Tattoos are an especially common type of everlasting self-expression, dating back hundreds of years. Most tattoo artists adhere to strict health and sanitary regulations, so it may possibly be assumed that tattoo inks are also subject to detailed regulations.
But as work done by my team of chemistry researchers indicates, as much as 90% tattoo inks in the US may be mislabeled. It’s not nearly missing pigment or a minor discrepancy. These inks contained potentially disturbing additives that were not listed on the packaging.
What’s in the ink?
All inks consist of a number of pigments, i.e. the molecules that give tattoos color, and some variety of carrier for this pigment. Before the Twentieth century pigments used in tattooing contained ash, charcoal, minerals or other natural materials. However, around the mid-Twentieth century, tattoo artists began making their very own inks using synthetic pigments and dyes.
Today, just about all pigments used in tattoos are composed of synthetic molecules allowing for obtaining light colours – apart from white and black pigments.
Over the previous few many years, tattoo ink manufacturing has evolved from individual artists making their very own inks to large corporations producing inks and selling them to artists. My team desired to know if these inks contained the advertised ingredients, so we checked analyzed 54 tattoo inks from the American market.
Ingredients not listed
More than half of the inks my research team analyzed contained unlisted polyethylene glycol, also generally known as PEG. Diversity medical products contain PEG, including laxatives. May cause allergic reactionswhile in the case of tattooing, research suggests that repeated exposure to PEG can result in kidney failure.
Ju/Wikimedia Commons
We also found propylene glycol in 15 inks, even though it was not listed as an ingredient in any of them. Propylene glycol is mostly non-toxic and structurally much like glycerin, which is used to thicken ink. Although propylene glycol is secure for most individuals, some people are severely allergic to it. It was actually the American Contact Dermatitis Society Allergen of the Year 2018.
Edgar181/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Some Allergic response propylene glycol may cause skin rash, itching and blistering.
In several of the inks, my research team found unlisted ingredients that are common in cosmetics but have not been tested for tattoo inks. These include BHT, dodecan AND 2-phenoxyethanol. In low concentrations, 2-phenoxyethanol is usually a preservative. But The Food and Drug Administration warns that it may possibly be passed on to babies through breastfeeding and cause vomiting and dehydration in children.
Of the 54 inks we reviewed, 29 reported correct pigments, while the rest reported either no pigments or incorrect pigments. This is understood problem with tattoo inks which ink manufacturers have not yet addressed.
Pigment problems
The research have shown that soot, the primary black pigment used in tattooing, may be contaminated with it cancer causing particles found in automotive exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke.
Many red, yellow and orange pigments are azo pigments, which contain two nitrogen atoms bonded. These pigments give the ink shiny, vibrant colours, but it will occur over time decompose into carcinogenic substances.
Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Regulations in Europe ban the copper-containing pigments Blue 15 and Green Pigment 7, which in line with my research are the only blue and green pigments in the inks we tested. The EU has banned the use of those pigments over concerns that they might be used in hair dyes may cause bladder canceralthough researchers have not yet studied this relationship in tattoos.
New emphasis on regulation
The FDA is beginning to pay more attention to what’s in tattoo inks. In 2022, Congress adopted Modernizing the Cosmetics Regulatory Act, or MoCRAwhich gave the FDA expanded authority to control tattoo inks.
FDA continues to be deciding tips on how to implement MoCRA, but the bill would require accurate ingredient labeling and expand FDA’s ink recall authority. In the past, tattoo inks were very rare and only voluntarily recalled for cause Bacterial contamination.
What does this mean for clients and tattoo artists? At the moment, there is no such thing as a clear research consensus on whether tattoos are secure or not because they’ll cause infections and allergic reactions. Additionally, tattoos vary greatly in size, color, and physical location on the body.
Studies like the one conducted in my lab are a vital a part of determining what’s actually in the tattoo, so researchers can higher understand any opposed events it may cause, resembling long-term allergic reactions.
Understanding the contents of the ink also helps doctors determine what specific health problems they need to search for in tattooed people.
Health problems related to tattoos that scientists are studying I learn about they arrive from unskilled artists following poor sanitation protocols. To prevent potential health problems, people considering getting a tattoo can work with an experienced and trained artist who follows best practices in tattoo hygiene and care.
