where should i go?

You won't find a magic list of 'safe' tattoo and piercing studios in WA on the Internet or anywhere else. When choosing a studio, keep these points in mind:

• Don't let friends or people who work outside of established business premises do your body art.
• Cheap is not always good: compare prices - you will need to pay good money for good quality work.
• Shop around, ask friends who have had good artwork done, who they recommend.
• Find a studio where you feel comfortable, and where staff answer all your questions.
• Select a studio that has 'aftercare service' so you can have follow-up visits to check the work and get help for any problems.
• When choosing a body artist don't go by the art on the walls. Ask to see examples of the body artist's personal work - if they can't show you, find another studio.
• Most studios have body artists who are members of the professional associations for their industry. These mean that members meet professional standards of infection control and artwork, but you should discuss the points raised on this website with all body artists, whether they belong to professional associations or not.
• Studios in WA need to be approved by local government to ensure they meet standard for premises and infection control.