35% of tattoo inks sold in US are contaminated with bacteria: study

You may want to rethink getting ink.About 35% of tattoo or permanent makeup inks sold in the US are contaminated with bacteria, according to new research published Tuesday.The researchers tested 75 tattoo inks from 14 manufacturers for the presence of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.The study authors say they are the first to investigate anaerobic bacteria — known to thrive in low-oxygen environments — in commercial tattoo inks. “Both types of bacteria, those needing oxygen (aerobic) and those not needing oxygen (anaerobic), can contaminate the inks,” said corresponding study author Seong-Jae (Peter) Kim, a microbiologist for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Arkansas.The FDA considers the inks used in tattoos — including permanent makeup — to be cosmetics, which do not need premarket approval like a drug or medical device does.“FDA has not approved any inks for injection into your skin,” its website states.The pigments used in the inks are color additives, which are subject to FDA approval, but the agency admits it has not historically regulated them.

State and local jurisdictions, meanwhile, oversee tattooing practices.The FDA notes that it has fielded reports of people getting infected from contaminated tattoo inks over the years and even issued a safety alert in 2019 after identifying six tattoo inks contaminated with bacteria.Infections can lead to rashes or lesions and in some cases, permanent scarring. Last year, the agency issued draft guidance to help tattoo ink manufacturers and distributors recognize potential contamination from bacteria, mold or other microorganisms.Kim said his research showed “no clear link between a product label claiming sterility and the actual absence of bacterial contamination.”“The rising popularity of tattooing in recent years has coincided with an increase in tattoo-related complications or adverse reactions,” he added.A Pew Research Center survey last year found that 32% of US adults have a t...