Microbial contamination of tattoo and permanent makeup inks marketed in the US: a follow-up study

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Public Health
• Dermatology

Background:

• A previous survey by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 found significant microbial contamination in tattoo and permanent makeup (PMU) inks.
• Concerns remain regarding the safety and sterility of inks used in cosmetic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the level of microbial contamination in tattoo and PMU inks and ink diluents.
• To confirm findings from a prior FDA survey on ink contamination.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 21 unopened tattoo and PMU inks and 6 ink diluents from 10 manufacturers (September–December 2017).
• Utilized FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual methods, including aerobic plate count and enrichment culture.
• Identified bacterial strains using standard microbiological techniques.

Main Results:

• Microbial contamination was detected in 11 (52%) of the 21 tested inks from six manufacturers.
• Contamination levels reached up to 3.6 × 10^8 CFU per gram.
• Identified 25 bacterial strains from nine genera, with Bacillus sp. and Paenibacillus sp. being dominant. Clinically relevant strains were also found.
• No contamination was detected in the six ink diluents.

Conclusions:

• Microbial contamination in tattoo and PMU inks remains a significant issue, consistent with previous findings.
• The presence of bacteria, including clinically relevant strains, poses potential health risks to individuals undergoing tattooing or permanent makeup procedures.
• Ink diluents appear to be a safer alternative, showing no microbial contamination in this study.