What To Do If You Poke Yourself

As a PMU/brow artist, is very important to know what to do in case of a puncture wound since

we work with sharps and bodily fluids every day. Although, statistically, the risk of transmission of a bloodborne disease through a needlestick is low, it is important to clean the area immediately and properly treat the wound.

If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow the following steps:

1. Stay calm and don’t panic
2. Immediately stop the procedure and remove your gloves
3. Wash the needlestick wound with running water and plenty of soap. Encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water. Do not scrub the wound while your washing it. Do not suck the wound.
4. Dry your needlestick wound and put a Band-Aid or dressing over the area.
5. Put on a new set of gloves.
6. Remove the old needle from your PMU machine and properly dispose it in a sharps container. Toss the old clip cord sleeve and grip tape on the PMU machine.
7. Open a new needle for your machine and cover up with a new wrap and grip tape. 

Most of the time, a needlestick wound is very minor and the puncture doesn’t penetrate deep enough to cause any transmission. However, you can always contact your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you’re at low risk of an infection, you may not need any treatment.

If you’re at a higher risk of infection, you may need an antibiotic treatment, a vaccination against Hepatitis B, and a treatment to prevent HIV.