Ryan Ouellette from Precision Body Arts follows up with a witty and conscientious interview with my former apprentice Christina Blossey of Piercing Experience.
autoclaves
Brian Skellie interviewed by Ryan Ouellette

An opportunity to share ideas with my colleagues hosted by Ryan Ouellette from Precision Body Arts.
Check out his podcast for interesting discussions with piercers, including my former apprentice Christina Blossey of Piercing Experience.

My guest on the Piercing Wizard Podcast this week is Brian Skellie. We talk about sterilization, jewelry materials, and his journey from piercing fan to piercing authority.
Listen for free on itunes apple podcasts, google play music, or stream from the link below.
Ryan Ouellette: November 9 at 6:34pm · Nashua, NH, United States ·
General Statim questions and answers for Body Artists
Glad you could visit my site, and I’ll be pleased to talk with you and address your questions in detail. As an authorized SciCan dealer for our lovely Body Modification world, and I’ve written quite a bit about protocol for Statim use in our field, especially for piercing and tattoo. https://brnskll.com/shares/statim has plenty of detail for you to dig into. … Read more
Interview by Sean Dowdell for InkSpired magazine
Piercing InkSpired (PDF Download) Sean Dowdell of InkSpired Magazine interviews APP President Brian Skellie Let me know what you think!
SALUS™ – Hygiene Sterility Maintenance Container | SciCan
COMING SOON The world’s first paperless, rack & sleeve, hygiene sterility maintenance container. The revolutionary SALUS – Hygiene Sterility Maintenance Container eliminates the costly and time consuming use of sterilization paper and pouches. Save hours spent wrapping, hundreds of dollars in sterilization paper and reduce waste. A reusable container, SALUS – Hygiene is intended to … Read more
Sponsorship for BMXnet 2013 infection control
My company Piercers.com and I are pleased to sponsor a Statim autoclave for sterilization at this year’s event again! I will be there to educate and to learn, as well as to sell infection control equipment and anodizers. The Statim 2000 G4 is on the way, and the new Optim 33TB Blue version for surface disinfection as well. — at Unperfekthaus for the BMXnet … Read more
Researchers Develop Off-Grid Sterilization with Solar Steam
Original article: Researchers Develop Off-Grid Sterilization with Solar Steam.
Copyright 2013 by Virgo Publishing https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/
Posted on: 07/22/2013
Rice University graduate student Oara Neumann, left, and scientist Naomi Halas are co-authors of a new study about a highly efficient method of turning sunlight into heat. They expect their technology to have an initial impact as an ultra-small-scale system to treat human waste in developing nations without sewer systems or electricity. Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University.
APP Conference soon!
CONFERENCE IS ALMOST UPON US! THE CONFERENCE ADVANCED (ONLINE) REGISTRATION WILL SHUT DOWN AT MIDNIGHT ON MAY 17TH, PST ANY CHANGES TO YOUR REGISTRATION SHOULD BE MADE BEFORE THEN (OR WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE ARE ONSITE IN LAS VEGAS) BANQUET DINNER SPONSORED BY INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH BODY JEWELRY; ANATOMETAL, INC.; LEROI, INC.; AND KAOS SOFTWEAR THURSDAY JUNE … Read more
FDA guidance on sterilizers
What autoclaves are approved to sterilize hollow items by the FDA?
The standards for autoclaves that can process items with lumens are publicly accessible through the FDA site.
Processing Devices
Standards are useful, and guidance based on evidence is often even more so.
Scope
This guidance provides recommendations regarding reuse instructions in labeling for reusable medical devices and the validation of the recommended reprocessing process in the instructions. The recommendations are applicable to the three device reprocessing situations below.
Effects of Non-Condensable Gases (NCGs) on Steam Sterilisation Processes
Read the full text: Effects of Non Condensable Gases on Sterilization
Summary:
A gravity displacement (class N) steam sterilization process can not reliably remove gases from hollow or porous items, resulting in areas that do not get sterilized, and the failure of the load. They should not be used for body jewelry, needles, tattoo tubes or textiles.
REVIEW
395 CENTRAL SERVICE Volume 13 2005
ZENTRAL STERILISATION
Effects of Non-Condensable Gases (NCGs) on Steam Sterilisation Processes
U. Kaiser
Keywords
- steam sterilisation process
- non-condensable gases (NCGs)
- process challenge device (PCD)
Introduction
The dangers posed by non-condensable gases (NCGs) in steam sterilisation processes have long been underestimated. Biological indicators, or the best chemical indicators on the market, do not signal the presence of a NCG content of up to 10% in a sterilisation process so long as there is mixing of steam and NCGs in the sterilisation chamber.
Bravo
Welcome to Bravo! A fractionated vacuum autoclave from SciCan Buy a Bravo now BRAVO chamber autoclave Features Fractionated vacuum system 17L or 21L chamber capacity Intelligent closed door drying Integrated datalogger Industry leading cycle times Single use Pull’n Push water system 2 Year warranty The BRAVO fractionated vacuum chamber autoclave continues the … Read more
Disposable wrap
Can unused wrapped items be re-sterilized reusing the original wraps?
When unused sterile instrument sets are returned from the OR or patient floors our policy is to re-sterilize the sets. Since these were unopened we inspect the wrap to be sure there are no holes, replace the tapes and labeling and re-sterilize the item.
Returning jewelry(explants) to clients

