Scratchers – Amateur Tattoo Work
Posted in Health on September 26th, 2010 by Jim – Comments OffIf you have a deep involvement with someone who works in the tattoo industry, you have probably heard this term. A scratcher is someone who does not work in a legal shop but instead gives tattoos to people out of a spare room in their home. They usually don’t have any formal training or experience.
Some professional artists are vehemently opposed to scratchers. Not for the reason that they feel a serious challenge to their business but due to the potential health risk they pose if they aren’t practicing correct sterilization procedures. They have also seen some of these poorly done tattoos when they people who later regret getting them done come to them for a cover-up.
Normally the quality produced by scratchers if of inferior quality that will have you running to your nearest store for some Wrecking Balm tattoo removal cream or making saving up your change to pay for a costly laser removal treatment. Without a tattoo apprenticeship or a professional artist to act as mentor, the wantabe artist is likely to produce an inferior quality piece of work. Most commonly the customers that patronize scratchers are under the legal age to be tattooed or don’t have the money to pony up for a professional tattoo. Scratchers often charge much less for their work than what a professional artist would charge.
More serious than the chance of getting a poorly done tattoo, is the risk of blood borne diseases and possibility of infection. When getting a tattoo, the skin is broken which invites the risk of skin infections as well as other complications. In a professional shop they are required to meet the high quality standards mandated to qualify for licensing. In many states, periodic testing of their sterilization equipment is mandatory insuring the equipment used during the application of the tattoo is safe.
If the equipment used to apply a tattoo is not properly sterilized and it is contaminated by infected blood, you are in danger of having the diseases passed on to you. You risk acquiring blood borne diseases such as tetanus, HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B. These diseases can be life threatening and are irreversible.
Other complications from a non sterile environment and contaminated equipment include bacterial infections and possible skin problems such as bumps and raised areas from scar tissue from improperly administered tattoos.
Younger people who are likely to encounter scratchers should heed the warning of the danger they are exposing themselves to.