Tattoo supplies warnings. Safe and unsafe supply purchases.

The concern over potential risks is growing as tattoos become more popular. Certain risks, such as the spreading of infections by unsterilized needles, have been well known for a long time. The safety of tattoo inks is not clear.

Permanent tattoos can be made using needles to inject color ink beneath the skin’s surface. Permanent makeup is a permanent tattoo that resembles cosmetic products like a blush, lipliner, eyebrow pencil, or eyeliner.

State and local authorities supervise tattooing.  However, FDA regulations apply to tattoo ink and pigments. FDA has never previously regulated tattoo inks and the pigments they contain, citing public health concerns and lack of safety evidence.

What are the potential risks

Infection – dirty needles may transmit infections like HIV and hepatitis from one person to the next.

There have been reports of allergies and problems with ink pigments used in permanent and temporary tattoos.

Scarring – Unwanted scar tissue can form after a tattoo is removed or changed.

Granulomas are slight bumps or knots that may develop around materials the body considers foreign. For example, particles of tattoo pigment.

Ink

FDA has not approved tattoo pigments for injection in the skin. This applies to all tattoo colors, even those that are used for UV (Ultraviolet), and glow-in the-dark tattoos. Many tattoo inks contain industrial-grade pigments that can be used as inks or paints for automobiles.

FDA has not approved temporary tattoos using henna. Henna can only be used as a hair dye.

DIY Tattoo Kits

These tattoo kits are of terrible quality. You can tell the quality of these tattoo kits is poor when you see them with multiple tattoo machines and dozens of tattoo ink bottles.

Are home tattoos safe?

You may have noticed when you browsed the tattoo supply websites that a single professional tattoo machine can cost upwards to $300. You can find some of the most sophisticated tattoo pens and combinations of batteries for as high as $1000. It’s hard to believe that a kit with inks, needles, a machine for tattooing, power supply and a foot pedal could be of decent quality if it costs less than one professional machine.

These kits can be dangerous and leave you with broken tattoo needles, toxic inks, and sterilization nightmares. Your client’s health and safety will be at risk if you use low-quality equipment.

Bloodborne Pathogens

You can easily find the list of diseases you and your clients are at risk for by tattooing at-home. Tattooing at home can lead to blood-borne illnesses.

Each year, state-licensed tattoo artists must complete hours of training to prevent cross contamination. You might not realize you are unsafe if you don’t have this training. Therefore, you need to be trained before you ever touch needles on skin.

Your couch, chair, and carpet can all be infected with disease if they are not properly sterilized. It is not worth getting hepatitis, or HIV, from any tattoo, even if it’s a questionable one. It is not worth sharing the disease with your family members or friends no matter how many times you use a kit.

Remember that tattoo ink from China will not be safe for actual skin. There are genuine risks of this ink causing skin disfigurement and other problems. You can see the results of allergic reactions to tattoos by looking online. If you want to have a successful tattoo career, it’s a serious dermatological problem that you should avoid.

It will always be there.

Consider tattoos permanent. Removing tattoos is expensive, time-consuming and sometimes not possible.
Avoid ordering or buying online tattoo-removal products. These acid-based products have not been approved by the FDA and can cause skin irritations.

If you wish to have a tattoo taken out, consult your doctor. You can find a tattoo-removal specialist through the American society of laser medicine and surgical.