NEEDLE AND THREAT
The dangers behind America's popular form of self-expression.
Tattooing is an ancient art form, with a history dating back thousands of years. Its purpose and design varies but both have played an important role in a collection of cultural traditions and rituals. More popular than ever in western societies, tattoos are one of the most common ways to promote self-expression and communication through symbols. But the question remains, is tattooing safe?
An essential question to ask is, What’s in the ink? In the past, there has been no way to know, mainly because the FDA has not traditionally regulated tattoo inks or their pigments. However, in recent years the association has stated they will revisit the issue in response to reports of negative reactions to tattoos, some even years after they were placed on the body. The National Center for Toxicological Research is now investigating the chemicals used in tattoo inks and how they break down in the body, looking at how the inks interact with light and the short- and long-term dangers.
Wagner, Finley-Jones and Ingram, a research team from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, found that different colors of ink contain different chemicals. Plus, different companies make their inks with different materials. They discovered that some of the inks had high levels of lead, which we know is harmful to the body. The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress, with a multidisciplinary membership of more than 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers. They recommend closer regulation of the tattoo industry based on their findings.
Tattoos carry with them the risk for hepatitis B and hepatitis C because the tattoo needle pierces the skin to inject the pigment. Reports of these instances have decreased over the years as legitimate tattoo businesses have adopted extra precautions to provide as much safety as possible to their clients. Licensed, properly maintained shops have medical-quality sterilization equipment and are usually careful about not re-using needles or inks. However, it still happens, so make sure you do your research on the artist you choose. If the equipment isn't sterilized and fresh needles and ink aren't used, a tiny amount of blood from an earlier customer might be injected along with the ink. If that person was infected with hepatitis B or C, the virus could be passed along. Each year, it is estimated that there are 36,000 new infections of hepatitis in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those new infections, only 25-30 percent will present with symptoms. That means many people become infected without knowing it right away.
Still debating? While most tattoo artists take great pride in their trade, you do need to find out what's in their ink as some actually mix their own. Manufacturers are not required by law to reveal what is in their ink, either. Commercial tattoo inks can include alcohols, antifreeze or even formaldehyde.
References
1. Finley-Jones, H., Wagner, L.D., Ingram, J.C. (2005). In the flesh: Chemical characterization of tattoo inks, ACS Abstracts.
2. Marris, E. (2005). Is tattoo ink safe? Nature, published online March 14.
3. Center for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/index.htm
Other Trusted Sources:
UNM.edu
