Importance of Tattoo Ink Quality
What’s In it and Why You Should Care
Recently I’ve been asked more frequently about the kind of tattoo ink I use. Is it vegan? Organic? All natural? These are very reasonable questions as the ink will be placed within the skin and stay there for a really long time (as long as the recipient is alive unless they choose to utilize laser removal). I didn’t think to ask these questions when I first started to receive tattoos over 25 years ago. I just assumed that there were regulations in place and didn’t think much more beyond that. Allow me to do some clarifying on the matter!
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration, (aka the FDA) is in charge of regulating drugs and chemicals that are sold and used in the US. Seems like they would also regulate tattoo inks since they are put inside the body right? The FDA actually does not regulate tattoo ink for cosmetic or decorative tattoos and the inks themselves are classified as cosmetic products. So while the hygiene of the tattoo shop and the process are regulated by local health authorities, the actual inks used are not. Kind of surprising right?
I’ve actually done a lot of research on this topic recently as I genuinely care about using the highest quality and safest products available to my clients and myself. The EU has done a lot more in regards to regulating the quality of tattoo inks. Inks that are labeled “EU REACH certified” are increasingly considered the gold standard of quality even in the US market. REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals. This entity has recently banned 25 pigments and 4,000 chemicals from being used in their tattoo inks. Most of the pigments banned are only used in color inks with blacks and whites being overall unaffected.
So what does that mean for tattoo artists and enthusiasts in the US? Currently, not much although it’s possible that the FDA will use the EU REACH standard to regulate tattoo pigments in the future. This has understandably created a buzz in the industry, particularly for artists who use a wide range of colors in their work. I do think it is wise to improve the quality and standards of tattoo inks in the US but it’s hard to tell when or if that will come to pass. For now, I’m thankful that I have access to EU REACH-certified pigments for both cosmetic and decorative use on my clients.
If you’re considering a tattoo and you’ve wondered about the quality of tattoo inks being used here are a few things to consider. First, humans have been tattooing themselves for millennia utilizing a variety of pigment sources, even charcoal! We’ve come a long way since our ancestors started marking themselves. Even without regulation from the FDA, there is no notable health crisis among heavily tattooed people which indicates that it may not be much of an issue. Not enough high-quality studies have been done on the matter. Second, if you want a tattoo but feel a bit cautious, consider just getting work with only black ink. It is considered the safest ink available.
I am currently using Pitch Black from Eternal Ink which is indeed EU REACH certified and lists the (exceedingly low) levels of heavy metals on the label (Nickel <0.0005% and Chromium <0.00006%). I love this ink because of the rich black it creates but also because I feel confident using the best quality on my clients. I do use some color but generally only in small amounts. I am using Eternal Ink as well for color however they currently do not have EU REACH .
