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Non-Toxic Tattoo Ink Ingredients

Tattoos are extremely popular in the United States; a 2003 Harris Poll showed that 36% of Americans aged 25 to 29 had at least one tattoo. Until recently, tattoo inks were not heavily regulated, and some inks contained harmful metallic salts, plastics, chemicals and even formaldehyde. Many tattoo artists have switched over to non-toxic inks. Before you get a tattoo, get a list of ink ingredients from your tattoo artist.

  1. Carriers

    • There are two main components to tattoo ink---the pigment and the carriers. The carriers are the solvent for the pigment, and they carry the pigment from the tattoo needle into the dermis (inner layer of the skin). An effective, non-toxic carrier keeps pigment sanitary and evenly mixed. Examples of non-toxic carriers include ethanol, witch hazel, Listerine, propylene glycol, purified water and glycerin.

    White and Black

    • Two of the most popular pigment types are white and blank. Typical black pigments consist of iron derivatives, which may be toxic. Those made from carbon and logwood alone should not cause a toxic reaction. White pigments that are non-toxic include titanium dioxide, anatase and rutile.

    Yellow, Green and Blue

    • Most typically used yellow pigments are considered toxic, like cadmium yellow and chrome metal. Non-toxic yellow ingredients include curcuma yellow, which is made with turmeric and disazodiarylide. The green pigment monoazo is considered non-toxic, but many other green pigments are toxic. Blue pigments that are non-toxic are calcium copper silicate and silicate of sodium and aluminum. Copper salts, like copper phthalocyanine, are also safe and non-toxic.

    Violet and Red

    • Non-toxic violet pigments include dioxazine and carbazole. Many other violet pigments are toxic, such as manganese violet, c and cobalt phosphate. Red pigments most frequently cause allergic reactions in tattoos, and that may be attributable to the iron oxide (rust) found in the substance. Most red pigments are toxic; these include cinnabar and cadmium red. Naphthol is one of the least-reactive and toxic of the red pigments. Be extremely careful with red pigment tattoos, because of their tendency to cause reactions.

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