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| Tattoo |
It seems like everyone is wanting or has a tattoo on their bodies these days. Tattooing has been practiced for centuries worldwide. People have found many ways to express themselves with their tattoos. Maybe you have thought of getting one? But before you head down to the tattoo shop, there are a few things you need to know.
So, what exactly is a tattoo?
A tattoo is a designed ink inserted into the dermis layer of the skin, most of the time via a needle. Tattoos on humans are normally for decorative purposes, spiritual uses, identifications, cosmetics (permanent makeup) or even for medical field, while tattoos on animals are commonly used for identifications or branding.
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| Tattoo ink safety is as much about the liquid as it is about the pigment |
Early tattoo inks were obtained directly from nature and were extremely limited in pigment variety. Today, an almost unlimited number of colours and shades of tattoo ink are mass-produced and sold to suppliers worldwide. Tattooist commonly mix these inks to create their own unique pigments. Tattoo inks consist of pigments and a carrier. The carrier may be a single substance or a mixture. The purpose of the carrier is to keep the pigment evenly distributed in a fluid matrix, to inhibit the growth of pathogens, to prevent clumping of pigment, and to aid in application to the skin. Among the safest and most common ingredients used to make the liquid are: -
- ethyl alcohol (ethanol)
- purified water
- witch hazel
- Listerine
- propylene glycol
- glycerine (glycerol)
Molecular structure of ethyl alcohol
Molecular structure of water
Molecular structure of propylene glycol
Molecular structure of glycerine
However, many other substances have been and may be used, including: -
- denatured alcohols (are toxic and can burn the skin)
- other alcohols (methyl alcohol or methanol and isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol are commonly used, although there are toxic)
- ethylene glycol (antifreeze, which is toxic)
- aldehydes, such as formaldehyde and gluteraldehyde (high toxic)
- various surfactants or detergents
alcohol (ethanol)
isopropyl alcohol
formaldehyde
gluteraldehyde
Here is a table listing the colours of common pigments use in tattoo inks. It is not exhaustive. Also, many inks mix one or more pigment:
Colour | Materials | Comment |
Iron Oxide (FeO) Carbon Logwood | Natural black pigment is made from magnetite crystals, powdered jet, wustite, bone black,and amorphous carbon from combustion (soot). Black pigment is commonly made into India ink. Logwood is a heartwood extract from Haematoxylon campechisnum, found in Central America and the West Indies. | |
Ochre is composed of iron (ferric) oxides mixed with clay. Raw ochre is yellowish. When dehydrated through heating, ochre changes to a reddish color. | ||
Cinnabar (HgS) Cadmium Red (CdSe) Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) Napthol-AS pigment | Iron oxide is also known as common rust. Cinnabar and cadmium pigments are highly toxic. Napthol reds are synthesized from Naptha. Fewer reactions have been reported with naphthol red than the other pigments, but all reds carry risks of allergic or other reactions. | |
cadmium seleno-sulfide | The organics are formed from the condensation of 2 monoazo pigment molecules. They are large molecules with good thermal stability and colorfastness. | |
Flesh | Ochres (iron oxides mixed with clay) | |
Yellow | Cadmium Yellow (CdS, CdZnS) Ochres Curcuma Yellow Chrome Yellow (PbCrO4, often mixed with PbS) disazodiarylide | Curcuma is derived from plants of the ginger family; aka tumeric or curcurmin. Reactions are commonly associated with yellow pigments, in part because more pigment is needed to achieve a bright color. |
Green | Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3), called Casalis Green or Anadomis Green Malachite [Cu2(CO3)(OH)2] Ferrocyanides and Ferricyanides Lead chromate Monoazo pigment Cu/Al phthalocyanine Cu phthalocyanine | The greens often include admixtures, such as potassium ferrocyanide (yellow or red) and ferric ferrocyanide (Prussian Blue) |
Blue | Cobalt Blue Cu-phthalocyanine | Blue pigments from minerals include copper (II) carbonate (azurite), sodium aluminum silicate (lapis lazuli), calcium copper silicate (Egyptian Blue), other cobalt aluminum oxides and chromium oxides. The safest blues and greens are copper salts, such as copper pthalocyanine. Copper pthalocyanine pigments have FDA approval for use in infant furniture and toys and contact lenses. The copper-based pigments are considerably safer or more stable than cobalt or ultramarine pigments. |
Violet | Manganese Violet (manganese ammonium pyrophosphate) Various aluminum salts | Some of the purples, especially the bright magentas, are photoreactive and lose their color after prolonged exposure to light. Dioxazine and carbazole result in the most stable purple pigments. |
White | Lead White (Lead Carbonate) Titanium dioxide (TiO2) Barium Sulfate (BaSO4) Zinc Oxide | Some white pigments are derived from anatase or rutile. White pigment may be used alone or to dilute the intensity of other pigments. Titanium oxides are one of the least reactive white pigments. |
What Is The Procedure Like?
