Ars Technica – The Food and Drug Administration has been warning for years that some tattoo inks are brimming with bacteria—a large assortment that, when injected into your skin, can cause inflammatory reactions, allergic hypersensitivity, toxic responses, and, of course, straight-up infections.
And, worse yet, the labels that say the inks are sterile are not reliable.
But, a recent recall of three tattoo pigments from the same manufacturer does a good job of illustrating the FDA’s concerns.
The water-based inks, all from Sierra Stain, had a bizarre array of bacteria, which were found at high levels, according to FDA testing.
One ink product—described as “Carolina Blue”—offered a microbial menagerie, with six odd species identified.
They included a bacterium that often dwells in the gastrointestinal system and can inflame the mucosal lining of the intestines, a water-borne bacterium, and several that cause opportunistic infections.
These are bacteria that don’t typically go about attacking humans but will if the conditions are right, including when they find themselves inside a human with a compromised immune system.
An ink called “UV China Pink” contained an unusual soil bacterium (Curtobacterium citreum/pusillum).
And an “All Purpose Black” ink puzzlingly contained Acetobacter senegalensis, a bacterium first isolated from mangos in Senegal and used for industrial vinegar production in low-income countries.
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 types of bacteria, many that were possibly disease-causing …
