Page 30 - An Introduction to Laser Tattoo Removal

Most tattoo inks are composed of organic substances, however, a significant proportion are inorganic or unknown in origin.
This has led to concerns about the safety of such inks in the skin.
Figure 9: Basic compounds of tattoo inks
Taken from the JRC Science for Policy Report “Safety of tattoos and permanent make-up – Final Report”
Chapter 2 – Fundamentals of Laser Tattoo Removal v1.0
Harmonised analytical methods should be developed to ensure reproducible results and allow a correct implementation of the chemical requirements of legislation in place. Market surveillance activities should be continued to identify hazardous products and be carried out also on products sold on-line.
Additional information campaigns on risks for potential clients, particular targeted to teenagers and young people should be undertaken, allowing an informed choice.
The training of tattooists should be compulsory and cover at least some key topics. The preparation of harmonised hygiene guidelines is highly recommended and inspections of studios required. The phenomenon of clandestine backyard tattooing should be stopped.”
Excerpt From: JRC. “Safety of tattoos and permanent make-up : Final report.”
You can obtain the full report here. Bad Reactions to Tattooing
Tattoo inks can contain a wide range of chemicals, some toxic, many benign. However, even commonly used tattoo inks can still elicit an adverse reaction in some. Here, I present a case of a young lady, skin type 2, who had a number of tattoos and wished for another.
She had a multi-coloured design which included a portion of green ink, plus some black ink. However, something in the inks ‘disagreed’ with her skin and were rejected. As you can see from the photos, her skin responded very badly with ink being ‘forced out’ in the weeks after insertion.
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Chapter 2 LEVEL A Laser Tattoo Removal
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