Many students on campus have had tattoos done.

The disclosure of minor health code violations at the Skin Wizard tattoo parlor did not likely have negative affects on students, but they raise concern about whether students take the necessary safety precautions before getting inked.

Regardless of any given Christian’s view of tattoos, many college students have them and need to know how to keep themselves safe.

According to www.tattoo.about.com, several items comprise a checklist which should be followed before having a tattoo drawn on your body.

First, ask to see the artist’s autoclave and sterilization certification. The autoclave is a “pressure cooker” used to sterilize the equipment. It should maintain a temperature of at least 246 degrees for 30 minutes to fully sterilize the instruments. These autoclaves should be tested regularly, and you should ask to see the artist’s most recent test results.

Next, make sure the artist is wearing gloves. Self explanatory.

Also ask about what training your artist has taken and completed. Can he or she show you the certificates?

Make sure the artist is vaccinated for Hepatitis B. This virus is communicable through dirty needles and instruments.

Be sure that ointment, ink, water and other items are not just dumped in a universal container after being used on a client.

Ask the artist to remove new sterile needles from an autoclave bag in front of you. Also, professionals will dispose of needles and sharps in a sharps container.

Finally, before sitting down to get your tattoo, ask to see examples of the artist’s work. He or she should have photos openly available to the public.

Most of these same pointers apply to piercings as well.

The bottom line is safety. Taking the extra steps to verify an artist’s reputation and credentials will give you a peace of mind and could save your life.