What are Ultraviolet Tattoos
UV tattoos are also known as black light tattoos. These tattoos are made with a special ink which becomes visible under a black light. In the last decade these tattoos have become popular among the teenagers. These tattoos are readily visible with the bright lights at raves, night clubs and all night parties.
What is so particular about UV tattoos?
The tattoos placed with UV ink are invisible in normal light, but become visible under black light. The black light causes the UV ink to light up in different colors. The bright appearance of the colors is very captivating. The majority of these UV tattoos are placed on the visible parts of the body such as the face, arms and legs.
Who uses UV tattoos
The popularity of UV tattoos has been soaring for the past decade. The majority of individuals who have such tattoos are young teenagers, college students and party goers. These tattoos remain invisible and only become prominent with the bright lights of dance clubs and night parties. The bright fluorescent color patterns is also a reason why more people are into these tattoos.
Are UV tattoos safe?
However, safety concerns about UV tattoos remain. The chemicals used to make up these UV inks have increasingly being questioned because of the number of skin problems being reported. Numerous skin rashes, blisters and infections have been reported with these UV inks. In addition, there is some concern that these inks may have the potential to cause cancer.
DO all tattoo artists use UV inks?
Because of the concern for ink safety, many tattoo artists will not use UV inks. In fact the number of artists using UV ink is declining. Since there is little or no regulation in the make up of such inks, a few tattoo artists do make their own UV inks.
Have any skin problems been reported with UV light?
The skin problems associated with UV inks have been linked to the presence of phosphorous. This chemical is known to cause severe blistering. Pain, a burning sensation and even skin rashes. Many reports of skin problems have been reported to the Federal agencies.
Does elimination of phosphorus from the ink make it safe?
Some tattoo artists do claim that removal of this chemical has made it safe for use. However, there are others who clam that phosphorus is not the noxious chemical and there may be other agents.
Are UV inks approved by the FDA
Even though some tattoo parlors advertise that UV ink is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This approval is only for use in agriculture and the fishing industry. No approval for human use is available todate. There are no long or short term safety studies on use of these inks in humans.
Can UV inks change color?
There are some reported cases of tattoos fading or turning yellow after the skin has been exposed to sun.
Do all tattoo artists work with UV ink?
Many tattoo artists refuse to work with UV ink because of the potential medical complications. With more awareness and knowledge, UV inks tattoos are making a small resurgence. Newer formulations of the inks are available and most anecdotal reports indicate that the skin problems are less.
How is UV ink tattoo done?
UV ink tattoos are more difficult and require some skill to apply. Since the inks do not light up in normal light and do not easily blend, attention has to be paid during application. Constant use of a black light to visualize the tattoo is required. The procedure is otherwise done in the same way as a normal permanent tattoo.
The UV ink tattoo does take a little longer than using normal inks, because the UV inks are thin and harder to work with.
Final Advice
Until more data is available about the safety of UV inks, it is best to get a tattoo the traditional way.
