly helpful to potential clients.
Pay a visit to the shop
Prior to scheduling your initial appointment, make sure to visit all parlors on your list. Only by paying a visit to these studios, one can learn about their safety and cleanliness. When entering the shop, have a detailed look at the floors, beds, countertops, equipment, and antiseptic supplies. The floors and countertops should be pristine, while the equipment needs to be properly sanitized.
Unless the machines are sanitized after each client leaves the studio, there’s a high risk of catching a staph infection. These infections can be absolutely dangerous in case the staph bacteria enter the bloodstream, leading to severe medical conditions such as sepsis.
Getting such an infection means experiencing high fever, swelling, abnormal thirst, muscle aches, diarrhea, shivering, and other symptoms. In order to avoid this type of scenario, ask the staff to show you the machines and other equipment. Visit this link, https://www.healthline.com/health/tattoo-infection, to learn more about the symptoms and treatment of a tattoo infection.
Ask the right questions
After performing a visual inspection of the parlor, it’s time to have a conversation with the tattoo artist. He/ She is supposed to explain the procedure of providing a client with a tattoo in order for you to see whether it abides by the required hygienic and sanitary standards. For example, the artist is expected to commence the procedure by washing his/her hands, after which he/she sterilizes the equipment and countertops.
In addition, the artist is supposed to wear gloves made from either nitrile or latex and replace them whenever he/she touches anything else in the parlor but your skin and the equipment. Tattooists should prepare the skin of clients by shaving any body hair in the area, as well as apply antibacterial soap to prevent infections. During the procedure, the area should be constantly lubricated.
In the course of tattooing, the artist should go out of his/her way to make you feel comfortable by making breaks and being interested in the way you’re feeling. By using a cleanser, he/she should wipe the blood on your skin and bandage the tattoo once the procedure is done. The needles have to be disposed of in special bags for biohazard waste to ensure safety. An established tattoo artist would finish the appointment by instructing the client regarding the aftercare process.
After explaining the procedure, the tattooist should show you the equipment and other supplies used in the process. The cartridges and needles should be in individual packaging, which is normally unopened. When looking for a tattoo shop on Maui, make sure it adheres to the sanitary standards. Also, the inks used by tattooists should be free of toxins, containing no carcinogens.
Be open
While explaining your tattoo requirements to the artist, it’s vital for you to be communicative and completely honest. Despite being good listeners, tattooists need to be good communicators as well. In order for the stencil to meet your expectations, there is supposed to be a good collaboration between the clients and the artist.
The bottom line
Getting tattooed is a life-changing experience.
Make sure you pick the best parlor in order to receive superb service.
Stay away from dirty studios and inexperienced tattooists!