Right before my 21st birthday, I spoke to my co-worker about a new tattoo I wanted. Her response was something along the lines of “You can go to my cousin. He does great work… but in his basement.” I was taken aback by this statement; tattoos in a basement? How is everything sterile? How is that even safe? How am I going to get a good quality tattoo at half price? In someone’s basement? However, after looking into the situation a bit more, unregulated tattooing is not uncommon. Although they may not be regulated, artists still follow the regulations put in place by New York City health department, especially considering the reputation tattoos received after a hepatitis outbreak in the 1960s.
Tattoos have become extremely popular over the years. According to American Academy of Dermatology, there was a survey conducted from people between the ages of 18 to 50 in New York City that states 24 percent of people reported of having a tattoo and 14 percent had a piercing somewhere else other than their ear lobe. As tattoos become more popular, tattoo shops began to increase.
However, due to a hepatitis outbreak in the 1960s, that was blamed on tattoo parlors, tattooing was illegal up until mid 1997. Nonetheless, even with the legalization of tattooing, people are still weary of them. Tattoos tend to be viewed as “taboo,” with many stereotypes attached; however, tattoos parlors are just like any other store. There are rules and regulations that everyone must follow. Equipment and experience are necessary in order to be successful.
According to Health.NY.gov, tattoo artists and piercers need to obtain a permit. For health regulations, they must wash their hands, use clean gloves, use single-use razors, single-use sterilized needles, bandage the skin and provide aftercare instructions. Piercings have the same requirements, with the addition of using sterilized clamps, receiving tubes and body jewelry.
Due to the risks of infections and diseases, tattoo parlors can sometimes get a bad rap, which is why Tazz, who owns Atzlan Tattoos in Sunset Park, believes these regulations are necessary.
“It can be a major pain sometimes, but this is to ensure the happiness of the customer and the livelihood of my store,” he said.
However, he said, even with the best precautions, infections sometimes still occur.
“I’ve had a lot of unhappy customers come in here with an infection,” he said. “Some of them even threaten a lawsuit. But most of the time it’s because they didn’t take care of it properly.”
As part of the health code regulations, all shops are required to provide aftercare instructions. They offer all the necessary supplies for sale in the shop.
“I have sea salt solutions for piercings and A & D ointments for tattoos,” Tazz said. “If someone comes in with an infection, nine times out of 10, they didn’t follow instructions. Even if for some reason it was my fault, the creams and solutions will help clear up, or stop, any infections from occurring.”
Although there are hundreds shops all around New York City, every shop has its own story, and every owner has his or her own reasons for opening it.
DeAngel, who owns Scars of Desire in Sunset Park, decided to open his shop after tattooing illegally for several years. He enjoyed having his artwork on “live canvases.”
Scars of Desire from Jaye Little on Vimeo.
Nonetheless, most negative stories come from those who tattoo outside of shops, with or without a license. This mainly occurs for tattoo parties, however, some artists do prefer to work in their own personal environment. Leo tattoos in his basement.
“I absolutely love tattooing and I feel like I am doing something good for people,” he said. “There’s nothing like watching their faces the first time they see their completed tattoo. Their pain was worth it.”
Leo used to work for a shop, but he ended up on his own after having a disagreement with his employer.
“I felt that he was charging some customers too much and not giving them quality work,” he said. “We didn’t see eye to eye. He was all about the money, I was about the passion.”
Tattoos can be extremely expensive. There are several things taken into consideration: size, colors, intricate details, the amount of time and the placement. For example, places that have more muscle, such as one’s calf would be slightly more expensive than a tight piece, due to the amount of time and ink that would be needed to protrude correctly. Also, pieces that follow an awkward pattern, for example, a spiral of some sort, would also be more expensive due to the artist needing successful create this pattern on one’s skin.
Though Leo does not own his own shop and is not looking to own one right now, he still follows all the health regulations.
“Whenever people ask me to do their tattoos and I tell them to come to my basement, I always get a weird look. But I can assure you, I follow all the health code procedures. I probably follow them more than legal stores. Not only is this my personal artwork, that I am proud to show off, this is also my means of support. I wouldn’t want to risk it,” he said.
