Tattoo artists take precautions against blood-borne illnesses by wearing black gloves. Nitrile gloves are the most popular type of glove worn in the tattoo industry. Some artists also wear Drawing Tablet gloves.
These gloves are made of a synthetic rubber that is latex-free and more resistant to punctures and tearing than latex gloves. Artists who are allergic to latex use gloves made of Nitrile, Vinyl, or Polyurethane.
Tattoo artists working within the entertainment industry like film and television often wear different types of gloves depending on the requirements of the production.
For example, actors portraying medical doctors on screen often wear latex gloves, because these gloves give a better grip when handling surgical instruments and equipment.
Latex exam gloves or medical exam gloves are thinner and more tightly fitting than rubber or vinyl industrial work gloves.
This type of glove is often worn by makeup and set assistants, to avoid contamination from potentially contaminated equipment.
Nitrile gloves are not intended for use as medical examination gloves. Some people who have latex allergies may be allergic to nitrile.
Nitrile is made from the reaction of Bisphenol-A and Butadiene which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
There are many types of gloves used by tattoo artists including single use gloves, sterile gloves, non-sterile gloves and examination gloves.
Advantages Of Using Black Nitrile Gloves
Black Nitrile gloves are a great option for practitioners who want to protect themselves and their customers. They’re also ideal for tattoo artists because they provide the best combination of dexterity and protection.
These black nitrile work gloves are particularly popular with those who work with ink-filled liquids such as tattoo artists, jewelers, chefs, plumbers, mechanics and water restoration professionals.
The main advantages of using these black nitrile gloves is that they don’t restrict hand movement like latex gloves do and they are quite durable. They’re also non-abrasive which means they won’t scratch surfaces.
They have excellent purchase which means the fingers can be separated easily, so you can put them on one hand and then put the other hand inside.
This is especially important for practitioners in greater heat, because when your hands get too hot, water molecules in the air expand and your fingers get smaller, making it difficult to put on gloves.
More importantly, these gloves are designed ergonomically to fit comfortably and provide maximum dexterity which means they’re not only a great option for practitioners but they’re perfect for customers as well.
They won’t restrict blood flow, so blood will flow easily clear.
These work gloves are great because they provide a variety of grip options, so the wearer can always access items such as papers or tools, even when wearing thick multilayer gloves such as nitrile vests.
Although black nitrile gloves are ideal for tattooing, they’re also used in food handling and in health care such as deep tissue massages. They’re used for a variety of other industries to protect workers from skin-irritating chemicals and infectious diseases.
You can buy these work gloves from a variety of different sources but we recommend that you avoid the cheapest options because you get what you pay for.
Reasons Why Do Tattoo Artists Wear Black Gloves
Many Tattoo Artist wear Black Gloves while they are working on a customer to protect their hands and the customer’s skin.
This is necessary for many reasons, including protecting the tattoo artist against harmful pathogens and preventing germs from getting on the customers skin, these gloves also prevent cross-contamination.
The tattoo artist is wearing gloves to provide a professional look while he or she is tattooing.
In this way the artist is protected from bloodborne pathogens, which is an infection that the artist could catch from blood.
Without the gloves, their hands are in contact with bodily fluids and fluids that may transmit diseases. While tattooing there are small abrasions on the skin of the artist and so wearing gloves protects both individuals.
It also protects against skin allergies to such things as latex. This can cause rashes and other allergic reactions to develop on a person’s skin.
Another reason is that wearing gloves makes the tattoo artist look professional. Many people will be coming to them with serious and permanent decisions and they are in need of a professional looking tattoo artist.
The customer would not want someone who came off as unprofessional, many people do not want to get tattoos from an unprofessional person.
While also wearing gloves it prevents the spread of any skin diseases or infections that the customer may already have. Gloves can even prevent infection from a disease that was present by another customer in the shop.
Finally, wearing gloves is mandated by law in some states. For instance, in Texas it is only allowed for a tattoo artist to work on the customer’s skin if the artist has gloves on.
If a customer came into the shop with an infectious disease and a tattoo was done on them without gloves, then the customer could sue. The customer would have a case against the artist, who was not following proper safety standards.
The main reason why a tattoo artist should wear gloves is to protect against bloodborne pathogens, which is an infection that the artist could catch from blood.
It can be from diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and many others. The exposure to blood through a needle piercing someone’s skin can lead to contracting various types of these diseases.
The artist also wants to avoid getting any allergic reactions that could come about from touching or rubbing their hands on certain substances in the studio.
For instance, there is a plant called “Tatunga” that many tattoo artist use as a skin cleaner known for causing allergic reactions in some people.
The second most important reason why tattoo artists should wear gloves is to protect against skin diseases. These include things like eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and other conditions that can cause the skin to itch and become irritated.
It also keeps the body safe against bacterial and viral infections, which are illnesses that are transmitted to the skin through germs or viruses.
It also has a positive impact on reducing any allergic reactions that can come about from touching or rubbing a substance on the skin. Some of these allergies include some people having a reaction to latex and others to henna.
Another benefit of wearing gloves is that it gives an artist’s hands a cleaner look while they tattoo.
The gloves protect both their hands and the customer’s skin. It also prevents any allergic reactions that can come about from touching or rubbing the skin.
It is also good for the customer to know that the tattoo artist has safe and clean hands and is not spreading germs to their skin.
Good quality gloves, especially medical gloves, can be more expensive than normal but it keeps the customer safe and it gives the artist a professional look.
One of the most important reasons however, is that wearing gloves prevents bloodborne pathogens, which are diseases that could be contracted through a needle piercing someone’s skin.
Conclusion
The gloves are worn for hygiene, a common practice in tattooing. Tattoo artists wear gloves to avoid contact with the skin of their clients.
Gloves also prevent the artist from coming into contact with infectious diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV or even herpes.
Besides, it is important to use latex or vinyl gloves because these synthetic materials provide better protection than natural rubber latex.
Without the use of these sterile gloves, there is an increased risk of catching an infection that can be difficult and sometimes impossible to remove on your own.
Since the skin of your body is very sensitive, having a disease is one of the worst things that can happen to you. The tattoo itself causes some minor bleeding and small blood vessels.
The blood vessels can be infected with some infectious diseases like Hepatitis B or C if they are not sterilized using latex gloves. To avoid this, the tattoo artist wears black gloves while working on you.
Some people think that ink particles may get into the artist’s skin and cause infection by entering through the pores. But that is not true.
Used needles are disposed of after each tattoo. Artists wear clean and new supplies for each session. They also sterilize the needles when needed to avoid cross-contamination between clients.
Before starting the procedure, the artist will explain to you what he or she is going to do and how much pain you can expect as a side effect of having it on your body.
After the tattoo is complete, they will advise you on how to care for your skin and how to keep it clean.