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  5. Tattoos & Permanent Makeup: Fact Sheet
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Tattoos & Permanent Makeup: Fact Sheet

The FDA issued a Safety Advisory on May 15, 2019 warning consumers, tattoo artists, and retailers about using or selling certain tattoo inks contaminated with microorganisms.

For details on all tattoo ink recalls, please see our Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Page. As with any cosmetic product, if you experience an adverse event that you think may be related to the use of tattoo inks, you should report the event to the FDA.

Consumers, manufacturers, tattoo artists, and health care providers may have questions on tattoos, permanent makeup, temporary tattoos, and henna (mehndi). Here is safety and regulatory information on these products.

Quick Guide

Learn the fast facts about types of tattoos, risks to consider, removals, and FDA’s role in monitoring safety.

Safety and Regulatory Background

FDA considers the inks used in intradermal tattoos, including permanent makeup, to be cosmetics. When we identify a safety problem associated with a cosmetic, including a tattoo ink, we investigate and take action, as appropriate, to prevent consumer illness or injury. The pigments used in the inks are color additives, which are subject to premarket approval under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. However, because of other competing public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety problems specifically associated with these pigments, FDA traditionally has not exercised regulatory authority for color additives on the pigments used in tattoo inks. The actual practice of tattooing is regulated by local jurisdictions.

During 2003 and 2004, FDA became aware of more than 150 reports of adverse reactions in consumers to certain permanent makeup ink shades, and it is possible that the actual number of women affected was greater. The inks associated with this outbreak were voluntarily recalled by the company that marketed them in 2004. In the spring of 2012, we received reports of infections from contaminated inks, resulting in their recall and market withdrawal. In the fall of 2017, a firm voluntarily recalled several colors and sizes of tattoo inks, due to microbial contamination identified by an FDA survey. In addition, concerns raised by the scientific community regarding the pigments used in tattoo inks have prompted FDA to investigate their safe use. FDA continues to evaluate the extent and severity of adverse events associated with tattooing and is conducting research on tattoo inks. As new information is assessed, we will consider whether additional actions are necessary to protect public health.

In addition to the reported adverse reactions, areas of concern include tattoo removal, infections that result from tattooing, and the increasing variety of pigments and diluents being used in tattooing. More than fifty different pigments and shades are in use, and the list continues to grow. Although a number of color additives are approved for use in cosmetics, none is approved for injection into the skin. Using an unapproved color additive in a tattoo ink makes the ink adulterated. Many pigments used in tattoo inks are not approved for skin contact at all. Some are industrial grade colors that are suitable for printers' ink or automobile paint.

Nevertheless, many individuals choose to undergo tattooing in its various forms. For some, it is an aesthetic choice or an initiation rite. Some choose permanent makeup as a time saver or because they have physical difficulty applying regular, temporary makeup. For others, tattooing is an adjunct to reconstructive surgery, particularly of the face or breast, to simulate natural pigmentation. People who have lost their eyebrows due to alopecia (a form of hair loss) may choose to have "eyebrows" tattooed on, while people with vitiligo (a lack of pigmentation in areas of the skin) may try tattooing to help camouflage the condition.

Whatever their reason, consumers should be aware of the risks involved in order to make an informed decision.  

Risks Involved in Tattooing

The following are the primary complications that can result from tattooing:

  • Infection. Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit infectious diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis, and skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus ("staph") and other bacteria*. Tattoos received at facilities not regulated by your state or at facilities that use unsterile equipment (or re-use ink) may prevent you from being accepted as a blood or plasma donor for twelve months. Infections also have resulted from contaminated tattoo inks, even when the tattoo artist has followed hygienic procedures. These infections can require prolonged treatment with antibiotics. 
  • Removal problems. Despite advances in laser technology, removing a tattoo is a painstaking process, usually involving several treatments and considerable expense. Complete removal without scarring may be impossible.
  • Allergic reactions. Although FDA has received reports of numerous adverse reactions associated with certain shades of ink in permanent makeup, marketed by a particular manufacturer, reports of allergic reactions to tattoo pigments have been rare. However, when they happen they may be particularly troublesome because the pigments can be hard to remove. Occasionally, people may develop an allergic reaction to tattoos they have had for years.
  • Granulomas. These are nodules that may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigment.
  • Keloid formation. If you are prone to developing keloids -- scars that grow beyond normal boundaries -- you are at risk of keloid formation from a tattoo. Keloids may form any time you injure or traumatize your skin. Micropigmentation: State of the Art, a book written by Charles Zwerling, M.D., Annette Walker, R.N., and Norman Goldstein, M.D., states that keloids occur more frequently as a consequence of tattoo removal.
  • MRI complications. There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects.There have also been reports of tattoo pigments interfering with the quality of the MRI image. This seems to occur mainly when a person with permanent eyeliner undergoes MRI of the eyes. However, the risks of avoiding an MRI when your doctor has recommended one are likely to be much greater than the risks of complications from an interaction between the MRI and tattoo or permanent makeup. Instead of avoiding an MRI, individuals who have tattoos or permanent makeup should inform the radiologist or radiologic technologist.

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A Common Problem: Dissatisfaction

A common problem that may develop with tattoos is the desire to remove them. Removing tattoos and permanent makeup can be very difficult.

Although tattoos may be satisfactory at first, they sometimes fade. Also, if the tattooist injects the pigments too deeply into the skin, the pigments may migrate beyond the original sites, resulting in a blurred appearance.

Another cause of dissatisfaction is that the human body changes over time, and styles change with the season. The permanent makeup that may have looked flattering when first injected may later clash with changing skin tones and facial or body contours. People who plan to have facial cosmetic surgery are advised that the appearance of their permanent makeup may become distorted. The tattoo that seem stylish at the time may become dated and embarrassing later on. And changing tattoos or permanent makeup is not as easy as changing your mind.

Consult your healthcare provider about the best removal techniques for you.

Temporary Tattoos, Henna /Mehndi, and "Black Henna"

Temporary tattoos, such as those applied to the skin with a moistened wad of cotton, fade several days after application. FDA has issued an import alert for certain foreign-made temporary tattoos containing colors that are not permitted for this use or don't carry the FDA-mandated list of ingredients. Additionally, FDA has received reports of allergic reactions to temporary tattoos.

In a similar action, FDA has issued an import alert for henna intended for use on the skin. Henna is approved only for use as a hair dye, not for direct application to the skin. Also, henna typically produces a reddish brown tint, raising questions about what ingredients are added to produce the varieties of colors labeled as "henna," such as "black henna" and "blue henna." Hair dyes are not approved for use on the skin, and some people may be sensitive to them. FDA has also received reports of allergic reactions to temporary tattoos that contain henna and those consisting only of hair dye. Some reactions have resulted in scarring.

To learn more, see Temporary Tattoos, Henna/Mehndi, and "Black Henna."

Reporting Adverse Reactions

FDA urges consumers and healthcare professionals to report adverse reactions from tattoos, permanent makeup, and temporary tattoos, as well as problems with tattoo removal.

Consumers and healthcare professionals can report problems to FDA by using the contact information at How to Report a Cosmetic Product Related Complaint | FDA.

For more information, see the additional resources listed under Tattoos and Permanent Makeup.

* For related information on infections from tattooing, see the following documents from the Centers for Disease Control: Viral Hepatitis B Fact Sheet and "Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infections Among Tattoo Recipients --- Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont, 2004-2005" (published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 23, 2006).

Related Resources

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