Tattoo ink! What is being massively kicked under our skin today
Pleasure to talk with you again :) We are back with new materials that will directly or indirectly touch and reflect the most interesting split of the tattooing industry.
Today we will look at an integral part of a tattooing, the tattoo ink/ink that today's market chooses and offers us.
In the modern era, tattoo ink manufacturers have made significant strides in creating high-quality black ink that meets the strict industry's standards. Modern black tattoo inks often consist of coal, that is suspended with distilled water, glycerin, and propylene glycol. From the beginning of using the natural ingredients of coal and soot to the present day, black ink remains a base color in the world of tattooing.
The Roman physician Aetius had his own recipe for tattoo ink, consisting of pine bark, corroded bronze mixed with vinegar, insect eggs and the bark of the vitriol tree. Modern inks aren't very different from these ancient inks - in terms of hazardous materials.
What is hiding in this bottle, advertised to us in the tattoo parlor as a safe and tested material .... :(
In the United States, tattoo inks should be covered by the US Food and Drug Administration, but the FDA states on its website that “ the FDA hasn’t approved any tattoo pigment for injection into skin" and that "many pigments used in tattoo inks are industrially produced technical grade colors , suitable for "printer ink or car paint". Some tattoo inks may contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel, zinc, chromium, cobalt, aluminum, titanium, copper, iron and barium. Others may contain metal oxides such as ferrocyanide and ferricyanide, and other elements such as antimony, arsenic, beryllium, calcium, lithium, selenium and Sulphur.
Even widespread temporary ink black henna is not safe. Health Canada has advised against its use because it contains para-phenylenediamine (PPD), which can cause allergic reactions in the form of rashes, contact dermatitis, itching, blisters, open sores and scars. The worst of these are homemade tattoo inks, which people make from pen ink, soot, dirt, blood, or other ingredients.
Let's also explain why :) Laws do not require manufacturers to disclose their ingredients or carry out trials, so no one knows exactly what is in them and how it reacts with the human body. Pigments and preservatives in tattoo ink can cause allergic reactions in the skin. After the tattoo is applied, some of the ink is carried away by the blood vessels and lymphatic system, and some of it may be excreted or accumulated in the body. Tattoo pigments can migrate to the lymph nodes, including toxic elements in the ink, such as chromium.
The European Union has begun to ban the use of certain pigments in tattoo inks due to health safety concerns. In the United States, tattoo inks are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, which generally does not investigate commercial inks unless it receives complaints about specific safety issues. In the United States, tattoo ink manufacturers are not required to disclose their ingredients or prove that a voluntarily published list of ingredients is accurate. The composition, quality and safety of tattoo inks from different manufacturers vary greatly.
Of course, these written nonsense will not stop you from getting a tattoo and rightly so, but you are the buyer of the service and you pay decent money, so what is left? Ask and rely on the integrity of the master, the tattoo parlor.
Real tattoo artists experimented with many chemicals to identify durable pigments that could produce different colors without causing bad reactions, often testing the ink on their own skin for a few years.
Sailor Jerry, who began working as a tattoo artist in the 1930s, mixed D&C dry color pigments (approved for medical and cosmetic use) with isopropyl alcohol and benzalkonium chloride. He worked with Bob Palm, a tattoo artist who had studied chemistry, to find pigments that would expand his color range, including tattooing himself and testing for bad reactions. He introduced the use of phthalo green ink, and he used a purple pigment that he hid from other artists for many years.
Japanese horimono practice includes tebori tattoos made by hand using sumi ink. This ink is made from soot obtained by burning a specific type of wood, bound with animal glue, and the application method results in a greenish-black color to the skin. It is in Japan that the craftsman vouches with his reputation that the ink will last and won't fade for the the wearer's lifetime and beyond. See the article about Japanese tattoos :)
Permanence - the persistence of the ink color on the skin. Tattoo ink is usually permanent in the sense that it fades very gradually over a lifetime. The reason for this permanence is that tattoo ink is hydrophobic. Of course, many will disagree and the independent renewal of the tattoo color is an integral part of the tattoo industry, which is what it is :) We take the ink that has already been renewed and the client will be back in two years :)
From tribal tattoos to intricate dot work and realism, black ink is a versatile tool for artists to create bold and striking designs. Its ability to provide contrast and depth makes it an essential element in achieving intricate shading, fine lines and captivating details. Certainly, the color used in the execution of the tattoo is the main ingredient that, combined with the talent, will be enjoyed for a lifetime.
P.S.
Here's the answer for you - we will open the doors of a real salon only when the colors we will mix for you will be safe, durable and fantastic. Only time and our own skin will prove our determination to create and offer only the highest quality product :)
