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Substances contained in tattoo inks and their risks
Tattooing agents can be composed of many different individual sub-
stances that have not been subjected to a health assessment for
this application. Tattoos are mostly made with organic pigments that
exhibit high colour brilliance. Problematic substances in tattooing
agents include, for example, carcinogenic aromatic amines as cleav-
age products from organic pigments or as contamination, as well as
heavy metals, preservatives and a large number of substances whose
function is only partially understood, such as local anaesthetics,
promoter for wound healing or essential oils. Furthermore, there are
tattooing agents with special effects such as “glow in the dark”, whose
composition is largely unknown. Undesired, acute reactions associ-
ated with tattoos include infections, foreign body reactions, scarring
and allergic reactions. Little is known about the long-term effects of
tattooing agents.
Organic pigments with high colour brilliance are generally used for tattoos.
i
FAQ on tattooing agents (in German) at:
www.bfr.bund.de > A-Z-Index
> Tätowierungen
Main Topics 2013 | Tattooing agents
