5 hidden dangers of a tattoo kit and how to avoid them

There is nothing more exciting than getting a new tattoo! It is a constant reminder on your body of this exact moment in time. You become a living work of art and can show off the amazing work of your favorite tattoo artists right on your skin.

And because you love tattoos so much, now you're thinking about how great it would be to become a tattoo artist yourself and looking for a way to practice tattooing. It's easy to search the website and find that there are several major hurdles in the way of learning how to tattoo. First of all, tattoo selling websites make it clear that they only sell consumables, including ink, needles, and machines, to tattoo artists and their apprentices. There is a good reason for this!

Now that you know what professional tattoo supply companies are not going to sell to you, you are likely to find hundreds of cheap tattoo kits online. But if you think you can just buy a tattoo kit online for $50 and start getting a tattoo, then it's very important that you read the rest of this blog. Tattoo kits sound like a great and inexpensive way to start your tattoo practice, but there are hidden dangers that pose a huge risk to you and your clients! Check out our 5 hidden dangers of tattoo kit below and keep yourself and your clients safe!

1. The quality of the tattoo kit

The quality of these tattoo kits is simply appalling. Every time you see tattoo kits with multiple machines, dozens of bottles of tattoo ink, and millions of accessories for under $200, you know the quality is lousy.

Are homemade tattoo kits safe?

As you browsed these tattoo sites, you may have noticed that one professional tattoo machine costs over $300. Some of the more sophisticated tattoo pens and battery combinations sell for over $1000. Come to think of it, a set of needles, ink, a tattoo machine, a power supply, and a footswitch can't possibly be of decent quality when it all costs less than one professional machine.

These tattoo kits are not safe and will get you stuck with breaking tattoo needles, inks that can be toxic, and a sterilization nightmare. Not only will your tattoo be in disarray due to poor quality equipment, but you will also endanger your client's health as well as your own.

2. Not intended for humans

Tattoo kits that you can buy online for $30 to $100 are not safe for humans! You'll have to hunt down the fine print - as they don't advertise this of course - but these kits aren't even made for human skin! You usually see a little warning that they are meant to be practiced on fruit or fake leather, but tattoo kits are notoriously deceptive!

Can I use practical ink on my skin?

Under no circumstances should you use practical ink on leather. The vast majority of these kits are made in China and often have misprinted instructions or descriptions. We absolutely do not recommend buying or using these tattoo kits, but if you want to have a laugh, just try reading some of the words in these disclaimers! It would be even funnier if it didn't cause so much damage! Seriously, if you're planning on getting tattoos, don't use anything other than a quality machine that you order from a professional tattoo studio!

3. Bad Tattoos = Angry Clients

As we mentioned above, you will have a hard time creating a quality tattoo with these tattoo kits. You might be tempted to book one so you have a place to start your tattoo practice. You will probably tell yourself that you will stay safe and stick with the faux leather included in the kits.

But we all know that won't happen. We see this too often. When you are a talented artist who can create masterpieces on paper, we know that you have friends who ask for tattoos. And let's face it, it's too tempting to try getting a tattoo on your own thigh or one of your friends.

Is it legal to get tattoos at home?

Tattooing is governed by city and state laws that clearly set out the requirements for a safe tattoo establishment. Your living room or kitchen is not one of those places. If you decide to get yourself a tattoo at home, you can be sure that you are violating the laws of your city or state. You are also creating a public health hazard.

What happens when you have an angry tattoo client at home who is mad at you? In order not to be in an unsafe situation, DO NOT make tattoos at home, especially on low-quality equipment! The proper place for a tattoo is in a clean, licensed tattoo studio under the supervision of an experienced tattoo artist.

Luckily, there are much better ways to practice tattooing. Even if you spend time drawing for your flash portfolio, it will give you more marketable skills than wasting time on low quality tattoo kits. Remember, displaying a "portfolio of tattoos" on real skin where you used tattoo ink and needles not intended for human use will not impress any tattoo artist who could be your mentor.

4. Bloodborne pathogens

It's not hard to find a long list of diseases that you and your clients are at risk of getting tattooed at home. Blood-borne disease is no joke, and by getting tattoos at home, you can expose everyone, including your family members, to dangerous, even deadly, pathogens.

State-licensed tattoo artists are required to complete several hours of cross-contamination prevention training each year. Without this knowledge, you may not even realize that what you are doing is not safe. That is why it is very important to complete this training before you ever decide to touch the skin with a needle.

Without properly sterilized equipment and surfaces, your sofa, chairs, carpet, etc. can become contaminated. No tattoo, especially a dubious one from a tattoo kit, is worth getting infected with hepatitis or HIV. No amount of recruiting practice is worth it to spread the disease to your friends and family.

And remember, the tattoo ink included in the Chinese tattoo kit is not safe to use on real skin. The possibility of something going wrong and an ugly skin reaction to this ink is very real. Look online for pictures of allergic reactions to tattoos and you'll see what we mean. This is a real dermatological nightmare that you want to avoid at all costs if you want to have a successful tattoo career.

5. No personal instruction

It's simply impossible to safely learn how to tattoo yourself online or at home, especially with a tattoo kit! Personal training is required to learn the sterilization techniques and procedures required for a safe and successful tattoo.

If you want to learn how to tattoo, check out our tattoo courses. We will teach you everything you need in a safe, professional environment with high quality equipment! Spare yourself the heartache of having a set of tattoos and let us show you how to become a professional tattoo artist yourself!