What is Autoclave and Why it’s so Important?

AutoclaveAn Autoclave is an essential device every piercing studio should have. It is needed to achieve proper sterilization of piercing tools, instruments and jewelry. Therefore, any studio without an autoclave is a bad place to be pierced, because it is unable to meet all the essential health and safety standards.

When choosing a piercing studio, it is important to check for their autoclave. Not simply if there is one, but also if it’s fully functional. It is vital to make sure that the studio is capable of adhering to all the necessary safety standards and performing proper sterilization of all tools. This is why a properly working autoclave is an essential device each piercing studio should have.

How it Works

An autoclave is an important asset of all piercing, tattoo and medical studios. It is the only way to sterilize instruments and other tools properly. An autoclave can heat water to much higher temperatures than a simple boiling water, which means it can perform full sterilization.

In an autoclave, a steam enters the device under a very high pressure. Sterilization is performed using both pressure and heat. The process lasts for about 15 minutes, during which the tools, jewelry and other items used in the studio are fully sterilized.

Autoclaves can successfully remove many harmful agents, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. An autoclave will destroy all these agents, making tools and jewelry perfectly sterilized and safe to use.

Keep in mind: an autoclave is the only way to achieve full sterilization. Sterilization using dry heat, chemical solutions, alcohol or boiling water is simply not enough.

What Materials Can’t Be Sterilized?

Autoclaves are ideal devices to sterilize certain materials, above all, metals. An autoclave can be used to sterilize all the metal equipment and tools in a studio. Other materials that can be safely sterilized include glass and some types of acrylics, such as Bioplast, Bioflex, PTFE and PMMA. However, there are some materials that can’t be sterilized using this device.

Since autoclaves use damp heat and high temperatures, certain temperature-sensitive materials cannot be sterilized using this method. Plastics are particularly vulnerable and they will melt inside an autoclave. This is why plastic tools and jewelry can’t be properly sterilized. This is an important point to keep in mind. If you wish to get plastic jewelry, remember that it has to be new or else it can’t be sterilized properly. Same goes for plastic tools and devices used for the piercing process, such as piercing guns: they simply can’t be sterilized properly!

Other materials that cannot be sterilized include many natural materials, such as wood, horn, bone and gemstones. Also, keep in mind that most acrylics (apart from those mentioned above) can’t be autoclaved.

Additional Information

  • An autoclave used in a piercing studio should be tested regularly by an independent lab. Tastings should be done at least once per month. It is called “spore testing” and it tests an autoclave’s ability to destroy harmful agents. As a client, you have full right to see a studio’s recent spore test, so don’t forget to ask about it. 
  • Since plastic tools and jewelry can’t be sterilized in an autoclave, they can never be fully sterile. You need to remember this next time you go to a piercing studio. Never agree to be pierced with any tools containing plastic (such as piercing guns), since they can’t be sterilized properly.
  • The autoclave was invented in 1879 by Charles Chamberland, who was looking for a more effective way to sterilize medical instruments.
  • Keep in mind that sterilization should always be full. “Partial sterilization” is not really a thing, and it doesn’t help your case. Something is either sterile or non-sterile, and you should stay away from studios that can’t guarantee that their tools are sterile.
  • An autoclave as a device has a wide use in many industries. Hospitals, doctors and dentists use them to sterilize their equipment.
About Melina Jackson:
Melina is a staff writer, author and researcher for TheChainGang. She covers numerous subjects, from body jewelry to kinky adult toys. In addition to this, Melina also provides occasional adult toy reviews written in an interesting and sexy manner. She says: “I’m happy and proud to be a part of TheChainGang team. I enjoy every research because I know how much importance TheChainGang places on customer satisfaction and providing accurate and up to date information. I particularly like sex toy reviews: they are fun to write and experience”. In addition to writing and researching, Melina provides online research results and handy information for buyers interested in accurate and easily understandable tips and advice on choosing the best adult toys and body jewelry.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *