Twisted Reality Local tattoo artist straight talks about safety and art

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July 26, 2010

Twisted Reality Local tattoo artist straight talks about safety and art

Brady

The Express-Star

— Thinking about an inexpensive bootleg tattoo?

Better think again.

By allowing a non-professional to tattoo your skin, you run the risk of

developing one or more of a dozen possibly life-threatening diseases, including

AIDS, herpes, malaria, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and cutaneous gonorrhea, says

Deaton, who recently purchased Twisted Reality Tattoo in Chickasha.

" If a tattoo artist is working out of the house, he is not a professional and

has no clue what he is doing, " Deaton said. " Tattooing out of the house is

highly illegal and extremely dangerous, even when the scratcher artist pretends

that they know how to properly disinfect everything. And someone who learned how

to tattoo in prison, who has a lot of tattoos, has a high chance of having

hepatitis C himself. "

Deaton says people who get " back street " tattoos, are putting themselves at a

great deal of risk.

" If you've had a tattoo by a back street tattooist, you need to be checked for

hepatitis C and HIV for the next two years, " Deaton said. " These people don't

even wear gloves. "

Before Deaton will even begin work on a tattoo, his customers must read and sign

a medical history consent form and an Oklahoma State Department of Health

disclosure statement.

In addition, they must be at least 18 years old and may not be under the

influence of alcohol or drugs.

" We have never been cited or fined for any violations and we're the only tattoo

shop in the Oklahoma City metro area who can say that, " Deaton said.

Shop manager Coral Matthynssens not only takes care of finances and

appointments, she is also in charge of keeping all of the equipment Deaton uses

sterile. She thoroughly cleans instruments before placing them in a 270-degree

autoclave for sterilization. She also keeps meticulous records and spoor tests

the autoclave monthly, sending the tests off to a professional autoclave testing

service.

Epidemic of infections

Over the last several months, Deaton said he has seen a virtual epidemic of

infections caused by non-professional tattoos.

" I have worked all over the U. S. and I have never seen such an abundance of

backstreet tattoos, " he said. " People come in with severe infections, and, while

we advise them to go to the doctor, many are underage and don't want their

parents to know. "

Deaton said one young woman who came in for help had developed a severe allergic

reaction to a back street tattoo that went through all layers of her skin and

into the muscle tissue.

" It's not that people get bootleg tattoos because they're cheap, they just don't

know, " Deaton said. " Art is not the issue. The skill factor is not the issue.

Physiology is the issue. "

Deaton likened having a tattoo done while sitting on a couch, where kids and

pets sit, jump and play, to having surgery under the same conditions.

" It's shocking that people aren't addressing this because it's reached epidemic

proportions, " Deaton said. " People are smart enough not to use someone else's

dirty needles, but they are doing the same thing when they get a bootleg tattoo

and there's no way to track diseases and infections with back street tattooing. "

Deaton says despite using universal precautions in his shop, he still treats

people like they're toxic because he, too, could be at risk.

Under Oklahoma law, it is a felony not only to do tattoos without a license, but

also to possess tattoo equipment without a license.

" That's why so many people are buying equipment off of E-Bay, " Deaton said.

" Every day someone comes in wanting to buy ink, needles and Tattoo Goo. "

Deaton is dismayed at articles found in popular tattoo magazines offering

step-by-step instructions on how to make your own tattoo gun using simple,

easily-obtained materials. They also offer an ink recipe made up of urine and

burnt plastic.

Not something many people would like to have inserted into their skin.

Pretty neat gig

Deaton graduated from Del Mar College of Fine Arts and Crafts in Corpus Christi,

Texas. Working in commercial art for 13 years, he was Art Director for NBC and

managed the Whataburger account for the Morehead, Dotts & Associates advertising

firm in Corpus Christi.

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Deaton has more than 800 examples of his work posted on MySpace. For more

information about Twisted Reality Tattoos, 1706 S. 4th St. Suite D, Chickasha,

call 405.224.4224 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 405.224.4224

end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail to twistedreality@..., or visit

http//myspace/twistedrealitytattoo.

Twisted Reality Tattoos will participate in the Midwest Ink & Metal Fest which

will be held Aug. 6-8 in the Conference Center of the Midwest City Sheraton

Hotel, 5750 Will Road in Midwest City. 405.455.1800

begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 405.455.1800

end_of_the_skype_highlighting.