KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Tattoo Terror: A special undercover investigation
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By: Mike Daniels
Each year, thousands of people in Colorado get their first ink. Tattoos are a delicate procedure with some health risk involved.
Barbara Pool got a tattoo at a Grand Valley tattoo shop. She says after getting her tattoo, "I had never seen it before, I had holes in my arm." Barbara's arms are scared for life, her tattoo ruined. She says the tattoo shop she got it done at, "Didn't bandage me up, they didn't give me ointment, I didn't sign a release form".
Barbara is upset with Toltec Tattoo on North Avenue. During our investigation we found out the person that gave her the tattoo is an apprentice. Barbara says she didn't know he was an apprentice and says it's something she found out later. Store owner Russ Duclos admits employing the apprentice and says, "He never had a paying customer while he was here, it was his friends, that wasn't done here". Duclos says he makes all the apprentice's customers fill out a sheet stating they know the person giving them their tattoo is an apprentice. Duclos says Barbara's tattoo was done at the apprentice's home. Barbara says it was done at his studio. "Popeye", owner of Atlantis Tattoo has been inking people for decades; he says apprentices need to be regulated.
After hearing Barbara's story, we decided to go undercover and see for ourselves what is happening in tattoo shops. I went to several shops and asked if they put anything on the tattoo right after it's done. All but one said they bandage the tattoos. I asked co-owner Paul Roberts, and an employee of Tatmandu on Highway 6 & 50, if they cover the tattoo right after it's done. The owner said "No", the female employee said, "First day just leave it alone don't do anything".
According to the Mesa County Health Code effective June 1, 2003, every tattoo must be bandaged or gauze must be applied with appropriate tape holding it in place. The Mesa County Health Department previously warned Tatmandu about not bandaging up tattoos. Roberts admitted to not bandaging up a tattoo during their grand opening. Not bandaging a tattoo is a health concern; it could get infected and lead to other issues. Not only were they warned about not bandaging up tattoos, the health department instructed them not to be open for tattoos when they were under construction on Thursday, May 8th, the day I went in. In the undercover video, you can hear Roberts say, "We're putting in a sink, but we're open right now".
Even though no one was getting a tattoo when I went in, Roberts made it clear he was open and looking for business. He had a different explanation when we interviewed him. He says he wasn't going to give me a tattoo, he was just going to schedule me in for an appointment.
One other shop I visited, housed their autoclave sterilization machine under the front counter just feet away from where he gives tattoos. This isn't against the Mesa County Health Codes, but the health department says it's not advisable.
But, who does it right? Squeeker is in charge of bandaging every customer at Atlantis Tattoo. She says keep it clean and bandaged. Mesa County Health inspector Darlene McKissin says she'd change a lot of things if it were up to her. After our investigation, the Mesa County Health Department has decided to look over the Mesa County Health Department Rules and Regulations governing Body Art establishments. It's been 5 years since they've changed it.
If you have a complaint about a tattoo shop in town, the Mesa County Health Department wants to hear from you. If you're worried about what to look out for when you go to get a tattoo, tune in Monday night at 10 for an in depth look at tattoo shop best practices.
