FDA issues health alert over contaminated tattoo ink
FILE - A person receives a leg tattoo in Brighton, England. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning tattoo artists and their customers about contaminated tattoo inks that can cause serious injury.
The FDA says its routing surveying and sampling has identified at least two tattoo inks contaminated with bacteria that is harmful to humans.
Tattoo ink infections
The inks in question have bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
What they're saying:
"Tattoo inks contaminated with these pathogens can cause infections and lead to serious health injuries when injected into the skin during a tattooing procedure, since there is an increased risk of infection any time the skin barrier is broken," the FDA says.
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Symptoms of tattoo-linked infections include rashes or lesions consisting of red papules in the area where ink has been applied. Some infections can lead to permanent scarring.
"Indications of an infection can be difficult to recognize as other conditions (e.g., allergic reactions) may initially have similar signs and symptoms, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments," the FDA says.
Contaminated tattoo inks
The FDA named two tattoo inks contaminated with bacteria:
- Sacred Tattoo Ink, Raven Black; CI# 77266; Lot#: RB0624; Best Before: June 28 2027
- Sacred Tattoo Ink, Sunny Daze; CI# 21095; Lot#: SD1124; Best Before: Nov 1 2027
What you can do:
The FDA recommends asking the tattoo artist or studio about the tattoo inks they use and avoid the tattoo inks listed above, due to risk of infection and injury.
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Health care professionals and customers who have adverse health effects from tattoos are asked to report them to the FDA SmartHub.
Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report any adverse health experiences at FDA's SmartHub.
The Source: This report includes information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.