Are Your Tattoos Toxic?

A tattoo often holds a great deal of symbolic significance, but most people don’t realise that tattoos also have significant health implications for those who get them. The process involves a tattoo artist using a needle to inject ink into the dermis of the skin. Obviously, this puts individuals at risk of getting an infection if the needle isn’t sterilised correctly. 

It also potentially exposes them to toxic metals found in some tattoo inks. These metals, such as lead, cadmium and mercury, are used to create certain pigments including red, yellow and orange (1). When the body is exposed to these toxic metals, they can spread to the lymph nodes and lead to various health issues (2). For example, lead and mercury are neurotoxins and can result in anxiety, headaches, neuropathy and sleep issues (3). 

Meanwhile, cadmium can raise blood pressure, damage the kidneys and accumulate on the surface of bones and in the gonads where it can lead to infertility and lower sperm quality and quantity (2, 3). 

Many of the heavy metals found in tattoo inks are also known carcinogens and contribute to an increased risk of developing cancer (2).

Tattoo ink isn’t regulated and the composition is highly variable (4). 

To minimise the risks associated with toxic metals in tattoo ink, it’s essential to do thorough research before getting a tattoo. I always recommend my patients look for a reputable tattoo artist who uses high-quality inks made from non-toxic, organic pigments. 

If your patient currently has tattoos and is concerned about toxic exposure to these heavy metals, it’s important to ensure they’re getting adequate vitamins and minerals in their diet as well as run a hair mineral test to check their levels of toxic metals. 
Heavy metals are removed from the blood and stored in bodily tissue, so hair mineral analysis gives the most accurate assessment of your heavy metal exposure than any other form of testing.

References
Eghbali, K., Mousavi, Z. and Ziarati, P., 2014. Determination of heavy metals in tattoo ink. Biosci. Biotech. Res. Asia, 11(2), 941-946.
Negi, S., Bala, L., Shukla, S. and Chopra, D., 2022. Tattoo inks are toxicological risks to human health: a systematic review of their ingredients, fate inside skin, toxicity due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, primary aromatic amines, metals, and overview of regulatory frameworks. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 38(7), 417-434.
Vallee, B.L. and Ulmer, D.D., 1972. Biochemical effects of mercury, cadmium, and lead. Annual review of biochemistry, 41(1), 91-128.
Karadagli, S.S., Cansever, I., Armagan, G. and Sogut, O., 2022. Are Some Metals in Tattoo Inks Harmful to Health? An Analytical Approach. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 36(1), 104-111.