The Importance of Autoclaves for Piercing
We notice when it comes to the topic of autoclaves, there are some things that people seem to forget. The main thing is that sometimes people don’t understand just how many types of businesses can use them. For example, you won’t ever see a medical or dental practice without an autoclave. And you’re so used to seeing them in the medical field because that’s what they’re mostly advertised for. But it’s important to understand just how valuable an autoclave can be for more than just hospitals and dentistries.
Which is why in this article, we’d like to talk about the importance of autoclaves in a more unsung industry; piercing. The piercing industry is keeping up with the advancements in autoclave technology like everyone else. Because autoclaves are vital to the work that goes into piercing and tattooing. Every reusable instrument comes into contact with various areas on the human body. Which, if handled improperly can cause many many problems. So even piercing places need autoclaves, and we’re going to show you why.
What is an Autoclave?
This seems like a redundant question when it comes to us talking about them all the time. But understanding what an autoclave is and why they’re so important is vital to our point. So we’ll briefly cover what an autoclave is.
Autoclaves are sterilization machines that offer many different sterilization methods and features. Autoclaves usually utilize the different forms of steam sterilization like gravity displacement, and vacuum pulse.Their size can vary greatly, from as compact as a crockpot to as large as a commercial refrigerator. Autoclaving is a sterilization process that utilizes pressurized steam at very high temperatures to eliminate microbes, viruses, or spores that are resistant to conventional cleaning and disinfecting methods.
In an autoclave, pressurized steam plays the crucial role of the sterilizing agent. The fundamental principle of an autoclave is to expose items requiring sterilization directly to pressurized steam. It does this at specific pressures and temperatures for designated time cycles to effectively eradicate any remaining bacteria. Typical temperature settings for sterilization fall within the range of 249.8°F (121°C) and 269.6°F (132°C). Achieving such elevated temperatures necessitates steam to be injected into the sterilization chamber at a pressure surpassing standard atmospheric air pressure.
In a piercing setting, the autoclave’s purpose is to prevent spreading pathogens to other customers. When you deal with the kind of tools that specialize in altering the body, you can only imagine the laundry list of problems that can occur if proper sterilization protocol isn’t followed.
Why Are Autoclaves Used in Piercing?
You’ll probably read it somewhere, or just notice that parts of the tattoo industry are moving away from autoclaves. This is because a good chunk of the items used in tattooing are single-use only, and for good reason. The single-use equipment always comes in sterile packaging, and is disposed after use. Now while this is true for tattoo parlors, piercing is a whole other story. Most tools you’ll see or use to perform piercing jobs are reusable. Although there are some tools used that can’t be sterilized. And if it’s something that can’t be sterilized, you should avoid it. For example, piercing guns. Piercing guns are made of plastic, and can’t be completely sterilized, as the conditions the autoclave creates would just melt it. That is why many professional piercers use needles instead of piercing guns. Needles offer more peace of mind for both parties.
Benefits of Needles
As we mentioned before, sterilization plays a vital role in preventing disease and other issues with the piercing industry. But along with sterilization, there are more ways to help prevent the spread of pathogens and diseases. Like switching from non-autoclavable tools to sterilizable alternatives. Piercing needles are the much safer, and more accurate alternative to things like piercing guns. Piercing guns can lead to a whole list of temporary and permanent problems. Whereas piercing needles are much better for your body both in the short and long term.
One of the most significant benefits of using a piercing needle is that it causes less trauma to the skin. Needles are pinpoint accurate, and only create a small, clean hole in the skin. Which results in much less damage to the skin. They also allow for more accurate piercing and can be much easier to control and angle when aligning the area you want to pierce. And needles are much less painful on top of all of that. Piercing guns are spring-loaded mechanisms that force a stud through the ear very quickly, which can be very painful. But a needle’s precise work creates a much more comfortable experience when piercing.
One of the main points in favor of needles, however, is the fact that they have a severely reduced risk of infection. Needles can be single use or reusable, meaning once they’re used, they’re either disposed of and no two people get the same needle, or they’re carefully sterilized in an autoclave unit. This can drastically reduce the risk of infections as well as spread of diseases like HIV.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the ways to practice autoclave safety when it comes to your next piercing.
Practicing Safety
When it comes to getting piercings, knowing where to go is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It may seem like extra work to look into the finer details of these practices, but you’ll thank yourself later. When picking a piercing shop to go to, there are some extra steps you can take to ensure that they practice proper autoclave safety.
If you’re worried about how a place is maintained, you can easily ask to see the equipment. They would surely have no problem showing you the autoclave they use and how it runs. And in turn, how their equipment is maintained. Piercing shops keep autoclave logs and spore test records as any medical practice would. These logs ensure that the autoclave is safe, sterile and operating correctly. So if it’s of some concern to you, you can always ask to see the records. But if you ask and they don’t have any records, that’s a cause for concern. It likely means that their autoclave isn’t being properly maintained, and you should probably take your business elsewhere for the sake of your health.
Final Thoughts
Autoclaves play a crucial role in various industries beyond the traditional medical and dental fields, including the piercing industry. The sterilization machines employ different methods such as steam sterilization and vary in size to effectively eliminate microbes, viruses, and spores. In the piercing industry, autoclaves are essential in preventing the spread of pathogens and ensuring proper sterilization of reusable tools, as single-use equipment is not always practical. Using piercing needles instead of guns is recommended for increased safety and accuracy, as needles can be sterilized using autoclaves. When seeking a piercing, it is important to ensure that the chosen shop follows proper autoclave safety protocols, including maintaining logs and spore test records to guarantee the safety and sterility of their equipment.
By understanding the significance of autoclaves and practicing autoclave safety, individuals can make informed decisions for their health when getting a piercing. If you have any questions about autoclaves in the piercing industry, sterilization, or anything else, give us a call at 704-966-1650 Option 3 for our Free Tech Support Line. Or you can find hte various programs and resources we offer using the links below.
As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”
We also offer FREE VIRTUAL TECH SUPPORT to “See and Talk” with a “Real Time Live Technician” for any problems you may be in need of help with.
You can also use our “FREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”. Take the guesswork and worrying about what unit is due for maintenance and which maintenance cycle it is time for. We will keep track of all your autoclaves and let you know when it’s time for anything.