Are Tattoos Toxic?

Q: Is the ink from tattoos dangerous for my health?

A: There’s very little evidence that tattoo ink is hazardous to your health (unless you count the mental stress that comes from the regret of having one done). When tattoo ink is injected into the epidermis, the skin reacts by protectively encapsulating the alien clumps of pigment in dense fibrous tissue and nearby lymph nodes collect what migrates out of the tissue. Low levels of carcinogens (cancer causing substances) have been identified in the ink, so as this ink sits trapped under the skin, you may be putting the nearby cells at risk.

Dr. Brent Ridge is the health expert for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. You can call and ask him a question live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 112 (1.866.675.6675). You can also follow along as he learns to grow his own food, raise goats, and make goat milk soap on his farm in upstate New York by visiting www.beekman1802.com.

Got a health question for Dr. Brent? E-mail him at drbrent@care2.com.

Read more: Beauty, Health, health, ink, Safety, tattoos

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Marianne B.

9:27PM PDT on May 18, 2012

I'm in agreement with Jean L. I have 8, and each one means something special to ME. I love them, unless they are offensive. But, to each his/her own.I saw one on T.V. the other day that made me laugh. It was an eyeball, a donut. a carrot, and the word ALL, all down the arm.

send a green star

Heidi A.

11:24PM PDT on Apr 23, 2012

How can injecting ink NOT be toxic? No tattooes for me any more than I would drink the stuff.

LMj S.

7:13PM PST on Feb 15, 2012

thank you.

KS G.

12:28AM PST on Jan 7, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Theresa K.

1:15PM PST on Dec 18, 2011

"There’s very little evidence that tattoo ink is hazardous to your health (unless you count the mental stress that comes from the regret of having one done)."

Really, can you be a bit more snarky? How presumptuous. I have 11 tattoos and plan to get a lot more, and I regret none of them. I waited until I was 21 to get my first one done specifically because I knew it was life-long commitment and I wanted to be sure. Just because YOU don't like ink doesn't mean you need to ASSume everyone's going to have "mental stress" over the "regret" of getting a tattoo. Care 2 is all about being open minded and accepting... until it's about the tattoo'd freaks, then it's perfectly okay to be sassy a-holes in an article, right? How nice.

Joe R.

1:57AM PST on Dec 15, 2011

Does not sound pleasant. Thanks.

Roxane C.

8:14AM PST on Dec 1, 2011

Always use a licensed reputable artist.

Gary C.

10:27AM PST on Nov 29, 2011

Thankyou....

10:24AM PST on Feb 28, 2011

another twenty points for the animals ...

Jean L.

7:57PM PDT on Apr 14, 2010

The article was interesting. I have 6 tatts and go to the same place and never had any problems. You need to check out where you're going for sanitary conditions and make sure you want your body inked. If you're unsure...don't do it. I do not regret any of mine.