Many tattoo inks contaminated with bacteria: FDA

Infections from contaminated ink can lead to deadly complications like sepsis.

(NewsNation) — New research from the Food and Drug Administration found many tattoo and permanent makeup inks were contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria, including some marked as sterile.

The agency tested 75 inks from 14 different manufacturers, which have not been publicly named. Researchers found 35% of the inks tested were contaminated by bacteria. Of the inks tested, permanent makeup inks were more likely to be contaminated than tattoo inks.

Half of the tested inks were labeled as sterile, but that designation did not make a difference when it came to finding contamination.

The study tested for aerobic bacteria, which require oxygen to grow, and anaerobic bacteria, which can flourish even in an environment without oxygen. Bacteria found included staphylococcus saprophyticus, which is a leading cause of urinary tract infections; staphylococcus epidermis, which is usually connected to health care-acquired infections; cutibacterium acnes, which can cause acne; pseudomonas putida, which usually infects those who are immunocompromised; and stenotrophomonas maltophilia, which is a drug-resistant bacteria.

The presence of bacteria can pose potential dangers to the roughly 32% of Americans who have at least one tattoo. Because tattoo inks are injected deep into the skin, it's easy for an infection to travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

That means in addition to causing local infections, the bacteria have the potential to cause systemic reactions that can lead to life-threatening complications like sepsis and endocarditis. Sepsis can progress rapidly, leading to organ failure and death.

The FDA reported a rise in tattoo infections in 2023, and the new data indicates contaminated ink could be part of the problem, along with infections caused by artists using non-sterile techniques or improper aftercare.

Tattoo and permanent makeup inks are not regulated by the FDA, though the agency issued draft guidelines in 2023 that gave guidance on avoiding contamination to manufacturers.

Those who have multiple tattoos or large designs are at higher risk for infection due to the amount of ink they are exposed to.

For those who are hoping to get tattooed or add more ink to their bodies, experts suggest asking studios how they handle inks. In addition to usual precautions, like using new needles on each tattoo and ensuring that the same gloves don't touch ink bottles and tattoos, some places are taking additional precautions.

Those include doing independent testing of ink to look for contamination or using an autoclave to re-sterilize ink after it has been purchased.

In addition to speaking with a studio about safety practices, it's also important to follow other aftercare practices including using antibacterial soap, appropriate healing ointments and avoiding swimming in pools, lakes, hot tubs or other bodies of water until the tattoo has fully healed.