THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007
Making Their Mark
Perfection Dermagraphics, One Of Northwest Suburbs' 'Best Kept Secrets', Focuses On Tattoos, Cosmetic Work
By STEFAN SCHUMACHER
Journal Reporter
Your image of a typical tattoo parlor may involve scary men with leather jackets, rusty needles, and lots of zippers, buzzing big snakes onto people's arms and dragons onto people's backs.
At Perfection Dermagraphics, the only place to get professional tattoos in Des Plaines, and the surrounding suburbs, it's quite a different setting.
The tattoo studio on 69 N. Broadway looks more like a doctor's office than a hangout for bikers.
Owner Kate Ciampy started her operation in Mt. Prospect in 1991, and later started up Perfection Dermagraphics in Des Plaines.
"We're the best kept secret in the Northwest suburbs," said Ciampy. "Because so many communities are anti-tattooing we keep a relatively low profile."
Des Plaines does indeed have an ordinance, put in place in 1996, prohibiting further tattoo studios from setting up shop in town. Existing businesses were allowed to stay open, and so Ciampy is owner of the only game in town.
"Communities are afraid the shop will have gang people or bikers hanging around," said Ciampy. She said tattooing has become more acceptable, though, with the emergence of a popular television show called Miami Ink, which airs on The Learning Channel, and features tattoo artists.
"It's a true profession, and not back alley "scratchers" as we call them," said Ciampy.
Ciampy said that as of July 1 all tattoo shops will have to register with the state.
She said that although there's always a risk of infection when you penetrate the skin, and that sometimes people don't take proper care of their tattoos, Perfection Dermagraphics has a strong emphasis on safety and cleanliness.
The studio also does a lot of work with what's called cosmetic tattooing, which includes permanent makeup such as eyebrows and lip color.
Ciampy admits that there is a lot of tattooing done under less than pristine conditions. Tattoo parties are popular, where people give each other do-it-yourself tattoos in their homes.
"One of the biggest issues we've faced as a professional business are parents bringing minors in here to tattoo them," said Ciampy, citing 18 as the legal limit for getting a tattoo.
"It's not the kids coming in and passing themselves off as older, it's the parents coming in trying to sign for the kids."
Ciampy said there is a lot of peer pressure out there for kids to get tattoos, and sometimes parents cave into it, but her business refuses to ink tattoos on minors.
She said much of the work they do is cosmetic tattooing, and they have clients as old as 98.
Head tattoo artist Stephen Knight specializes in nature-related tattoo artwork.
"We mostly do custom work," said Ciampy. "People find things that are important to them...symbols, garden plants...something unique."
-30-