For those people who have ever considered getting a tattoo on their body, some of the biggest factors they’ve probably considered are what type of artwork they should get, who will perform the task of inking the tattoo and exactly what region they’d like to place this colorful creation on. Left out of most people’s considerations, however, is whether or not tattooing is safe.
The fact of the matter is that despite the many millions of people who’ve have gone through their lives sporting tattoos of all sizes, colors and quantities, we still don’t know everything there is to know about possible health risks this process poses. What is known is that tattoo ink is composed of both organic and inorganic dyes, the latter of which can contain toxic element impurities.
In France and Germany, researchers studied lymph and skin tissue from two non-tattooed and four tattooed human cadavers. In the tattooed patients, they found ink in both the lymph nodes and skin tissues as well as elevated levels of copper, nickel, iron, chromium and aluminum. Each of the tattooed individuals also had increased levels of titanium in their bodies.
By using an advanced X-ray light, these researchers found the bodies’ lymph nodes were tinted with tattoo ink. They also discovered nanoparticles of toxic elements. The average size of the particles was 180 nanometers (by comparison, a human hair is about 75,000 nanometers wide).
The researchers were not surprised at their findings, as lymph nodes — which are found in the neck, head, armpit and groin areas — are used to clean bodily regions where a tattoo needle deposits ink. But the discovery of nanoparticles was unexpected. According to Bernard Hesse, visiting scientist at France’s European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and the co-leader of the study, the nanoparticles’ size “implies that they may have the same behavior as the particles at a micro level. And that’s the problem — we don’t know how nanoparticles react.”
Because the samples the researchers examined were from bodies that had been tattooed long before death, the study’s researchers concluded that the nanoparticles had remained in the lymph nodes for some time. The titanium that was found likely was from titanium dioxide, the second-most common ingredient found in tattoo inks. This pigment, which is white in color, is used to create specific tints and shades when it’s combined with colorants. The same substance is also used in sunscreens, food additives and paints, which all could also contribute to elevated levels of titanium in a person’s body. But the researchers noted that prior work has proved that respiratory exposure to titanium deposits the element only in hilar and lung lymph nodes. In the tattooed bodies, the nanoparticles were found in many other regions, suggesting that tattoos affect more than just the skin.
There are also concerns that black pigments in tattoo ink may contain carcinogenic nanoparticles. The British Journal of Dermatology published a study that theorized that nanoparticles may be the cause of toxic brain effects and damage to the nervous system. The study’s findings could indicate that ink particles leave the surface of the skin and travel throughout the body, possibly finding their way into organs and other tissues.
Not all is known about how pigments can circulate within the body’s systems, but what is known is that dense tattoo ink inhibits areas of the skin from sweating, meaning that toxins can build up in ways that aren’t healthy.
Did you ever see the James Bond movie Goldfinger? In one scene of the film, a dead woman is found covered head to toe in gold. Her death was caused by the body being unable to sweat out the toxins built up inside. This phenomenon is actually quite real, as there are gangsters in Japan (known as “Yakuza”) who ritualistically cover much of their bodies with tattoos. There have been many cases where later in their lives, these gangsters have sought to have their tattoos totally removed because their livers have become damaged from all the toxins that have accumulated in their bodies.
It’s a fact that if you cover too much of the surface of your skin with tattoos — particularly those that are dense with ink — that you can impair your health in the long run. Tattoo ink may also be unsafe in ways we don’t yet understand. For those seeking tattoos for fun and enjoyment, it’s wise to fully appraise the risks involved before undertaking the process. In a few words, it’s best to think before you ink!
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