The US Food and Drug Administration has been warning for years that some tattoo inks are full of bacteria – a wide variety that, when injected into the skin, can cause inflammatory reactions, allergic hypersensitivity, toxic reactions and, of course, direct infections. And worse still, the labels that say the inks are sterile are not reliable.
But a recent recall of three tattoo pigments from the same manufacturer highlights the FDA's concerns. The water-based inks, all from Sierra Stain, contained a bizarre collection of bacteria that FDA testing found to be present at high levels.
One ink product – described as “Carolina Blue” – featured a microbial menagerie in which six different species were identified. This included a bacterium that commonly lives in the gastrointestinal tract and can inflame the lining of the intestine (Citrobacter braakii), a water-borne bacterium (Cupriavidus pauculus) and several that cause opportunistic infections (Citrobacter Farmer, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Ochrobacterrum anthropiAnd Pseudomonas fluorescensThese are bacteria that do not normally attack humans, but under the right conditions will do so, even when they are in the body of a person with a weakened immune system.
An ink called “UV China Pink” contained an unusual soil bacterium (Curtobacterium citreum/pusillum). And an “All Purpose Black” ink mysteriously contained Acetobacter senegalensisa bacterium first isolated from mangoes in Senegal and used in low-income countries for industrial vinegar production.
The three inks were sold nationwide through Amazon. To date, no infections or adverse reactions have been reported related to these inks. However, the FDA cautions that reactions to contaminated inks can be difficult to accurately diagnose. The infections and skin reactions can look like general rashes and allergic reactions and sometimes include lesions with red papules in the areas where the ink was injected, the FDA notes. However, infections from tattoo ink can leave permanent scars.
In a study published in July in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, FDA researchers tested 75 samples of tattoo and permanent makeup inks from 14 manufacturers. Of the 75 inks, 26 (35 percent) were contaminated with a total of 34 species of bacteria, many of which were potentially pathogenic. Some of the bacteria were anaerobic, meaning they do not need oxygen to grow, suggesting they could thrive in the oxygen-poor environment of the skin's layers. Of the 40 tattoo inks, nine (22 percent) were contaminated. Of all the ink samples, 49 were labeled “sterile,” and of those, 16 (33 percent) were contaminated.
The recall notice noted that Sierra Stain is no longer in business. While the company provided a remaining email address, it did not immediately respond to an Ars request for comment about the bacteria found in its inks.
The FDA recommends that consumers pay attention to the quality and safety of tattoo supplies and techniques. It also recommends that tattoo artists work in professional environments where the risk of contamination can be reduced.