Are Tattoos Safe? 35% Inks Tested in the US Are Contaminated, Could Be Source of Infection

The number of individuals who get tattoos has increased worldwide. However, those in the United States are warned to be careful as one in three inks tested were found to be contaminated.

1 in 3 Tattoo Inks in the US Is Contaminated

A new study examined various tattoo inks, and bacteria were surprising to be found in many commercial samples. The researchers warned that one should ensure the ink is bacteria-free when getting a tattoo.

A team from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) conducted the study. The group took samples from sealed, never-opened ink bottles and examined 75 inks from 14 brands. Based on the study's results, about 35% of the permanent cosmetics and tattoo ink samples taken in the US contained bacteria.

The researchers prepared one to two grams of each ink into solutions and then kept them in incubators for observation. Of the 75 samples collected, 26 contained microorganisms, including eight potentially harmful species. The most prevalent species belonged to the Staphylococcus genus and were linked to numerous illnesses.

This encompasses aerobic bacteria, which require oxygen to thrive, and anaerobic bacteria, which can endure in the dermal layer beneath the skin's surface without needing an air source.

According to NCTR scientist Seong-Jae Kim, their findings showed that unopened and sealed tattoo inks can contain aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in low-oxygen environments like the dermal layer of the skin. This implies that both types of bacteria may be able to infect people through tainted tattoo inks.

Out of the 75 tattoo and permanent cosmetics inks tested, the manufacturer explicitly stated that 49 were bacterial-free and sterile. However, this was inconsistent with what the researchers discovered when opening the bottles.

Kim found no conclusive evidence linking a product label claiming sterility to the lack of bacterial contamination. The findings suggest that sterility promises printed on labels may not be accurate or that tattoo ink sterilizing methods may not remove microorganisms. The researchers recommend assessing the efficacy of tattoo ink sterilization techniques.

Most Modified Man in the World With 1,500 Tattoos

Marcelo 'B-boy' De Souza Ribeiro, a father of three, has approximately 1,500 tattoos. However, in addition to filling his body with ink, he underwent several surgeries to become a "real-life devil." He even removed a body part to fulfill this dream.

In 203, he had both hands altered. His fingers were divided permanently in one to make room for a "V" design, and his index finger was removed from the other. He also underwent additional surgery to remove the excess skin and muscle from his hands.

In addition to numerous surgeries, Ribeiro has had skin implants for things like fangs and a split tongue. He estimates that he has spent over $36,945 (£29,000) on his transformation and believes that 98% of his body has changed.

He claimed that he desired an extraterrestrial-like hand appearance. His inspiration came from watching UFO-related movies and documentaries.

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