Toxic substances in tattoo colors

Toxic substances in tattoo colors: In analyzes, consumer advocates found carcinogenic substances and prohibited preservatives

19/02/2011

The Consumer Protection Ministry of Baden-Württemberg warns of toxic ingredients in tattoo colors. In the colors, samples of carcinogenic substances and traces of car paints were found. The consumer protection minister calls for stricter rules and a new tattooing regulation.

Since the first of May 2009 applies in Germany, the tattoo anti-tattoo regulation, to which all tattoo providers must comply. Apparently, this regulation is not sufficient. Last year, many colors were tested for ingredients on behalf of the Consumer Protection Minister. A total of 38 tattoo inks had been analyzed by scientists from different studios. The testers focused particularly on the tattoo inks red, orange and yellow, because the greatest health risks are suspected here. A total of 34 samples (about one-third) were complained about because some banned substances were found. In half of the colors studied, hazardous ingredients were found containing substances such as aromatic amines, nitrosamines and phenol. In two-thirds of cases even technical color pigments were found, which are also used for the production of car paints. In only 5 percent of the tested colors could harmful substances be excluded.

Consumer advocates demand stricter guidelines
In this context, the Baden-Württemberg consumer protection minister Rudolf Köberle demands stricter guidelines for tattoo inks. "The safety assessment of tattoo inks must be made mandatory before they come into contact with human skin," Köberle demanded yesterday in Karlsruhe. In order to protect consumers from health consequences, the tattoo agent regulation urgently needs to be improved. The regulation already exists since 2009 and has not been changed since. The manufacturers, importers and tattoo shops must be held responsible so that the colors can be checked for safety. In addition, the Confederation should create a so-called positive list, so that it is publicly identified which ingredients in the colors harmless to the consumer. For the results available show that many of the colors pose considerable risks to health.

Tattoo-willing should inform themselves in advance
Consumers are now facing an uncertain situation. How should harmful substances be identified more clearly? The head of the laboratory for cosmetic products at the Chemical Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) Karlsruhe advises tattoo-willing to make smart before a tattoo at the operator. For that you should in advance the „Read guidelines of the investigation offices for operators of tattoo studios“. These are available online. Then the operator can be questioned specifically for the ingredients of the colors. Anyone who is dissatisfied in retrospect or suffered health damage, should report this to the veterinary inspection office in a timely manner.

More than ten percent are tattooed
The joy of tattooing has increased significantly in the last ten years. Just a few decades ago, most people associated color patterns on skin with a criminal background or a youth subculture. Today, tattoos are almost socially recognized. Even bank managers now wear artistic color pictures on their skin. According to WHO estimates, around 10 to 20 percent of people in the western industrial nations are tattooed. About one percent of it is partly heavily tattooed. To date, it is not clear what long-term consequences may arise. Only and alone has been scientifically proven that tattoo wearers often have dyes in the lymph nodes. From this, according to health experts, cancer can also develop. Whether the risk of cancer generally rises, is indeed suspected by many physicians, but so far could not be scientifically confirmed. There have been no sufficient long-term studies to prove this.

Operators order tattoo inks on the internet
It may become more difficult for operators to acquire low-cost dyes in the future. A lot of shop owners ordered the colors on the internet. These are then partly delivered from Asian countries. Those colors are in great danger of containing carcinogenic substances, banned preservatives or toxic dyes. For this reason, the Consumer Protection Minister calls for uniformly binding regulations, which should also apply internationally. The laboratory manager complained that the cosmetics regulation is very precisely and clearly regulated in the tattooing regulation, there is an acute need to catch up. Here many changes and innovations would have to be made. (Sb)

Image: Christoph Aron (Pixelmaster-X, deep-pixel)