What's in Tattoo Ink? Tracing Ingredient Safety, Standards and FDA Oversight

Understanding Tattoo Ink Ingredients and Safety

Tattoo ink allows artists to inject decorative, symbolic and meaningful designs into skin permanently. But what exactly goes inside those tiny bottles? Understanding modern tattoo ink ingredients, production methods and safety testing helps ensure good outcomes.

While some risks exist with any tattoo, knowing basics around composition, FDA regulation and international standards empowers smarter choices when getting inked.

Common Tattoo Ink Ingredients

Most tattoos produced today use microscopic pigments suspended in a carrier solution for application. Typical modern tattoo ink contains:

• Pigments
• Distilled water
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Glycerin
• Glycerol
• Witch hazel

Specialized pigments like titanium dioxide, iron oxide, organic compounds and substituted hydrocarbons provide different colored inks their vibrant, lasting hues.

How Tattoo Ink is Made

Commercial tattoo inks start pure to meet high safety and artwork standards. Understanding the strict processes used by reputable brands ensures quality outcomes.

Sourcing Viable Pigments

Raw mineral, organic and synthetic pigments get rigorously tested to verify color purity and particle size uniformity. Particles must penetrate skin without diffusing too deep or migrating over time.

Suspending in Liquid Solution

Next, selected pigments get mixed into a balanced liquid carrier solution. The solution safely deposits pigment into the dermis where particles become trapped permanently.

Sterilization & Bottling

Finished tattoo ink then undergoes specialized micron filtration into sterile bottles or capsules. This eliminates potential bacteria without altering the formulation’s quality.

Reputable ink makers document detailed quality control and safety testing throughout the end-to-end manufacturing workflow.

FDA Regulation of Tattoo Pigments

Unlike strict oversight governing cosmetics and medical devices, no U.S. agency directly regulates tattoo ink ingredients at this time.

Pigments as Color Additives

The FDA classifies tattoo pigments as color additives. To legally sell products containing color additives, safety evidence and proper labeling must first get submitted to the FDA for review.

Pending Regulatory Actions

Citing concerns around ink safety gaps, the FDA currently has regulatory actions pending that propose tighter quality control and monitoring across the tattoo industry.

This aims to reduce health complications linked to poor tattoo aftercare, ink impurities and unsafe blending practices in some shops.

International Tattoo Ink Standards

Beyond pending actions in the U.S., several countries enforce legal limits on allowable impurities found inside tattoo ink as a health safeguard.

European Union (EU) Restrictions

Europe enforces stricter "ResAP" ink standards concerning:

• Heavy metal limits
• Banned aromatic amines
• Pathogen testing
• Labeling & traceability

ResAP guidelines block thousands of suspect pigments. However, smaller batch inks made in-shop circumvent EU laws.

Other Country Regulations

Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan and more also restrict specific hazardous substances, carcinogens and contamination in tattoo ink such as:

• Lead & arsenic
• PCBs
• PAHs
• Nickel & chromium
• VOCs
• Bacteria
• Phthalates

How to Check Tattoo Ink Ingredient Safety

When selecting tattoo artwork and shops, asking the right questions helps determine quality ink used:

Reputable Brand Names

Research who supplies the tattoo ink beforehand. Well known brands like Dynamic, Millennium Moms, Eternal and Intenze invest heavily in purity testing and safety protocols.

Color Variety

A wide “color card” selection indicates a shop sources ink from respected manufacturers offering extensive pigment choices.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Ask to see the free safety data reports provided with professional tattoo inks detailing particular formulation risks and handling guidance.

Certificates of Analysis (COAs)

Request to view quality assurance documents from the ink vendor confirming pathogen screens, restricted substance testing and ink batch pedigree.

Associated Tattoo Health Risks

Understanding common tattoo complications helps make fully informed personal choices weighing safety with artistic expression.

Infection

Reusing ink or needles, poor aftercare and unsanitary conditions may introduce contagions like staph into damaged skin when getting tattooed.

Allergic Reactions

Although rare, redness, itching and swelling can occur if allergic toward specific dye pigments, vehicles or latex gloves during application.

MRI Issues

The metal-based particles in most tattoos rarely lead to burns or swelling when undergoing an MRI scan. However, some facilities still restrict tattooed areas during imaging.

Cancer Fears

No direct link between tattoo ink and cancer exists currently. However, substandard inks contain traces of carcinogens. Overall cancer risk seems quite low for most people though.

Ink Removal and Tattoo Regret

Laser tattoo removal selectively breaks up unwanted pigment trapped deep inside skin. Though effective, it may require multiple treatments and carries its own risks:

• Pain
• Blistering
• Scarring
• Skin discoloration

Removing a meaningful tattoo from sight just because trends change rarely makes one happier long term. Be very certain before getting tattooed.

The Future of Tattoo Ink

Ongoing advances around organic pigments, microencapsulation carriers, and intrinsic barcode tags for tracing toxic batches back to exact manufacturers will only help enhance safety moving forward across this largely unregulated industry.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.