- The tattooist will first wash his or her hands with a germicidal soap.
- The to-be-tattooed area on your body will be cleaned and disinfected.
- The tattooist will put on clean, fresh gloves (and possibly a surgical mask).
- The tattooist will explain the sterilization procedure to you and open up the single-use, sterilized equipment (such as needles)
- Using the tattoo machine (with a sterile, single-use needle attached), the tattooist will begin drawing an outline of the tattoo under your skin.
- The outline will be cleaned with antiseptic soap and water.
- Sterile, thicker needles will be installed on the tattoo machine, and the tattooist will start shading and design. After cleaning the area again, colour will be injected. A new bottle of ink should be opened for each individual.
- Any blood will be removed by a sterile, disposable cloth or towel.
- When finished, the area, now sporting a finished tattoo, will be cleaned once again and a bandage will be applied.
Does It Hurt To Get A Tattoo?
Getting tattoo can hurt, but the level of pain can vary. Because getting a tattoo involves being stuck multiple times with a needle, it can feel like getting a bunch of shots or being stung by a hornet multiple times. Some people describe the tattoo sensation as "tingling". It all depends on your pain threshold, how good the person wielding the tattoo machine is, and where exactly on your body you are getting the tattoo. Also, keep in mind that you will probably bleed a little.
What Are The Risks?
If you decided to get tattoo, chances are everything will go as planned. But if disinfection and sterilization steps are not followed, there are some things you need to be aware of that can go wrong. If you do not go to a tattoo studio or the tattoo studio does not follow precautions like using sterilized equipment or if it shares ink between customers, you are putting yourself at risk for getting viral infections such as hepatitis, bacterial skin infections, or dermatitis (severe skin irritation).
Also, some people have allergic reactions to the tattoo ink. And if you already have skin condition such as eczema (a form of inflammation of the outer layer of skin), you may have flare-ups as a result of the tattoo.
Serious complications can result if you attempt to do a tattoo yourself, have a friend do it for you, or have it done in any unclean environment. Because tattooing involves injections under the skin, viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C can be transferred into your body if proper precautions are not followed. For this reason, the American Red Cross and some other blood banks require people to wait 12 months after getting a tattoo before they can donate blood.
Tattoo Removal
A lot of people love their tattoos and keep them forever. But others decide a couple of years down the road that they really do not like that rose on their ankle or snake on their bicep anymore. Or maybe you broke up with your boyfriend or girlfriend and no longer want his or her initials on your stomach. What then?
In the past, tattoo removal required surgery, but now there are several other methods that can be used. One common method is laser removal. Some tattoo shops also offer tattoo removal, but it is better idea to make sure the person doing the removal is a medical doctor. Before you go just anywhere to get your tattoo removed, check with your doctor to find a reputable laser removal specialist in your area.
Although it is called tattoo removal, completely removing a tattoo can be difficult depending on how old the tattoo is, how big the tattoo is, and the types and colours of inks that were used. Removal of the entire tattoo is not always guaranteed. It is best to consult with a dermatologist who specializes in tattoo removal to get your questions answered - such as whether anesthesia is used. The dermatologist can also give you a good idea of how much (if not all) of the tattoo can be removed.
So Is It Worth It?
Is getting tattoo worth the money and hassle? It is up to you. Some people really enjoy their tattoos and keep them for life, whereas others might regret that they acted on impulse and did not think enough about it before they got one. Getting a tattoo is a big real, especially because they are designed to be permanent.
If you have thought about it and decided you want a tattoo, make sure you do a little detective work and find a clean, safe, and professional tattoo shop. Also, remember that getting and maintaining a tattoo involves some responsibility - after you leave the tattoo shop, it is up to you to protect and treat it to prevent infections or other complications.
References
1. Michele Van Vranken, MD, 2009. Tattoos.
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[Accessed on 30th July 2010]
2. Wikipedia, 2010. Tattoo.
Available from:
[Accessed on 30th July 2010]
3. Anne Marie Helmenstine, 2010. Tattoo Ink Carrier Chemistry.
Available from:
[Accessed on 30th July 2010]
4. Anne Marie Helmenstine, 2010. Tattoo Ink Chemistry.
Available from:
[Accessed on 30th July 2010]
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