Warnings about buying home tattoo kits from non-reputable online sources
As the number of people with tattoos grow, artists say they're seeing more people getting inked with cheap home-tattoo kits. They've issued a warning not to buy equipment from non-reputable online sources.
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00:00Phil Pagden runs a laser tattoo removal business, but he says sometimes people come in with
00:06tattoos he can't treat.
00:09While Phil removes tattoos, in the same shop his brother Stu creates them, they've both
00:14seen a trend in clients using home tattoo kits, which are increasingly available online.
00:19The brothers are concerned buying equipment from unregistered sellers pose significant
00:24health risks.
00:25The stuff that's getting sold on eBay, for instance, it'd just be coming from one big
00:30warehouse somewhere and there'd be no quality control or sterilisation would be minimal.
00:37That's how they sell them so cheap.
00:39Stu says these kits likely entice people wanting to break into the industry, or people who
00:43want to have fun with their friends, at a cheaper price than going to a professional.
00:47Because they get the whole kit in one go, they don't have to source little bits here
00:52and there from different places.
00:53So you just get everything you need sent to your house and you just go nuts.
00:58If someone regrets getting inked at home, one option is to get it covered up with another
01:02tattoo.
01:03But Phil says they are vastly more difficult to remove with a laser.
01:07I've had kids as young as 13, 14 come through the doors.
01:11They can't get these cover-ups done.
01:13And if the laser is not attracted to the ink, and it won't remove, unfortunately you have
01:18to deal with that until you're old enough to get that tattoo done.
01:23Industry professionals are urging people who are wanting to start their tattooing journey
01:26to source their equipment from reputable sources.