WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - New research suggested that injecting colored ink into the skin through tattoos may cause health problems later in life, causing risks such as allergic reactions, especially during tattoo removal, and possibly a higher risk of cancer.
Tattoo ink is made of many chemicals. It contains color pigments, liquids that help spread the ink, preservatives to stop bacteria from growing, and small impurities. Many of the pigments used in tattoo inks were first made for industrial uses like car paint, plastic, and printer ink, not for use in the human body.
Some tattoo inks contain small amounts of heavy metals such as nickel, chromium, cobalt, and sometimes lead, which could be harmful in certain amounts and are known to cause allergic reactions. Tattoo inks may also contain other chemicals, including azo dyes and substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Researchers found that tattoo ink is absorbed by immune cells in the skin. When these cells die, they send signals that keep the immune system active, which can cause inflammation in nearby lymph nodes for upto two months. The study also showed that tattoo ink at a vaccine injection site can change how the immune system responds to vaccines, suggesting that tattoo pigments can sometimes interfere with how immune cells communicate with each other during infections or vaccinations. However, there is no strong evidence showing that tattoos cause cancer in humans.
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