According to Harris Interactive, 14 percent of American adults had tattoos in 2008 and nearly one-third of people ages 25-29 were inked. With tattoos on so many younger people, there has been some concern about the chemical composition of tattoo ink and how it affects the skin after a lifetime of exposure.
Identification
The ink used in tattooing consists of a pigment and a carrier. The carrier is essentially the liquid solution containing the pigment that allows the color to penetrate the skin evenly without clumping. The most common carrier solutions are ethyl alcohol or water. Pigments can be made from a variety of substances that are finely ground to produce color, including metal salts, minerals and plastics. For example, the color blue is made from copper salts, red from iron oxide and black from carbon. Some professional tattoo artists buy their inks already made from a commercial distributor, while others prefer to mix their own using a dry pigment along with a carrier. The exact composition of commercial premade inks is considered proprietary and therefore unavailable to the public.
History
Whether done as a tribal practice, a rite of passage or simply for decoration, tattooing has been around for approximately 5,000 years. The word tattoo itself is thought to come from the Tahitian word tattau, which literally means to tap or mark something. The early Polynesian method of tattooing, which is still in practice today, used a handmade tool that looks like a comb made from sharpened animal bone or tortoise shells. The comb was dipped in ink made from soot and tapped into the skin with some kind of wooden mallet. Tattooing in the Western world has its roots in Polynesia, as the practice was brought back to Europe by 18th-century explorers.
Considerations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, classifies tattoo ink as a color additive, which could subject it to regulations. However, according to a 2000 FDA report on tattoo ink and permanent makeup, "because of other public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety concerns, the FDA traditionally has not exercised its regulatory authority over tattoo inks or the pigments used in them." Therefore, as a consumer, you should be aware that it's false and misleading when a tattoo establishment claims to be using FDA-approved inks. The sanitary operation of tattoo shops falls under local health jurisdictions.
Effects
The long-term effects of tattoo ink on your skin and how much is absorbed into the body is not fully known. According to the FDA, there has never been a systemic overview of the safety of tattoo ink. However, in a 2009 FDA report, "Think Before You Ink," FDA chemist Dr. Paul Howard said research has shown that the pigment can travel from the tattoo site to your body's lymph nodes. He also noted that your body can metabolize and break down tiny amounts of the pigment. Whether this has any long-term health consequences is unknown.
Warning
If you're thinking about getting a tattoo, be aware that many of the pigments are the same industrial grade colors you might find in printer ink or automobile paint. The FDA listed scarring, allergic reactions, and infection from dirty needles as some of the risks when getting a tattoo. Consider talking to your tattoo artist about his sanitary practices before getting inked.
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