An interesting observation on safety issues raised in returning contaminated items such as jewelry to clients, as voiced by this medical professional’s concerns for their patients. It is evident that infection control measures should be carefully considered when previously worn jewelry or other contaminated personal items are to be returned to a customer.
Please regard the discussion in the comments below
Question
I am an OR nurse and recently started a new job in a prestigious orthopedic hospital. At the request of a surgeon or patient when implants are removed we have been cleaning and flashing them and returning them to the patient in a plastic bag.
[NOTE: Flashing is an outdated term for sterilizing items unwrapped for immediate use]
https://brnskll.com/shares/flash-faq/
Sharpies for labeling
Can we label sterilization packages with a Sharpie brand marker?
Question
Our staff used to label all of our cardiovascular sets and supplies with a red Sharpie brand permanent marker and we would use a black Sharpie for all other items. This provided a quick and easy method to visually identify these special critical items. The labeling was restricted to the autoclave tape on the outside of wrapped packages and the film side of peel pouches.
If it is not clean it can not be sterilized
Equipment must be cleaned before sterilization. Heat fixes blood fibrin to instrument surfaces, and should not be used prior to cleaning. Reprocessing should be done according to evidence based scientific recommendations.
STATIM 2000 G4 Unboxing
A first glimpse at the new fourth generation of the fast STATIM 2000 autoclave
LESS THAN 30 DAYS UNTIL THE APP CONFERENCE!
No more flash
STATIM is not “flash sterilization” and the term should no longer be used in reference to sterilization cycles for unwrapped items.
Useful links for further reading on the subjects of instrument processing and sterilization
For brevity, I suggest that you use all sterile disposable single use items, however if you are to reprocess used instruments: Classes Come to the APP or the APT conference for classes on the subject Read the notes from one of the recent APP classes https://brnskll.com/shares/statim/ for a thorough description of some options, including accessible … Read more
Statim misconceptions
Did you read confusing STATIM information in the old APP Procedure Manual? (prior to 2013 edition)
STATIM in the old APP Procedure Manual
In the current 2013 edition of the APP Procedure Manual, I helped correct the previously confusing references to Statim autoclaves.
The current 2013 version of the guidelines refer to the Statim and the acceptable use of unwrapped sterilization methods.
Quotes from the 2013 APP procedure manual:
Sterilization Methods:
Benchtop Sterilization
- Steam under pressure (saturated steam/steam autoclave): 220-270 kpa pressure at 132° Centigrade (270° Fahrenheit) for 3-40 minutes depending on cycle.
- Steam autoclave process types
- Steam flush-pressure pulse (type S):
“Another design in steam sterilization is a steam flush-pressure pulsing process, which removes air rapidly by repeatedly alternating a steam flush and a pressure pulse above atmospheric pressure. Air is rapidly removed from the load as with the prevacuum sterilizer, but air leaks do not affect this process because the steam in the sterilizing chamber is always above atmospheric pressure. Typical sterilization temperatures and times are 132°C to 135°C with 3 to 4 minutes exposure time for porous loads and instruments.” The Statim is an example of a type S steam flush pressure pulse autoclave, which is acceptable for sterilization.
Aseptic Field
The actual procedure surface is referred to as an “aseptic field,” and is a sterilized surface that becomes exposed to air contact only at the beginning of the piercing procedure. The aseptic field used by most piercers is the sterile inside surface of a freshly opened large autoclave or sterile glove package, Statim cassette, rigid sterilization container, or sterilized tray. Once the package is opened, sterile tools, needles, jewelry, and disposables can be dropped onto the inside surface for use. The exterior of sterilized packages such as those containing the jewelry should not touch the aseptic field; the contents should be carefully dispensed onto it.
DISPOSABLE SUPPLIES
To minimize the risk of cross-contamination and to ensure that piercing room procedures are as clean as possible, many components of the tray setup must be disposable. Unless supplies are purchased presterilized* or will be sterilized in an autoclave immediately prior to the procedure, all disposables must be individually packaged in autoclave bags, sterilized, and remain intact in their pouches stored in enclosed, nonporous drawers or containers until use. Disposable materials that must be sterilized include: marking implements, piercing needles, corks or synthetic stoppers, elastic bands, swabs, and gauze.
* This includes only FDA-cleared items that are commercially sterilized according to accepted medical standards. The supplier must make documentation of appropriate sterilization available.
The following is to clarify the inconsistencies in the previous editions:
Selected freehand piercings
Here is a glimpse of a few piercings I performed during an exhibition for colleagues in New England. I enjoy sharing ideas and techniques with my peers. Let me know what you think.
My goal is an atraumatic aseptic technique: Primum non nocere
All of these piercings were performed without clamps using the STATIM 2000 autoclave, sterilized single use equipment, sterile nitrile gloves, and the titanium jewelry was anodized with the Reactive Metals Micro anodizer.
Preparing nonwoven gauze compresses for drapes Diamond cutout for drape window Simple setup in the Statim 2000 cassette Male nipple piercing without clamps Eyebrow piercing without clamps Tragus piercing posterior to anterior without clamps Aseptic navel piercing with sterile gloves and fenestrated sterile drape. An example of surgical use for a fenestrated sterile drape An example sterile drape