Hygiene & biosafety · Subleink, Panama City
How we work clean
A tattoo is an open wound for several days. This page says exactly how that wound is made and what protects it — not in general terms, but with what we actually use.
See it for yourself
Macabreink filmed the whole biosafety setup and published it on his channel — eight minutes of the actual procedure, not a summary of it. The video is in Spanish.
What permits does a tattoo artist need in Panama?
Two health cards issued by Panama’s Ministry of Health, MINSA. They are what makes tattooing a legal profession here, and they are the two documents people colloquially call “the white one and the green one”. Every artist at Subleink holds both, renewed every year.
Carné Blanco — Certificado de Buena Salud
Certifies the artist’s general physical health. To get it you have to pass medical, dental and laboratory exams. It comes first: without it you cannot apply for the other one.
Carné Verde — Carné de Adiestramiento Sanitario
Certifies that the artist has taken and passed the official training course on hygiene standards, waste handling and sanitary control. It is the one that proves the procedure is known, not just the craft.
Ask at the studio and the artist will show you their current cards. We do not publish images of them here because they carry personal identification.
Everything that touches you is single-use
Not “sterilised between clients” — single-use. There is a difference, and it matters.
- Needles and cartridges. Sealed and sterile, opened at the start of your session and discarded at the end. Never reused on anyone, including on you in a later session.
- Barrier film and machine covers. Everything the artist handles that is not disposable in itself — machine, cord, lamp, work surfaces — is wrapped before the session and unwrapped and discarded afterwards.
- Gloves. New for each session, and changed again whenever the artist steps away and comes back.
- Ink caps and consumables. Poured for your session only and thrown away with the rest.
Why there is no autoclave here
Because there is nothing to put in it.
An autoclave exists to sterilise reusable instruments between clients — metal tubes, grips, piercing tools. At Subleink there are none: we do not do piercings, and every item that touches skin is disposable and goes in the bin at the end of the session.
We say it plainly because it is a fair question, and because “we have an autoclave” is sometimes used as a shortcut for “we are clean”. A studio that reuses equipment needs one. A studio that reuses nothing does not.
What happens to the used material
Used needles and cartridges go into sharps containers, and the rest of the used material into its corresponding container. A company specialised in hazardous waste collects it. None of it goes into ordinary rubbish.
This is the part nobody asks about and almost nobody explains, which is exactly why it is on this page.
What you can ask us
- To see the health cards. Ask at the studio and the artist shows you theirs.
- To open the needles in front of you. Before starting, so you see the seal break.
- How your piece will heal. You get the full aftercare instructions at the studio, and a check afterwards to see how it settled.
None of these are awkward requests. If a studio makes you feel awkward for asking any of them, that tells you something.
What clients say about the studio
Not our words — theirs, on Google, in Spanish.
Lugar impecable, todo limpio y ordenado. Materiales nuevos y desechables, espacio higiénico y seguro. Cero preocupaciones, todo perfecto
Muy higiénico y cumple los estándares de bioseguridad
Experiencia 10/10 super simpatico, me hizo un diseño super rapido, justo lo que queria. 100% recomendado, creo que lo que mas me hizo sentir comoda es que tenia un area muy limpia
Reviews published by clients on Google, quoted word for word. Read them all on Google ↗
Frequently asked
What permits does a tattoo artist need in Panama?
Two health cards issued by Panama's Ministry of Health (MINSA). The Carné Blanco, or Certificado de Buena Salud, certifies general physical health and requires medical, dental and laboratory exams. The Carné Verde, or Carné de Adiestramiento Sanitario, certifies that the artist has taken and passed the official training on hygiene standards, waste handling and sanitary control. The white card is required first in order to apply for the green one. Every artist at Subleink holds both, renewed every year.
Are the needles new?
Yes. Every needle and cartridge is single-use, sealed and sterile, opened at the start of your session and discarded at the end. Nothing that touches your skin is ever reused on anyone, including you.
Why does the studio not have an autoclave?
An autoclave exists to sterilise reusable instruments between clients. At Subleink there are none: we do not do piercings, and everything that touches skin is disposable and discarded after a single use. There is nothing to re-sterilise, so an autoclave would serve no purpose here.
What is barrier film used for?
Barrier film and machine covers wrap everything the artist touches during a session that is not disposable in itself: the machine, the cord, the lamp, the work surfaces. It is applied before the session and removed and discarded afterwards, so no surface carries anything from one client to the next.
What happens to the used material?
Used needles and cartridges go into sharps containers, and the rest of the used material into its corresponding container. A company specialised in hazardous waste collects it. Nothing goes into ordinary rubbish.
Can I ask to see the health cards?
Yes. Ask at the studio and the artist will show you their current cards. You can also ask the artist to open the sealed needles and cartridges in front of you before starting. Both are reasonable requests and nobody here will find them odd.