Tattooing of skin results in transportation and light‐induced decomposition of tattoo pigments – a first quantification in vivo using a mouse model

Abstract

Millions of people are tattooed with inks that contain azo pigments. The pigments contained in tattoo inks are manufactured for other uses with no established history of safe use in humans and are injected into the skin at high densities (2.5 mg/cm(2)). Tattoo pigments disseminate after tattooing throughout the human body and although some may photodecompose at the injection site by solar or laser light exposure, the extent of transport or photodecomposition under in vivo conditions remains currently unknown. We investigated the transport and photodecomposition of the widely used tattoo Pigment Red 22 (PR 22) following tattooing into SKH-1 mice. The pigment was extracted quantitatively at different times after tattooing. One day after tattooing, the pigment concentration was 186 microg/cm(2) skin. After 42 days, the amount of PR 22 in the skin has decreased by about 32% of the initial value. Exposure of the tattooed skin, 42 days after tattooing, to laser light reduced the amount of PR 22 by about 51% as compared to skin not exposed to laser light. A part of this reduction is as a result of photodecomposition of PR 22 as shown by the detection of corresponding hazardous aromatic amines. Irradiation with solar radiation simulator for 32 days caused a pigment reduction of about 60% and we again assume pigment decomposition in the skin. This study is the first quantitative estimate of the amount of tattoo pigments transported from the skin into the body or decomposed by solar or laser radiation.

Adverse Reactions after Tattooing: Review of the Literature and Comparison to Results of a Survey

“…In all these cases, the migration of tattoo pigments via lymphatic drainage was initially considered as evidence for metastatic tumors until proper histopathological examination. Meanwhile, the transportation of tattoo inks, admixtures and impurities from the skin to the lymph nodes is a well-known fact [3,8,50]. Tattooists often also tattoo into pre-existing nevi and pigmented lesions, thus impeding a correct clinical and dermatoscopic evaluation [51,52].…”

“…the staining of consumer products) with no established history of safe use in humans. In addition, such pigments can be decomposed during light exposure into hazardous aromatic amines and can be disseminated throughout the human body [3]. Many pigments and, consequently, the decomposition products have been found in the lymph nodes [4,5,6,7,8,9,10].…”

Tattoo Pigments Are Observed in the Kupffer Cells of the Liver Indicating Blood-Borne Distribution of Tattoo Ink

“…Deposition of tattoo pigment in the skin is not stationary. In a study of mice tattooed with Pigment Red 22, Engel et al [26] showed that after 42 days the amount of pigment in the skin had decreased by 32%. This was done by quantitatively extracting the pigment at different times after tattooing.…”

“…This was done by quantitatively extracting the pigment at different times after tattooing. Furthermore, clearance of the skin from tattoo pigment was shown to depend on light exposure and photodecomposition [26] . Thus, distribution of tattoo pigment from skin to the regional lymph nodes is significant and occurs dynamically, especially during the first few weeks after tattooing when systemic distribution might occur [27] .…”

Content of heavy metals in tattoo ink – health risk

“…W analizie, której dokonali niemieccy naukowcy, badano tusze do tatuażu, które zostały wstrzyknięte pod skórę myszy. Dowiedziono, że 32% barwnika zniknęło 42 dni po wstrzyknięciu; większe cząsteczki uległy kumulacji w wę-złach chłonnych, a nanocząsteczki prawdopodobnie dostały się do krwiobiegu i zostały rozprowadzone po organizmie [13]. Potwierdza to eksperyment przeprowadzony w Chinach w 2009 roku, polegający na iniekcji nanocząsteczek i mikrocząsteczek srebra pod skórę szczurów.…”