Tattoo inks often contain harmful chemicals

According to a recent analysis, common tattoo inks contain unlisted additives that pose health risks in 83 per cent of cases.

Study raises concerns about declaration and safety

Study finds chemicals that should not be present, in over 80% of inks

A first risk associated with tattoos lies in the pigments, which are not specifically manufactured for such applications and for which no risk assessment has been carried out in the past, taking into account their injection and fate in the body.5 As tattoos were considered cosmetic products, they did not have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for years.6 It was not until a law passed at the end of 2022, the Modernisation of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), that tattoo inks could be regulated by the FDA for the first time.3 The FDA is currently working on what this should look like in more detail.

The presence of impurities in the carrier solutions in which these pigments are suspended is also a cause for concern. The average purity level of tattoo and PMU inks is 70-90 per cent.5 A recent study examining 54 inks from nine different brands popular in the US found unlisted additives or pigments in 83 per cent of them.4,7

Many of these additives pose allergic and other health risks. More than half contained unlisted polyethylene glycol, which can cause anal haemorrhages and organ damage (kidney failure) with repeated exposure. It is not considered safe for use on damaged skin and acts as a penetration enhancer, increasing the permeability of the skin and therefore the absorption of ingredients (including harmful ones).8 Many of the inks analysed also contained 2-phenoxyethanol, which can have toxic effects if absorbed through the skin in high concentrations. It can lead to kidney, lung and nerve damage and is considered a concern for breastfed infants.6 Other contaminants included an antibiotic commonly used to treat urinary tract infections and propylene glycol, a potential allergen, in 28 per cent of the inks.3

The study results are also likely to be valid in this country, as most of the tattoo inks used in Europe are imported from the United States.5 Regulation in Europe is the responsibility of the European Chemicals Agency, which is actually considered to be stricter.

The analysis focussed only on substances in higher concentrations, above 2,000 parts per million (ppm). In other words, the inks could contain even more substances than those analysed here.3 In other recent studies, for example, heavy metals such as lead, mercury, antimony, arsenic, beryllium and cadmium have also been detected in tattoo inks.9

What happens to the substances in the body?

Some of the injected tattoo ink is transported either passively via lymphatic or blood vessels or actively by migrating cells from the dermis into the local lymph nodes, but potentially also into organs such as the liver, lungs or kidneys. In mice, 30 per cent of a red pigment had disappeared from the skin after 6 weeks, and 60 per cent when exposed to sunlight.1,2

Laboratory studies have already investigated the possible effects of light on tattoos and their chemical decomposition. Azo dyes, which include most of the organic colourants used, have been shown to release potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines when exposed to sun, UV or laser light.5

Up to two in three tattooed people develop side effects, with allergic skin reactions and inflammatory processes (e.g. cutaneous granulomas and pseudolymphomas) being among the most common.1,2,10 In particular, if problems only manifest after weeks, months or years, it can be difficult to determine which reaction is present and why due to unlisted ingredients.3 The researchers were unable to determine which ingredients not mentioned on the label were intentionally or accidentally added to the inks.

Sources
  1. Weiß, K. T. et al. Tattoos – more than just colored skin? Searching for tattoo allergens. JDDG: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft 19, 657–669 (2021).
  2. Prof. Guillermou. Comment to. https://takecontrol.substack.com/p/tattoo-ink-health-effects/comments.
  3. Micale, J. What’s in a bottle of tattoo ink? - Binghamton News. News - Binghamton University https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/4770/whats-in-a-bottle-of-tattoo-ink.
  4. Moseman, K., Ahmed, A., Ruhren, A. & Swierk, J. R. What’s in My Ink: An Analysis of Commercial Tattoo Ink on the US Market. Anal. Chem. 96, 3906–3913 (2024).
  5. Piccinini, P., Contor, L., Pakalin, S., Raemaekers, T. & Senaldi, C. Safety of tattoos and permanent make-up State of play and trends in tattoo practices. JRC Publications Repository https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC96808 (2016) doi:10.2788/924128.
  6. Gallagher, D. Study Finds Majority of Tattoo Inks Contain Potentially Dangerous Unlisted Additives. Men’s Journal https://www.mensjournal.com/news/study-tattoo-ink-unlisted-additives (2024).
  7. Tattoo Ink Can Cause Organ Failure and Allergies. https://takecontrol.substack.com/p/tattoo-ink-health-effects.
  8. The Dirty Dozen: PEG Compounds and their contaminants. David Suzuki Foundation https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/dirty-dozen-peg-compounds-contaminants/.
  9. Abed, M. S., Moosa, A. A. & Alzuhairi, M. A. Heavy metals in cosmetics and tattoos: a review of historical background, health impact, and regulatory limits. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 13, 100390 (2024).
  10. Chalarca-Cañas, D., Caviedes-Cleves, M. A., Correa-Londoño, L. A., Ospina-Gómez, J. P. & Velásquez-Lopera, M. M. Tattoos: risks and complications, clinical and histopathological approach. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia (2024) doi:10.1016/j.abd.2023.07.004.