WASHINGTON: Researchers have warned of bacteria in commercially used tattoo and permanent makeup inks that could cause human infections.
Seung Jae Kim, a microbiologist at the US Food and Drug Administration, said: “Our findings suggest that tattoo ink can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can thrive in low-oxygen environments such as the skin layer.
He added that this study suggests that contaminated tattoo ink can be a source of the spread of infection from both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
The above report has been published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology’.
The researchers’ study aimed to assess the presence of bacteria in tattoo inks in the US market and its disadvantages. The findings also emphasize monitoring tattoo inks to detect bacteria.