Why do tattoo artists wear gloves?

Why do tattoo artists wear gloves?

Mark Schwab (Tattoo Artist) gives expert video advice on: What are the risks associated with getting a tattoo?; Can I get HIV from a tattoo needle? and more...

Tattoo artists wear gloves to prevent cross contamination, and to keep their clients safe from whatever might be on their hands. It is a good idea to use hand washing and proper gloving techniques. Cross contamination is basically touching one surface to the next surface without the proper moisture barriers - it could be picking up germs or blood-borne pathogens and spreading them from one surface to the next, and then spreading it from that surface to a client. It is very important to avoid any sort of cross contamination.