The most correct answer is simple and short. We can not be 100% sure!
Manufacturers of inks and pigments (tattoo paints) were not obliged until relatively recently to disclose the contents. Now, by law and a Community directive, companies are required to issue certificates of good manufacture of tattoo inks. Thus appeared pigments with minimal alcohol, with glycerin, water and witch hazel extract.
Most tattoo inks are not technical inks. They are suspensions that are composed of pigments that are suspended in a carrier solution. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, pigments are not usually plant-based inks. Today, pigments are mainly minerals. However, there are inks that are synthetic (plastic) and there are also plant inks.
The pigment provides the color of the tattoo. The purpose of the carrier is to preserve (preserve) the color, to keep the dispersible material stable in a homogeneous mixture (evenly) so that it is easy to apply.
Tattoo colors and their toxic action.
I am referring in this article mainly to the composition of the molecules of the ink and its carrier (excipient). However, there are significant health risks associated with tattooing, both from the inherent toxicity of the substances used and from the application of unhealthy practices in the tattoo creation process.
So even though some of the dangers are listed here to learn more about the other dangers of taking care of a new tattoo, and the safe process of creating it, learn from related articles. It is good for every material (pigment) or excipient that we use in our skin to check the safety report that it has.
So if you are thinking of getting material from USA or Asian countries (CHINA, THAILAND, etc.), your only guarantee to have material that is not going to hurt is to choose a reliable, experienced supplier.
If you are choosing a professional tattoo artist, then it is better to choose someone who has store and experience, both in mixing his own ink (not necessarily safer), as well as experience in applications that he did with his pigments, that they have not created any problems or even have not been reported.
Try to use the well-known brands of pigments, and not the new ones on the market, but the ones that have been tested in practice for years that are also less likely to cause a reaction.
For example, there are more reports of red ink reaction than most black inks.
Bright colors tend to produce more reactions than darker shades, perhaps because more pigment is needed to achieve a brighter color.
One cannot classify a particular color as “safe” or “dangerous” because it depends on the particular product, but everyone can discuss any concerns they may have with the tattoo artist they have chosen. Apart from the reaction of the ink, there are other dangers related to the tattoo that you may want to consider and it is right to ask about them the artist you will choose while it is his duty to inform you.
Tattoo ink consists of a dye and an excipient. This excipient may be a single substance or a mixture. The purpose of the carrier (excipient) is to keep the pigment evenly distributed in the mixture. to keep it fluid, to inhibit the growth of pathogens, to prevent the accumulation or agglomeration of the pigment, so that it is easy to apply to the skin. Among the safest and most common ingredients used are:
ethyl alcohol (ethanol)
purified water
witch hazel
propylene glycol
glycerine (glycerol)
The water that an artist may use to dilute the ink should be sterile. Saline could replace a possible shortage of distilled and sterile water.
The person mixing the ink must know how to use the appropriate sterilization techniques. In order not to affect the quality of the pigment and to ensure the safety of its product.
This includes knowledge of heat sterilization, cold sterilization and also understands the need for different sterilization methods depending on the material. For example, powder or mixed dye with multiple temperature resistances should never be sterilized, as heat can cause chemical changes in the dye molecules, and sometimes produce toxic substances.It is therefore important that the storage of the pigments is at room temperature and that the ink bottles are not in shop windows that are hit by the sun, on shelves above heating pads, etc.
Propylene glycol and glycerin are the most innocent substances to be used as excipients as they maintain the homogeneity of the suspension. Medical-grade propylene glycol and glycerin are often available at the pharmacy, but also at suppliers that supply stores with organic, herbal and natural soaps.
