Sterilization
The Importance of Sterilization in Safe Piercing
At Elite Body Piercing, we prioritize sterilization to ensure every piercing is performed safely. Proper sterilization prevents the spread of diseases and infections, including blood-borne pathogens (BBPs). Below, we outline what sterilization means, how professional piercers achieve it, and how you can verify that your piercer is using sterile tools and techniques.
Why Home Sterilization Is Unsafe
Attempting to sterilize at home using methods like boiling, open flames, or bleach is not safe. These methods cannot remove all pathogens and may lead to life-threatening infections. Always choose a professional studio equipped with proper sterilization tools.
What Does "Sterile" Mean?
Sterile items are free of all living organisms, including pathogens. However, achieving sterility requires both cleaning (removing dirt and debris) and sterilization.
There are five cleanliness categories:
- Sterile: Free from living organisms and pathogens.
- Clean: Free from dirt and debris.
- Disinfected: Pathogens are reduced, but not eliminated.
- Dirty: Known to have dirt or debris.
- Contaminated: Known to have biological contaminants like blood.
Your piercer should understand these categories and prevent clean or sterile items from becoming contaminated.
Cleaning Methods
Proper cleaning is essential before sterilization, as dirt or debris can shield pathogens. At Elite Body Piercing, we use the following methods:
- Ultrasonic Cleaners: Vibrations at ultrasonic frequencies in a cleaning solution remove dirt and debris at a microscopic level. Separate ultrasonic cleaners are used for clean (new) and contaminated (used) items.
- Anodizing: This technique cleans and enhances the surface of titanium, niobium, or gold jewelry but is not suitable for steel or iron-containing items.
- Jewelry Steamers: High-pressure steam removes debris from new jewelry but is not used for contaminated items to avoid spreading pathogens.
Work surfaces, including tables and chairs, are cleaned with medical-grade disinfectants , such as Madacide, to minimize pathogens in the environment. However, these surfaces are not sterile, so fresh piercings should avoid contact with them.
Sterilization Methods
At Elite Body Piercing, we rely on industry-standard sterilization techniques:
-
Steam Autoclaves:
- Autoclaves are the most common sterilization tool in piercing studios, using high-pressure steam to kill pathogens.
- We use a Class S Midmark M9 Ultra autoclave, which allows for rapid sterilization without excessive plastic waste. Autoclaves can handle different cycles for metal, plastic, or unwrapped items.
-
Ethylene Oxide Gas:
- This method is used industrially for items like pre-packaged needles. It disrupts the DNA of pathogens but is not practical for studio implementation due to its complexity and danger.
Ensuring Sterilization Is Done Correctly
To verify proper sterilization:
- Piercers can show chemical indicators, such as integrators, that confirm items were sterilized successfully.
- Studios should maintain sterilization logs to ensure accountability and safety.
At Elite Body Piercing, we are proud of our sterilization protocols and welcome questions about our processes. Transparency ensures you feel confident about your safety.
