Michelle Starr
Science Alert
It’s not just ink particles and contaminants that can travel through your body when you get tattooed. Researchers have now found that metal nanoparticles from the tattooing needles can get left behind, too.
These particles – shed from the needles used to puncture your skin and deposit the ink – include nickel and chromium, which are allergens. So they could induce allergic responses previously attributed only to the inks.
“There is more to tattoos than meets the eye,” said environmental scientist Hiram Castilla of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).
“It is not only about the cleanliness of the parlour, the sterilisation of the equipment or even about the pigments. Now we find that the needle wear also has an impact in your body.”
Read more here.
