Now Metal Particles From Tattoo Needles Have Been Found in Human Lymph Nodes

[Judi Lynn]

MICHELLE STARR 28 AUG 2019

It's not just ink particles and contaminants that can travel through your body when you get tattooed. Researchers have now found that metal nanoparticles from the tattooing needles can get left behind, too.

These particles - shed from the needles used to puncture your skin and deposit the ink - include nickel and chromium, which are allergens. So they could induce allergic responses previously attributed only to the inks.

"There is more to tattoos than meets the eye," said environmental scientist Hiram Castilla of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).

"It is not only about the cleanliness of the parlour, the sterilisation of the equipment or even about the pigments. Now we find that the needle wear also has an impact in your body."

Although we humans have been decorating our bodies with pigment deposited under the epidermis for thousands of years, little research has been done on what effect that ink has on our bodies.

Most of it does stay put, since the ink particles are too big for our immune systems to break down. But as ESRF scientists discovered last year, a very small amount of the minutest particles do actually get removed by the immune system, moving through the body before being deposited in the lymph nodes.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/metal-particles-from-tattoo-needles-have-been-found-in-human-lymph-nodes

[mitch96]

1. Curious if there is any proof that it causes harm? nt

[NNadir]

2. I know this is not fashionable, and can be considered a kind of bigotry on my part...

...but I have strong negative reactions to Tattoos. Aesthetically and physiologically they creep me out.

I expect that at least one of my sons would like one, but I've politely asked him to wait until I die to get one.

I'm not thrilled with injected ink; the thought makes me squeamish.

Of course I relayed the contents of this piece immediately to the son in question.

[Judi Lynn]

3. This new info. does add a layer of creepiness to them for me, too. n/t

[DavidDvorkin]

4. I'm with you.