Staph can live on pretty much anything, I'm a tattoo artist, and in our shop we follow the codes of our state and more. And in the 4 years ive been working have had a small number of people who came back around because they think they have staph. Most of the time we can narrow down the possibilities where they most likely got infected. Whether its a dirty job or a day at a rodeo, people touching it, not washing hands or even playing with pets. The more days that pass before you notice signs of an infection the less likely it is that it has anything to do with the shop or artist you got it from. Like some1 posted earlier, follow proper care instructions, and be concious of your surroundings. Wear clean clothes that cover it or if you have pets keep them away from the tattoo until the tattoo is healed. A tattoo is a wound to the body, you should treat it as such.
Improper care causes staph infection on tattoos, you got to look at your everyday life, where you work, who you are around, smokey enviorments, these are all factors in a situation like this. I personally have had staph after a tatoo once before due to me working in a dusty dirty area. That was the first and the last time I got staph, and I'm a walking art piece. I got both sleeves and my back completely done. The care I give my tattoos is nonscented soap such at dail bar of soap, wash it three times a day and anytime you sweat or smoke a cig. Or get rubb up on something. After washing use a and d oitment cover the whole area and then dab off the excess with a paper towel. I perfer allowing my tattoo to breath but if your around a dirty dusty area I suggest siran wrapping the tattoo to keep moisture in.
I recently just got tattooed and I have had tattoos before but not this large and 4 days later I started getting bumps on my side where I got the tattoo and I thought it was to the cream I was using to keep it moist and so did my boyfriend so I thought no need to go to the doc until one on my leg 4 bumps turned into 12 or more each day id get more I now have one on my chin 2 on my buttox and 1 on my chest I went to the doctor and he said I got a staph infection and someone gave it to me I don't know who or what it came from because before I knew it was staph I showed everyone and no one had seen something like that so I know I didn't catch it from friends or family and it started on my side by the tattoo not a toilet or something weird huh..
I have a bad case of it myself..it started out as nothing..I figured my back was just hot and itchy from healing then I woke up and noticed red bumps all around my tattoo and were gradually covering other parts of my body. After reading these comments the guy who gave me the tattoo has some sort of skin problem, not sure what it is, and I have a weak immune system. Even though he wore gloves and was clean about it, he did put ointment and lotion on my tattoo after he was done without gloves..That is where I think I got my infection
There is a small chance that he got it from the shop, however the shops where I live have to fallow certain health standards and are shut down if they get less than a 100 on health inspection and they are fined. It is so easy to infect a tattoo after getting it, especially without proper care... And he would have a hard time proving he got it from the tattoo shop. Since all three of you were not infected he most likely got it from some where else. You can get staph from any infected surface, and the vast amount of the population has some form of staph in their nose.
It may be that the person how gave you the tattos had staff or the person he worked on recently had it and things went starilized very well. If your friend had a sore on his arm even a little sore it gets through the skin.and it may well be that e had it before you all got the tattos
I have definitely seen staph infections that were supposedly caused by tattoos. There is one tattoo shop in particular in my state that many people have accused of staph infections. Staph I would think could be found pretty much anywhere. Now, say your tattoo parlor was clean, and I mean they were as clean as a surgical room (if they weren't you should have turned around and walked out.) So the room was clean...but was the party? Who was the tattoo showed to? Did your friend wash his hands before peeling off the bandage to show? Did any of those people that saw it touch it or help put the bandage back on without first washing their hands? Moral of story, there are dirty shops out there. Just because you and your other friend did not get it does not mean the shop was not dirty. There are also lots of dirty hands. Antibacterial soap is a must whenever going close to that tattoo until it is not raw anymore. Enjoy your tattoo...I love those that I have. And remember, if the tattoo shop does not look as clean as a surgical room, or the instruments don't come out of a proper sanitizer, like a surgical grade, and the gun must be covered up and needles taken out of professionally sterilized wrappers in front of you, the ink put into those little cups, and the cup changed if a refill is required....then you need to leave! Oh yeah, gloves are worn too!
