Tattoo colors are dangerous to health

Tattoo colors in the body: anything but harmless

06/10/2013

In Germany, every tenth is tattooed, among young people one in four - and rising. However, risks and side effects of tattoos are barely known. They were discussed on 6 and 7 June at an international symposium in Berlin. International experts presented in five „Sessions“ current knowledge of the subareas „Analytics & Exposure“, „toxicology“, „Microbiology & Hygiene“, „technology“ and „Risk Assessment & Regulation“. The focus of the event was in particular the safety of the means and colors used.

Ingredients of tattoo inks regulated by law
The biggest problem of the scene: Armed with a trade license anyone can become a tattoo artist. This also regrets Maik Frey, spokesman for the industry association „German Organized Tattoo Artists“. In addition to the approximately 6,000 legal, there are also about 20,000 illegal tattoo studios. Due to lack of controls, the security of the devices and colors used there is not guaranteed, explains Frey. Add to this a rapidly growing industry that wants to benefit from the need for tattoo inks. "There used to be only three to five manufacturers, today it's five hundred," says Frey. While German colors „as rather harmless“ apply, the sale via the Internet is a major security problem. Especially Chinese dyes are offered at reasonable prices.

Tattooing materials need to be for consumers „be safe and not harm human health“, decrees the Food and Feed Code. Since 2008, there are also concrete requirements for the tattooing agent regulation „Tattooing and permanent makeup products“. „However, so far there are no health assessments for individual substances regarding their use in tattooing. This means that it is often unknown how substances introduced via tattoos work in the body“, it says in an opinion of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) from September 2012. „From the point of view of the BfR, there is a need for research in particular with regard to the distribution, metabolization and deposition / precipitation of the colorants as well as the other ingredients and possible fission products.“

Complications after the tattoo
Relatively often after the tattoo minor complications occur, such as rash, itching or inflammation with blistering. About six to eight percent of tattooed people suffer permanent health problems. In addition, allergies are especially common. They sometimes occur only long after tattooing, triggered by, for example, sunlight. A big problem is about the nickel content of tattoo inks. There are concrete guidelines for cosmetic products, explains the BfR. #„For tattooing, however, there is currently no rule, although tattooing the skin as a protective layer is eliminated,
since the funds are introduced directly into the skin.“ Nickel is the world's leading contact allergen. „On average, 8.6 percent of the world's general population suffers from a nickel allergy“, writes the health portal Nickelfrei.de.

According to Luch, the biggest problem is the lack of longer-term research. "No one can rule out that tattooing after ten or fifteen years cause damage to health - are conceivable organ damage to tumorous changes." It was not until about two years ago that an official body for the investigation of black tattoo inks discovered carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. To what extent tattoo colors lead to the formation of cancer, however, is unclear. „There have been increasing reports for some years that skin tumors have grown in tattooed areas. However, it is not clear if this is coincidence or consequence of the tattoo“, explains dermatologist Michael Landthaler.

Another problem is that the colors used do not remain on the skin. „About one third of the amount of color passes through the lymph into the body“, so Landthaler. To find out what's happening to them, you need bigger studies. Physicist Wolfgang Bäumler of the University of Regensburg emphasizes: „The colors do not stay in the place where they are stabbed“, consumers would have to be aware of this in the run-up to a tattoo. „Tattoos near lymph nodes are definitely as colorful as the tattoo.“

Tattoo colors require further research
"Based on our current data, we can not give a reasonable assessment of the risks," sums up Luch. There are still many questions and few answers. Above all, the financing of large studies and experiments make problems. At the congress, researchers presented mainly smaller examinations. Absolutely sure tattoos do not exist, that's why the interim conclusion. "Anyone who sees a tattoo as something purely cosmetic and wants total security, should just leave it," explains Mark Benecke from "Pro Tattoo". To avoid accidentally covering dangerous melanomas with a tattoo, dermatologist Nicolas Kluger advises to wait until the age of 25 to get the tattoo. Food chemist Michael Vocke adds: "If you let yourself be tattooed, let yourself be shown the color and ask if it meets the legal requirements." (Lb)

Also read:
Tattoo: health hazards through tattoos
Health risk through tattoo
Toxic substances in tattoo colors
Painful and expensive removal of tattoos

Image: Sabrina Gonstalla