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Brian Skellie offers freehand piercing workshop in Sweden at Tribe 20th anniversary event
Brian Skellie teaches aseptic freehand piercing skills in Sweden at Tribe 20th anniversary event
Brian Skellie teaches immediate use sterilization skills in Italy at APTPI Congress
Brian Skellie teaches sterilization skills for the professional body piercer and tattooist in Milan at the 7th APTPI congress
Interview by Soul Tattoo
I was interviewed by Brazilian participants about the Educational Congress for body artists.
*in Portuguese
Interview for Blog www.almatatuada.wordpress.com By Soul Tattoo Art e Café (www.soultattoo.com.br)
The text of the interview in English:
useful info on antimicrobials
https://www.fightgermsnow.com/
A useful collection of scientific studies on antimicrobial use in clinical and home settings.
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 Publications
World Standards Day at BMXnet
I am teaching Biomaterials standards for body art at the BMXnet conference in Essen, Germany this month for World Standards Day, the celebration of the birth of ISO October 14th, 1946. ASTM International will participate in the U.S. celebration of World Standards Day, sponsored by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on Oct. 13 in Washington, D.C. This year’s … 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:
Anodizing Titanium and Niobium Body Jewelry
Sign up for the workshop with Brian Skellie
APP Conference / Online “Anodizing is Awesome!”
Previously Presented at BMXnet, UKAPP, APP, LBP, 2º Congresso Educativo para Perfuradores Corporais da América do Sul – ATPB 2013 & more events
1) What is Anodizing?
Anodizing is a process where a coating is built up on the surface of certain metals (titanium, niobium, tantalum, aluminum, magnesium and zinc) by heating, with chemicals, or by electricity. In the case of titanium, the coating that is built up is a layer of titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide, which is also known as titanium oxide, occurs naturally on the surface of titanium. Anodizing the surface of titanium can be done by the use of heat but the results are not easily controlled. The most common method is to form an oxide layer on the surface with the use of electricity. The way that this is done is with a variable power supply in which an electrode is connected to the positive side (anode), and one to the negative side (cathode). Both are then submerged into a mildly conductive solution, thus completing the electrical circuit. The piece that is to be anodized is connected to the positive side, and that is why the process is called “anodizing”.