Side effects can tattoo ink have on tattooed individuals

Some studies indicate the ink used in your skin may change over time and with exposure to sunlight. Photochemical decomposition of pigments may create a new chemical decomposition product. The potential risks which may arise as a result of the chemical composition of tattoos changing over time can include:

•   the triggering of allergies;
•  exposure to cancer-causing mutagens;
•  deleterious effects on your reproductive system; and
•  toxic health effects as a result of being exposed to heavy metals.

Allergies are often triggered by the development of haptens forming in the skin over time. The online Oxford dictionary defines a hapten as "a small molecule which, when combined with a larger carrier such as a protein, can elicit the production of antibodies which bind specifically to it (in the free or combined state).

 

The development of haptens principally occurs in reaction to red ink.  This creates a tricky situation when it comes to assessing the risks of tattoo inks and tattooing in general because the ink does not actually contain the allergen itself. This makes it hard for researchers to isolate, measure and exclude the substances in the ink which may cause an allergic reaction.

 

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recognise that Cadmium, chromium Vi and nickel have been classified as carcinogenic to humans, however, because cancer has been only been seen to develop in the respiratory tract after inhaling these substances, the carcinogenic effect of the abovementioned substances, at least insofar as tattooing is concerned, has been classified as "non-critical".

The IARC has classified lead as "probably carcinogenic to humans" but the European Union does not see it as having a carcinogenic effect. Tumours have been found, but only after exposure to very high dosages. It is for this reason alone the carcinogenic effect was seen to be "non-critical" in respect of the effect of lead in tattoos.

The IARC has reported that there is a general lack of knowledge between the mechanisms and ingredients of tattoos and cancer. It is now widely known that tattoo colours can be transported from the tattooed skin are to the regional lymph nodes where a tumour may occur. The extent to which there is or isn't a connection between tattoos and tumours cannot be assessed on the current knowledge.

Certain copper salts can cause irritation to the skin, although it has been assessed that irritation of the skin is probably not a critical effect of copper in relation to tattoos. Titanium dioxide often occurs in the form of nanoparticles and it was not possible to assess any health critical effects from these nanoparticles. The same is true of carbon black